Their bags are packed. They won’t miss a day of classes, but they can kiss their girlfriends and home-cooked meals good-bye for three weeks. Seattle Pacific University sends its men’s soccer team on a 7-game, coast-to-coast road trip this week, with Northern California hosting the first batch of games. The Falcons (1-1-0) face Cal State San Bernardino (2-0-0) and host Sonoma State (1-0-0) at the Seawolf Classic, Saturday (Sept. 4) and Monday (Sept. 6), respectively. After another couple games, the scene shifts to Florida before returning home Sept. 25, just in time for the start of fall quarter.

The road much-traveled. Bay Area native and poet Robert Frost wrote of taking the road less-traveled, and certainly Coach Cliff McCrath is taking his squad on a venture few teams, amateur or professional–let alone in collegiate soccer–would even consider. Not only is there the wear and tear of travel, but the opposition is stiff, featuring two recent NCAA Division II champions and one team ranked among the top 20. It’s a trip which probably will make or break Seattle Pacific’s season. Either it will wilt under the strain or be galvanized into a postseason contender. Whatever happens, the good news is that seven of the final nine games are at home, and the two road matches are no more than a 90-minute drive.

One of the trademarks. Along with the five national champions and 33 straight winning seasons, McCrath’s program is known nationwide for its expansive travel. In the past 24 years, the Falcons have played in 22 different states and provinces. This is the 11th regular-season trip to Florida but the first since 2000. McCrath determined long ago that an ambitious travel schedule was essential to building a program fit for championship play. Usually the extended trips occur in September, prior to the start of classes. This season, SPU is not expected to miss a single day of class for travel reasons.

Once again sparkling in midfield last week was Ross Vaillancourt, winning balls, spraying passes and dribbling through traffic.

Point of origin. Seattle Pacific departs home having split a pair of home games. It’s a team which looks stout (again) on defense, but still seeking a spark in the attack after falling to No. 9-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills 1-0 and edging Cal Poly Pomona 1-0. By the end of the trip, perhaps the addition of a true world-traveler will help produce more offense. Midfield transfer Suad Krkic (Jr., Bellevue, Wa./Interlake-Bellevue CC) arrived back from a summer-long visit to his native Bosnia last week and will join the squad on the road. Krkic was the MVP of the Northwest junior colleges last season, and totaled 16 goals plus 21 assists in the past two seasons.

Dead ball brings life. In a game stopped 54 times for fouls, it was appropriate that one of those resulting free kicks was converted into the game’s lone goal. Michael Morris (So., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) ended 159 scoreless minutes with a 25-yard strike from a dead ball situation versus Cal Poly Pomona. It gave the Falcons a much-needed win. The closest chance to that point had been a looping shot by David Selby (Sr., Aloha, Or./Southridge) which glanced off the crossbar in the final minutes of the season opener.

Jimmy save day. He plays behind a capable back four, but occasionally he must throw himself into the air or at the feet of onrushing foes. James Ward (Sr., Salem, Or./Sprague) did both in the closing stages of the Pomona contest to preserve the win. Ward dived to parry a drive, then scrambled to fall on the ball before a stampede of Broncos could convert the rebound. Ward leads the GNAC with a goals-against average of 0.50 and has made 11 saves so far. He is a two-time all-GNAC keeper.

Throw-ins. Once again sparkling in midfield last week was Ross Vaillancourt (Jr., Bedford, NH), winning balls, spraying passes and dribbling through traffic...There was some promising signs up front, with freshmen Jeff Hallenbeck (Fr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor) and James Coggan (Fr., San Jose, Ca./Valley Christian) coming off the bench to work well in combination...Another rookie, Drew Macha (Fr., Eugene, Or./Marist) started both games in central defense, alongside converted forward David Smith (Sr., Corvallis, Or./Corvallis)...Cal State Dominguez Hills became the first visitor to blank SPU in a home opener since 1972...Ward’s shutout was the 14th of his career...In the first game, McCrath started Ward, Smith, Macha, Selby, Kye Taylor (Jr., Powell River, B.C.) on defense, Vaillancourt, Brkich, Morris, Brent Egbert (Sr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome) and Sean Sandin (Jr., Renton, Wa./Kentridge) in midfield, with Andy Willis (So., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor) up front. Sandin sat out the second game with an injury, with forward Nick Letts (Jr., Dublin, Ca./Redwood Christian) taking his place...In 1990, the Falcons played their first 10 games on the road, although two were within an hour’s drive. In 1995, an eight-game road trip opened the season with stops in Illinois, Connecticut, Nevada and California.

Tickets, Please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season home games are $7 for reserved and $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens receiving G.A. tickets for $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

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.