Fall Teams Report to Campus; Seasons to Start Soon
August 10, 2004

SEATTLE (Aug. 10) – All five fall sports have begun training in preparation for the start of their respective 2004 seasons at Seattle Pacific University, with the start of regular season play for men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball just over two weeks away.

Each of the teams began training twice daily on Monday (Aug. 9), with volleyball practicing at Brougham Pavilion and the soccer teams at Interbay Stadium.

The first event open to the public will be a men’s soccer exhibition Aug. 23, when the Falcons host Washington at Interbay. Kick-off is 7 p.m.

Volleyball opens at arduous eight-match road trip Aug. 27 in southern California. Two of the first three outings will be against teams ranked among the top 10 in the nation. Coach Kellie Ryan has four starters back from a 15-10 season.

For a change, both soccer teams will start the season at home. The men and women will each host Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal Poly Pomona in doubleheaders Aug. 28 and 30, respectively. Men'ssoccer has not opened at home since 1997 and the women, in their fourth season, have never done so.

Chuck Sekyra’s women, who return from 10 starters from their NCAA tournament team which went 17-2-2, remain home Sept. 4 to face Chico State. The men, under Cliff McCrath for the 35th year, then embark upon a three-week, seven game road trip which will take them to California and later Florida. They brought back nine starters after going 9-8-2 but missing the playoffs for the third year in a row.

Cross Country gets underway Sept. 4 with the Lake Padden Relays in Bellingham. Coach Doris Heritage doesn’t expect to have her full compliment of runners until the Sept. 18 Sundodger Invitational.