One of the last. After playing just one game in the last 10 days, a well-rested Seattle Pacific University women's soccer team returns to the FieldTurf of Interbay Stadium for one of three remaining home matches. The Falcons (4-0-1/8-1-2), again on the verge of a national ranking, hope to extend their 11-game home win streak in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match Thursday night (Oct. 9) against Western Washington (2-3-1/4-8-1). Saturday afternoon (Oct. 11), SPU plays the first of three consecutive road games, beginning at Western Oregon (1-4-0/3-8-0). The following weekend it plays a two-game tournament in Phoenix.

Up-up-up the regional charts. After drubbing Central Washington 4-0 last week, the Falcons moved up one spot to No. 4 in the Far West Region rankings. It matches the best ranking in the program's three-year existence. UC San Diego, Seattle University and Cal State Dominguez Hills occupy the top three positions. Nationally, Seattle Pacific is receiving votes. The top four teams will earn NCAA Division II playoff berths in November and Seattle Pacific is trying to become the first ever GNAC team to reach the NCAA tournament.

Streaks alive. The Falcons are perched just behind Seattle University in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings and they are unbeaten in their last eight matches. Dating back to Sept. 25, 2002, the they have posted 18 victories and three ties in their last 22 games. During the 11 straight home wins SPU has overwhelmed visitors by a combined score of 41-4, including a 21-1 count in the last four.

Take offense. Coach Chuck Sekyra saw his team end a brief offensive lull in the second half of the Central game. Seattle Pacific fired 16 shots on the Wildcat goal. By comparison, the offense totaled just 18 shots in the previous two outings and had scored just three times in the last three games. Two of the goals came off the head of midfielder Shannon Lovejoy (So., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Prep). Midway through the season, Lovejoy is the conference co-leader in goals with seven. Fellow midfielder Jessica Henson (Jr., Spokane, Wa./University) assisted on Lovejoy's first strike and Megan Lienhard (So., Everett, Wa./Cascade) corner-kicked the second. Forward Heidi Jacobson (So., Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian-Gonzaga) opened up by scoring her fourth goal in the first half. Theresa Morelli (Fr., Bellevue, Wa./Bellevue Christian), in a rare start, ignited a run of three goals in 11 minutes on a rebound goal in the 68th minute.

Smothering defense. Sekyra's defensive flat back four continues to be amongst the nation's elite as the season wears on. Last week, Seattle Pacific ranked second nationally in shutout percentage and fifth in overall scoring defense while goalkeeper Jennifer Hull (Jr., Eugene, Or./Sheldon) was No. 3 in goals-against average. Hull and the regular back line of Nicole Ruiz (Sr., Federal Way, Wa./Federal Way-Barry), Katie Lim (Jr., Hillsboro, Or.), Michelle Everson (So., Tacoma, Wa./Stadium) and Mollie Taylor (Fr., Westlake Village, Ca./Oaks Christian) have only allowed just four goals this season and have posted a total of eight shutouts. The Falcons have yet to allow a first-half goal. Hull, who had to make just two saves versus the Wildcats last week, leads the GNAC with a GAA of 0.29 and six individual shutouts.

Footnotes. As a team, the Falcons lead the GNAC in goals (32), goals against average (0.35) and shutouts (8). They also have the fewest yellow cards (3)...Individually, Lovejoy is tied for first in goals (7), second in points (17), third in shots and eighth in assists (3)...Michelle Sanders (Jr., Centralia, Wa.) missed the Central contest with an ankle injury sustained in California. She is seventh in points (11) and is tied at No. 2 for assists average (0.50). Jacobson ranks eighth in shots, sixth in points (12) and seventh in total goals (4)...Allison Teague (So., Redmond, Wa., Bellevue Christian/Santa Clara) is tied for eighth with Lovejoy in assists...Sanders, who may return this week, has enjoyed success vs. Western, with three goals and four assists in the first four meetings.

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.