The Falcons Online -- Seattle Pacific University Athletics

SPU Men’s Soccer Seeks to Push Forward in ‘04
33rd Straight Winning Season; 10 Starters Due Back
December 16, 2003

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2003 Results	2003 Roster	2003 Stats

Footnotes

Egbert and Sean Sandin (Jr., Renton, Wa./Kentridge) each received medical hardships to have this season’s eligibility restored...McCrath now has 550 career wins, tops in Div. II and No. 2 all-time in collegiate soccer...The Falcons, following the worst (0-4-0) start in 32 years, went 9-4-2 the rest of the way. Encouraged by the late surge, the team continued to train nightly for another two weeks after the final game...Ward was GNAC player of the week for the second time this season after allowing one goal in a pair of victories over Western Washington (3-0) and UC Davis (2-1) to close-out the season. He was credited with 11 saves, including a penalty kick save versus Western and two point-blank stops vs. Davis...Only Laughlin and Selby started all 19 games for the Falcons. In fact, Laughlin started 56 of a possible 57 games during his career...Taylor, Vaillancourt, Willis and Morris, who scored the game-winner vs. UC Davis, were among four freshmen and sophomores who were regular starters...SPU was held scoreless four times, equalling the most in three seasons. But only one of those shutouts occurred in the final 15 games and the team picked up the pace late with seven goals in the final three contests...SPU was the GNAC leader in corner kicks (96) and goals-against average...Individuallly, Ward led the conference in both GAA (1.16) and shutouts (5). Yerkes finished No. 2 in total points (24), goals (9) and assists (6) and tied for No. 2 in game-winning goals...Yerkes had the team’s first hat trick in three seasons and his three goals against Humboldt State Oct. 24 marked only the sixth time in which a hat trick accounted for each of the team’s goals in a game...For the first time since shots were recorded as an official statistic, SPU allowed more (237) than it attempted (220)...McCrath and Ward served as guest clinicians at the Youth Education through Sports (YES) clinic during the NCAA Championships Dec. 5-7 in Virginia Beach, Va. Lynn (Fl.) defeated Chico State 2-1 in the title game. It was the fourth year in a row that a Far West Region team made the final...Marcus Hahnemann, the former three-time All-America keeper, is enjoying another strong season for Reading of the English first division. Hahnemann has posted four straight shutouts in his last six games and Reading is fifth in the standings.

Wait ‘til next year. Good things take time, and it’s conceivable that the best of times may be just around the corner for the Seattle Pacific University men’s soccer program. In 2003, nothing came easily for the Falcons, who were plagued season-long by injuries and ineffectiveness in the attacking third, yet still finished with a record of 9-8-2. It extends their NCAA Division II record for consecutive winning seasons to 33 years. Another upside is that 10 starters plus a starter from the previous season are due back in 2004.

Twists of fate. Seattle Pacific showed lots of fight, first resurrecting their postseason hopes with a midseason surge and then clinching a winning season with a pair of big victories in the final week. Closing the deal was a 2-1 win over nationally-ranked UC Davis on the last day of the season. Of the eight losses, six were by one goal (three in overtime) and none by more than two. Fourteen of 19 games were decided by one goal or tied. Altogether, six went to overtime, tying the school record. An odd goal here or there would’ve likely resulted in SPU earning a playoff berth. It certainly held its own against the nation’s best, if the 3-2 loss to eventual NCAA runner-up Chico State is any indication.

Scoring punch sought. The attack, dulled by injuries to key players, and further affected by inconsistent finishing, generated the fewest goals (29) since 1970. The next-lowest total was 35, scored in 1989. Jeremy Yerkes (Jr.. Gresham, Or./Gresham) figured in more than half (nine goals and six assists) of the goals this season. He scored or set-up each nine of the team’s last 10 goals and finished No. 2 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference scoring derby. Contributing factors to the drought ranged from season-ending injuries to all-region midfielder Brent Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) and forward Nick Letts (So., Dublin, Ca./Redwood Christian), to individual slumps. The team created far fewer scoring opportunities. The 220 shots was 84 fewer than the previous season. In 1998, when the team reached the Final Four, 408 shots were attempted. Opposing keepers made just 61 saves compared to 105 in 2002.

Getting defensive. Defensively, the Falcons stood tall. The 25 goals allowed compares favorably with many of the 27 playoff teams and the goals-against average of 1.25 was best in the GNAC. All-conference and all-region sweeper Matt Laughlin (Sr., Selah, Wa.) is the lone senior starter who must be replaced although the stopper position was filled by committee much of the year. Returning next autumn are all-conference goalkeeper James Ward (Jr., Salem, Or./Sprague), all-GNAC left back Kye Taylor (So., Powell River, B.C.), plus right back David Selby (Jr., Aloha, Or.).

On their honor. Laughlin and Ward were the most honored players on the squad. In addition to first team all-conference, Laughlin was a second team all-Far West. Ward was selected to the academic all-region first team. Andy Willis (Fr., Gig Harbor, Wa.) earned conference freshman of the year. Willis, a redshirt forward, finished sixth in GNAC scoring with five goals and 14 total points. He made second team all-conference. Voted to the first team were along with Ward and Laughlin were Yerkes (Jr., Gresham, Or.) and midfielder/defender Ross Vaillancourt (So., Bedford, NH). Ward also made the team in 2001 while Yerkes and Vaillancourt were repeat selections. Joining Willis on the second team were midfielder Michael Morris (Fr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) and Taylor. Making academic all-conference were Ward, Vaillancourt and Michael Schefter (Sr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley). Schefter is a three-time selection and Ward is a repeat choice.

A legend is honored. Ken Covell, the first all-region selection and holder of every school scoring record at one time, will be inducted into the Falcon Legends Hall of Fame Jan. 23 at Gwinn Commons. The Denver area native will be a charter member and becomes the first soccer representative in the hall. Covell starred from 1971-74, scoring 57 goals and totaling 140 points while leading Seattle Pacific to a combined record of 43-15-13 over his four seasons. So profound was his impact that before his arrival the Falcons had won one game in three years and during Covell’s career SPC made the playoffs four times, reaching the NCAA Championship game in 1974.

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.