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Up and away. The air will get a bit thinner and then drier as Seattle Pacific University takes its men’s soccer team on the road for the next three games. First the 6th-ranked Falcons (9-2-0) climb into the Rockies and face UC Colorado Springs (6-7-1) Thursday night (Oct. 5). They pay a visit to the desert over the weekend, playing Hawaii Pacific (4-1-1) Saturday night (Oct. 7) in Phoenix, followed by Grand Canyon (3-6-0) Tuesday (Oct. 10) at high noon. SPU begins a three-game home stand Oct. 14 against Seattle University.

Cookin’ at home. Seattle Pacific hits the road on a high after going 3-0 on its longest home stand of the season, punctuating that set with a 2-0 win over Regis. The two-goal cushion served as a breather of sorts following the first ever back-to-back overtime wins. The Falcons have now won 14 (and tied one) of the last 16 home games over three seasons.

Super September. By winning eight of nine games in September, SPU has matched its best start since 1994. At times, it’s been defense (four shutouts in the month, five overall) and at others it’s been a relentless attack (15 goals in the last five outings). With a win on Thursday, the Falcons would match the longest win streak in the last six seasons. In 2004 the team won seven straight and went unbeaten in 10. Three weeks after being dropped from the NSCAA top 25, Seattle Pacific has climbed back to a tie for No. 6 this week. It’s the highest ranking since going to No. 5 on Oct, 18, 2005. It remains ahead of Seattle U. and Cal State Dominguez Hills in the regional coaches poll.

Celebrate them home. This is a road trip, yet there should be plenty of home cooking, at least for a few of the players. Colorado Springs is home to two of the team’s standouts on defense, sweeper Matt Kemper (Jr., Colorado Springs, Co./Palmer) and goalkeeper Kellen Rosten (Jr., Colorado Springs, Co./Doherty). Last season both emerged as premier players in the West, each making the coaches’ all-region team and Rosten being voted the player ofthe year in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. When the plane touches down in Phoenix, friendly faces are likely to greet winger Steve Spencer (Sr., Scottsdale, Az./Chaparral/Paradise Valley CC) and defender Jono Henness (So., Casa Grande, Az./Casa Grande Union), both Arizona natives. Spencer led the team in assists and was all-GNAC as a junior while Henness started 11 times.

He shoots, he scores. The beauty of a truly clinical goal scorer is that they can drift around for 89 minutes but still manage to beat a team in the remaining 60 seconds. That was the case for James Coggan (Jr., San Jose, Ca./Valley Christian) against Regis. He was in the right place at the right times. Coming off the bench, he scored the game’s first goal with a precision strike to the left corner. In the latter stages of the match, he finished a free kick sequence from short range. Two shots, two scores. Coggan now shares the team lead in goals with four and is the overall scoring leader with 13 points. He was selected as the GNAC player of the week.

They all count. Ordinarily, when Seattle Pacific faces teams from Colorado it has little effect on the playoffs. Not so any more. Both the Regis and UC Colorado Springs games (and Incarnate Word Oct. 24) are as big as any versus teams from California or Washington. Ideally, each team in the region would play one another, thereby helping the NCAA determine its postseason participants. But in the Far West especially, the area is vast and with three conferences involved, it’s difficult to arrange non-league meetings. This season, with GNAC and Pacific West members finding it practically impossible to get a sufficient number of in-region games, the NCAA has allowed games between Midwest and Far West members to count as in-region.

Throw-ins. Andy Willis (Sr., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor) got his first assist of the season on Coggan’s first goal. Willis cut across the defense and drew two defenders, allowing Coggan a clear look at goal. A free kick from near midfield by Josh Burnside (Fr., Black Diamond, Wa./Kennedy) set the second scoring play in motion. Jeff Hallenbeck (Jr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor) nodded the ball down for Coggan to put home...The shutout versus Regis was the first in five games...Coggan is tied for No. 2 in GNAC assists (5) and is No. 3 in total points. Michael Morris (Sr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) is the league leader in shots (34). Rosten is No. 1 in shutouts (5) and GAA (0.98)...Defending national champion Fort Lewis (Co.) lost for the first time in 34 games last week, and relinquished its spot at the top of the poll to Florida’s Lynn...Kemper has now started 51 consecutive games. The others to start all 11 games are Hallenbeck, Rosten, Morris, Justin Abel (Jr., Snohomish, Wa./Snohomish), and David Reuhl (Sr., Bothell, Wa./Bothell/Bellevue CC)...Burnside, Brandon Crutchfield (Fr., Snohomish, Wa.) and Alec Nelson (Fr., Lynnwood, Wa./Meadowdale) gave Coach Cliff McCrath three freshman starters vs. Regis.

Coaching Staff. Cliff McCrath is the Division II leader in career coaching victories. 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 28 NCAA playoff appearances, including berths in 18 of the last 22 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 $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $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.