Happy to host. Eager to build on its growing reputation as a women's soccer regional power and extend its seven-game home win streak, Seattle Pacific University crams three matches into five days during the upcoming week. The Falcons (3-1-0) begin Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Thursday (Sept. 11) versus Western Oregon (1-3-0). The home stand continues Saturday (Sept. 13) against Northwest Nazarene (2-1-0) and ends with an Interbay Stadium non-conference visit by Montana State Billings (2-0-1) Monday (Sept. 15). After that, the next three matches are on the road.

Stock is rising. SPU is off to its best start in history and new head coach Chuck Sekyra was undoubtedly pleased with the win in the home opener over a strong Sonoma State side. The Seawolves were nationally-ranked in the preseason and were No. 8 in the Far West Region rankings, just behind Seattle Pacific (No. 7). With the victory, SPU is ranked higher than ever before, rising three spots to No. 4 in this week's regional poll, and it received votes in the national poll for the first time. That's significant because the NCAA Division II bracket has expanded from 24 to 32 teams this season, meaning the top four teams in the region will qualify at season's end. No GNAC has previously made the playoffs and currently seven of the top nine teams in the region are from the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Seattle Pacific plays three more CCAA teams this season.

Title defense begins. Unlike their first two seasons, when they were trying to earn some respect, the Falcons approach the upcoming GNAC campaign as the favorite following last season's surprising first-place finish. SPU was given a slight edge over Seattle University and Western Oregon in the coaches' preseason poll. Northwest Nazarene was picked to finish in the GNAC cellar.

Interbay streak. It's been awhile since any visitor scored at Interbay and even longer since they won. The Falcons won their seventh straight home game when they blanked Sonoma 1-0. That extended the string of scoreless minutes to 298. Although it was a team effort, goalkeeper Jennifer Hull (Jr., Eugene, Or./Sheldon) definitely made some memorable stops. In a span of two minutes midway through the second half, Hull lunged to turn a free kick around the left post and then leaped to save an overhead kick which was headed for the roof to the net. Hull, who was selected the GNAC player of the week, tallied five saves to notch her third shutout in four games and lower her goals-against average to 0.50-best in the GNAC. Sekyra had praised his defense for its stout play during the California trip and the back line of Nicole Ruiz (Sr., Federal Way, Wa./Federal Way-Barry), Katie Lim (Jr., Hillsboro, Or.) and Michelle Everson (So., Tacoma, Wa./Stadium) was just as tenacious at home. Apart from Hull's brief flurry of activity, the Seawolves were largely held in check most of the match.

Home sweet Sanders. It was no fluke that she led the team in scoring and total points in 2002 and perhaps fitting that Michelle Sanders (Jr., Centralia, Wa.) commenced scoring at Interbay in '03 with a goal to the right post with just under seven minutes remaining. Sanders came off the bench to score her second goal of the season and the 16th of her career, off assists by Shannon Lovejoy (So., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep) and Heidi Jacobson (So., Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian). Lovejoy leads the team and the entire GNAC with a total eight points this season.

Footnotes. Sekyra put Jacobson back in the starting lineup for Sonoma and she constantly agitated the Seawolves' defense, particularly in the first half. The other change was Mollie Taylor (Fr., Westlake Village, Ca./Oaks Christian) for Allison Teague (So., Redmond, Wa./Bellevue Christian-Santa Clara) in midfield...SPU has quickly improved its standing against CCAA teams. In 2001 the team was 0-4-0 against those teams, and last year that mark improved to 1-1-2. This season the Falcons are 2-1-0 to date. It was the first win in three tries versus Sonoma... Lovejoy and Sarah Melby (Jr., Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak-Idaho) are the GNAC co-leaders with three goals apiece...Jessica Henson (Jr., Spokane, Wa./University), who ripped a shot that narrowly missed the left post, started her 36th career game. She and Hull have each played in all of the program's 42 games to date...Seattle Pacific has yet to receive a yellow card...The Falcons remain a perfect 3-0-0 in home openers.

Tickets, Please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home games are $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaching Staff. Chuck Sekyra was hired as the Falcons' head coach on Feb. 24, 2002. Seykra, an assistant at the University of Washington for three seasons, has close ties to the Puget Sound soccer community and to Seattle Pacific in particular. He is a graduate of SPU, played on two NCAA championship teams and was assistant men's coach from 1998-99. Sekyra is head coach of the Washington State girls ODP Under-16 team and a Region IV ODP staff coach. He was a starter on the '86 squad which became the first in Division II history to win back-to-back national championships. Returning to the staff for her second year is Julie Cain. New to the bench are Kevin Blokker and volunteer assistant Steve Miller.

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.