No more mistakes. Realizing it must finish the remainder of the regular season mistake free, the chase for an NCAA tournament berth begins in earnest this week for the Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team. The Falcons (7-4-1) host Grand Canyon (4-10-0) Thursday night (Oct. 17) before beginning their final road trip Monday night (Oct. 21) at Cal Poly Pomona (7-6-1). They visit Cal State Bakersfield Oct. 23 and then play the final four games at home.

Very little wiggle room. There simply isn't much margin for error as Seattle Pacific turns toward the final stretch of the regular season. Only two of the Far West Region's teams will qualify for the playoffs and currently the Falcons stand seventh with seven games remaining. Past teams have faced such circumstances and risen to the occasion. As recently as 2000, SPU went unbeaten in its final 12 regular season games. In 1998, during its most recent run to a Final Four, Seattle Pacific was 9-2 down the stretch. And in 1993, following a suspension-related loss similar to that of last week, the Falcons reeled off seven consecutive wins en route to an NCAA championship.

Fast starts essential. In traditional low-scoring sports such as soccer, the team to score first is the team than wins most. The Falcons know this statistic firsthand. In games in which they score first this season they are 6-0-1. In each of their four losses, they have allowed a goal in the first 32 minutes and in three of those games they have eventually fallen behind 2-0. While it has proven to be a second-half team (outscoring foes 21-10), SPU cannot afford such deficits. In last week's 3-2 defeat at Seattle University, a young, makeshift lineup allowed two goals in the first 20 minutes.

Getting down to the Nub. With 537 career wins, Coach Cliff McCrath needs seven more to overtake retired San Francisco coach Steve Negoesco as the all-time collegiate leader. Uncle Nubby has guided 33 Falcon teams to 452 wins since 1970. The program has not sustained a losing record in the past 31 years and has qualified for postseason play 28 times. Both are Division II records. SPU was the NCAA champion in 1978, '83, '85, '86 and '93. McCrath and Michelle Akers will receive the lifetime achievement award from the Friends of Soccer/Washington State Nov. 6.

Coming of age. The silver lining of last week's adversity was that many young players were thrust into leading roles and, according to McCrath, they came of age in the process. McCrath started five freshmen and five sophomores at Seattle U., and in the final minutes that unit came close to pulling even with the Redhawks. Nick Letts (Fr., Dublin, Ca./Redwood Christian) came off the bench to notch the Falcons' first goal with Jeremy Yerkes (So., Gresham, Or./Gresham-Tacoma CC) assisting from a free kick. Nineteen of the team's 33 goals have been scored by underclassmen, including six by Yerkes, who now has contributed either a goal or an assist in five consecutive games. He is third among Great Northwest Athletic Conference scorers with 16 points.

Search for Mister October. Yerkes fueled much of the recent four-game unbeaten streak, but if Seattle Pacific is to prevail in its playoff run it will need at least a couple heroes who can shine within the framework of a balanced system of play. Midfielders Brent Egbert (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome), who got the second goal (his fourth of the season) at Seattle U., Michael Brkich (So., Vancouver, B.C./Vienna Christian-Chico State) and Cory Janzen (Sr., Langley, B.C./Lynden Christian) would seem suitable candidates as well. Midfielders have accounted for the teams' last 13 goals in the last six games.

Or an October surprise. Much of the frontline's punch has been missing since forward David Smith (So., Corvallis, Or.) was lost to a fractured jaw barely six games into the season. Smith, who had scored five times in the first five games, could return to the lineup within the next 10 days to provide a much-needed lift. Missing from action. Six players, including four starters, were unavailable for the Seattle U. game due to suspensions following a breach of team rules. Grant Falco, Cory Janzen, Mike Pardini, Michael Schefter and Adrian Cravalho all drew one-game suspensions. Matt Laughlin, who also missed the match, received a two-game suspension and will miss Thursday's game.

Footnotes. Seattle Pacific's best hope for a share of the GNAC title rests with a victory over Western Washington Nov. 6 and then the Vikings defeating Seattle U. Nov. 9. The Nov. 1 rematch with the Redhawks is a non-conference game...Cal State Dominguez Hills remains atop the regional rankings, thanks to some beatings absorbed by other top teams. Cal State Bakersfield is No. 2, followed by Sonoma State, UC Davis, Seattle U., UC San Diego and SPU...The red card issued to defender Mark Cox (Fr., Renton, Wa./Kentridge) late in the SU game was the team's fourth this season-the most in eight years...Goalie James Ward (So., Salem, Or./Sprague) and Brkich are the only players to have started all 12 games.

Tickets, please. Tickets for all SPU regular season games are priced $7 for reserved, $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3. Group rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath is the active leader among all divisions in career coaching victories. He needs nine to surpass San Francisco's retired Steve Negoesco (543) as the all-time leader. McCrath has led SPU to a record 27 NCAA playoff appearances, including berths in 17 of the last 18 years, and five national titles (1978, '83, '85, '86 and '93). He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and is a past national coach of the year. His staff includes former Falcons Mark Metzger ('78 championship team), Peter Hattrup ('83 and '85 title teams) and Chuck Granade ('93 NCAA winners).

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.