The next bounce. Will they pull together and go on another run of success, or will things turn for the worse? That is the question to be answered over the coming week as the Seattle Pacific University men's soccer team plays three times in a span of six days. The Falcons (1-1-1/4-5-2) take a break from Great Northwest Athletic Conference play to host Pacific Lutheran (9-3-1) Wednesday night (Oct. 15) before going to Phoenix for the final road games and bouts with Grand Canyon (2-9-1) Saturday night (Oct. 18) and Cal State San Bernardino (8-6-1) Monday (Oct. 20). The last five regular season dates are all at home, beginning Oct. 24 versus Humboldt State.

Loss of traction. Just when it seemed SPU was ready to make another run for the playoffs, it lost traction. The nine-day lull of activity which followed their third straight win ended with a 1-1 draw at Western Washington. And just when it appeared the Falcons were about to crest over .500 for the first time, they lost the lead and then the game at Seattle University, 3-2 in overtime. It marked the first loss in seven games, dating back to Sept. 8. The coming week offers a chance to climb back into the postseason fray, especially with San Bernardino being ranked among the top six team in the Far West.

Unprecedented but so what? If the team's battle cry had been 'We Shall Not Lose!,' then the new one must be 'We Shall Not Lose Again!' Simply put, Seattle Pacific cannot afford a single loss the rest of the way if it harbors any hope of contending for an NCAA playoff berth. There have been tremendous second-half runs in the past, but none has ever overcome a sub-.500 record this late in the season. In 1996, the Falcons were 6-6-0 but managed to earn a playoff spot by losing just once in the final nine regular season games. Postseason berths go to the top three teams in the Far West Region. All five of this season's losses have been on the road to teams currently listed among the region's top six.

Forward gung-ho. For more than a year, Coach Cliff McCrath has waited for Andy Willis (Fr., Gig Harbor, Wa.) to become a fixture in the attack, and last week the results came forth. Willis, who missed the 2002 season with foot injuries, scored in both games last week. A prolific scorer in the prep and club ranks, Willis plays a not-so-subtle style up front, running hard and shooting with ferocious force. And his shaved head only adds to the aura. Despite starting only two matches, Willis is now tied for the team lead with three goals.

A world of hurt. There's no single reason why the first 11 games have gone awry, but certainly injuries have played their part. McCrath has yet to put his projected starting lineup on the field. Brent Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome), an all-region selection last season, has played only twice and will miss the remainder of the season with a leg injury. Three other potential starters have missed at least six games, and now starting forward Nick Letts (So., Dublin, Ca./Redwood Christian) is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury sustained in a collision with the Seattle U. goalkeeper. Letts was the co-leader with three goals. Goalie James Ward (Jr., Salem, Or./Sprague), defenders David Selby (Jr., Aloha, Or./Southridge-Warner Pacific) and Matt Laughlin (Sr., Selah, Wa.) and midfielder Michael Morris (Fr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) are the only players to start each game.

On the mend. A goal-starved offense came alive, if only briefly, during the second half of the Seattle U. game. Midfielder Jeremy Yerkes (Jr., Gresham, Or./Gresham-Tacoma CC), who is recovering from strep throat, came off the bench to set-up both goals and fire a team-high five shots in less than 50 minutes of duty. Yerkes is tied for fourth in the GNAC with nine total points on three goals and three assists. However the attack, with 14 goals in 11 games, remains on pace for the lowest production in the last 34 years.

Footnotes. Manfredo Rendon (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome), now starting regularly on the right side of midfield, has contributed either a goal or assist in his last three games. He scored the first goal at Seattle U...Ward remains the GNAC leader in GAA (1.04) and co-leader in shutouts (4). Yerkes and Smith are tied for No. 3 in assists (3) while Yerkes is tied for fourth in total points (9)...The Falcons are 13-0-3 when scoring the game's first goal, both this season and last. However, they are winless (0-2-3) in their last five overtime games, including four this fall...Dating back to last season, SPU has won four in a row at home, all by shutout...The SPU women will also play two games in Phoenix this weekend.

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.