A pivotal pair. The only formula for Seattle Pacific University getting back in the playoff picture is to win 'em one game at a time, and if the Falcons (2-4-1) can accomplish that feat this week they would find themselves on a .500 footing entering October. SPU takes a mini unbeaten run of three games into Thursday night's (Sept. 25) encounter with San Francisco State (3-6-0). The Interbay Stadium home stand concludes with Saturday night's (Sept. 27) bout with defending NCAA Division II champion Sonoma State (5-3-0). The team is then idle until Oct. 6 when Great Northwest Athletic Conference play resumes at Western Washington.

Block by block. Seattle Pacific is slowly righting itself following an 0-4-0 start. Last week at nationally-ranked Simon Fraser, the Falcons rallied to tie the game at 2-2- in the final 11 minutes and then patiently put way a stubborn Montana State Billings to win the home opener 3-0. The defense has allowed only four goals in the last five games, with a goals-against average of 0.74 during that span. Meanwhile the attack is coming to life. After being blanked in three of the first four outings, SPU has scored seven goals in three games.

He who scores first. A score in overtime is referred to as the Golden Goal, yet it's the first goal of the game which has proved telling for the Falcons. In a carryover from last season, they have gone undefeated (11-0-2) when scoring first. Last week Nick Letts (So., Dublin, Ca./Redwood Christian) put the visitors ahead early at Simon Fraser with his third goal of the season. Jeremy Bonner (So., Sammamish, Wa./Eastlake) came off the bench to score shortly before halftime, breaking the ice versus Billings.

Calling all Yerkes. Despite the absence of all-region pick Brent Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome), the midfield is growing in confidence and effectiveness. Jeremy Yerkes (Jr., Gresham, Or./Gresham-Tacoma CC) is the most dangerous attacker in the four-man diamond. Yerkes dribbled past two defenders to deliver the tying goal in Canada and he helped set-up the second goal against Billings to earn GNAC co-player of the week. Yerkes and Letts share the team lead and are tied for No. 3 in conference scoring with three goals and seven total points. Egbert has missed the past five games with an injury.

Ties go the Nubber. He's soon to become No. 2 in career wins but he is the undisputed top collector of ties. Coach Cliff McCrath not only picked up win No. 543 last week-leaving him one away from tying Steve Negoesco for No. 2 in all-time collegiate wins-but the draw at Simon Fraser was McCrath's 82nd, which is more than any other coach. And forget the analogy of kissing one's sister; some of those ties have been barnburners with huge payoffs. It was the 1972 stalemate (1-1) with Division I giant Saint Louis which put SPU on the national soccer map. Later, there was the incredible two-goal comeback in the final 62 seconds of a 1993 NCAA semifinal which paved the way to the school's fifth national title. And in 1996 there certainly was no shame in tying Washington, then the No. 2 D-I team in the nation.

Footnotes. James Ward (Jr., Salem, Or./Sprague) remains the GNAC leader in GAA (1.32) and the Billings shutout-which did not require a save-was the ninth of his career. Ward played forward for much of the final 36 minutes at Simon Fraser. Michael Lockwood (Fr., Wilsonville, Or./Canby), who has spelled Ward three times in such situations this season, made three fine saves in the overtime...Bonner, Michael Morris (Fr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) and Andy Willis (Fr., Gig Harbor, Wa.) each scored their first collegiate goals versus Billings. Willis also hit the post with a first-half shot...David Smith (Jr., Corvallis, Or.) assisted on three goals last week for his first points of the season...The combined record of the opponents which SPU has lost to this season is 24-6-3.

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath is Division II leader in career coaching victories. He needs four to surpass San Francisco's retired Steve Negoesco (543) as the all-time collegiate (all divisions) leader. McCrath has led SPU to a record 27 NCAA playoff appearances, including berths in 17 of the last 19 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), Chuck Granade ('93 NCAA winners) and Mark Collings ('98 Final Four).

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.