Back for awhile. Airports, rentals cars and meals on the go are all part of the past as the 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific University men’s soccer team sets-up shop at Interbay Stadium for the next couple weeks. The Falcons (6-1-2) open a four-game home stand–their longest of the season–by hosting Grand Canyon (3-3-2) Tuesday night (Sept. 20). Great Northwest Athletic Conference play begins Saturday night (Sept. 24) against Humboldt State (6-4-0) and continues Sept. 28 versus Western Washington.

Home cookin’. It’s imperative that SPU extend its unbeaten streak over the next fortnight at Interbay because some tough test await in early October. Despite playing seven of the first nine games on the road, Coach Cliff McCrath has got his squad well-positioned for a run at the NCAA tournament, yet with only three berths available Seattle Pacific can ill-afford a single slipup. Fortunately, the Falcons have touchstone in Interbay. They have won 80 percent of their games there since the facility opened in 1997, including two wins earlier this month by a combined score of 6-0.

Not-so rocky road. A lot was asked of the SPU players last week as they played three times in six days while ascending into the thin air of Denver. Still, the Falcons managed to go unbeaten, winning twice and tying once. The latter was a frustrating affair. Forty-four hours after beating Cal State Bakersfield, Seattle Pacific was in Colorado and clinging to a 1-0 lead in the final minute at Regis when the Rangers scored to salvage a draw. Able to acclimatize, the boys bounced back three days later to conclude the two-week, five-game road trip with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory at Metro State.

Falcons run deep. The taxing travel and high altitude took its toll on the players and McCrath went to his bench early and often. And it paid off. Three of the Falcons’ four goals in Denver were scored by substitutes. James Coggan (So., San Jose, Ca./Valley Christian) got the lone marker at Regis, and at Metro State Daniel Carpenter (Fr., Santa Cruz, Ca./Harbor) notched the tying goal in the 77th minute and less than three minutes later Jeremy Bonner’s (Sr., Sammamish, Wa./Eastlake) long-range blast capped the comeback. Together, the threesome has scored seven goals, all after coming off the bench.

Job promotion. If their goal scoring is any indication, Bonner, Carpenter and Coggan are making cases for being including in the starting lineup. Steve Spencer (Jr., Scottsdale, Az./Chaparral-Paradise Valley CC) knows how they feel. He began the season as a reserve but has now made three consecutive starts, and last week he assisted on three of the six goals to earn GNAC player of the week. Spencer, who may own the quickest pair of feet on the team, found Andy Willis (Jr., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor) for both goals at Bakersfield. His corner kick to Colin Rigby (Jr., Mercer Island, Wa./MI-Denver U.) set-up Carpenter, who now has three goals and is second on the team with seven total points.

Saving grace. Rising to the occasion, time and again, has been goalkeeper Kellen Rosten (So., Colorado Springs, Co./Doherty). Playing in his native state, Rosten preserved both the draw and the win with a pair of point-blank saves. In the final minute of play against Metro, he dived to blocked a shot from 4 yards out by the Roadrunners’ Phillip Owen and Drew Macha (So., Eugene, Or./Marist) cleared the ball to preserve the win. Regis, which tied the game with 25 seconds left in regulation, nearly won it in the first overtime but Rosten made a reaction stop of a 6-yard drive. Rosten leads the GNAC in shutouts (3), save percentage (.848) and goals-against average (0.76).

Throw-ins. Jeff Hallenbeck (So., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor) scored the game’s first goal at Metro. In its last 20 games when scoring the game’s first goal, SPU is 18-0-2...Six players–Willis, Rosten, Macha, Matt Kemper (So., Colorado Springs, Co./Palmer), Kye Taylor (Sr., Powell River, BC/Cameron) and Ross Vaillancourt (Sr., Bedford, NH/Manchester West) have started each game. Michael Morris (Jr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet), who started the first eight, missed the Metro game with a shoulder injury suffered vs. Regis...The Falcons have won five in a row at home, dating back to last season, and have not allowed a goal in their last three Interbay games...Seattle Pacific is now 11-2-3 in its last 16 road games...SPU is 5-1-0 versus teams in the Far West...The Falcons may move up in this week’s NSCAA national rankings after three teams ahead of them suffered defeats...Willis remains the GNAC leader in points (15) goals (7) and game-winning goals (4). Rigby and Spencer share the assists lead (3). Carpenter is tied for fifth in both goals (3) and points (7).

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath is the Division II leader in career coaching victories (563). In 2002 he surpassed San Francisco’s retired Steve Negoesco to briefly become collegiate soccer’s leader for all divisions. McCrath has led SPU to a record 27 NCAA playoff appearances, including berths in 17 of the last 21 years, and five national titles (1978, ‘83, ‘85, ‘86 and ‘93). His staff includes former Falcons Mark Collings (‘98 Final Four), Mark Metzger (‘78 championship team), and Sergio Soriano (‘78 NCAA winners).

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.