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Up and away. In many ways, the first seven weeks of the season have been just a prelude to Saturday night’s men’s soccer game between 6th-ranked Seattle Pacific University and No. 15 Seattle University. Undoubtedly, both the Falcons (10-3-0) and Redhawks (9-3-0) know that the victor gets not only the upper hand in seeding for the NCAA Division II Far West Regional, but also the inside track to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship. It marks the start of a final three-game home stand, which continues Monday night (Oct. 16) against Simon Fraser (3-6-3) and ends with Western Washington Oct. 20.

Accidental tourists. Seattle Pacific is coming off a most chaotic week, when a three-game road trip was marred midway through by a three-car crash in Phoenix. Two players were taken by ambulance from the scene and four others riding in the rental SUV joined them to be evaluated in the emergency room. A speeding car ran a red light at the end of a freeway off-ramp and collided with one of four vehicles en route to a team meal Oct. 7. The first consequence was that night’s game with Hawaii Pacific was cancelled. Four of the players were back in uniform for Tuesday’s overtime loss at Grand Canyon.

Streak snapped. A three-game road trip which began auspiciously with a 4-0 win at UC Colorado Springs unfortunately went downhill from there. Playing without two of its top players, the Falcons wilted in the 90-degree midday heat at Phoenix, squandering a 2-0 second-half lead in going down to Grand Canyon 3-2 in overtime. That snapped a seven-game win streak, matching the longest in six seasons. SPU opened the week ranked No. 1 in the coaches regional poll. The first published NCAA ranking is next week. Four teams from the Far West will make next month’s playoffs.

Close calls. Approximately four miles separate the two campuses, but on the field of play there is precious little difference. Eleven of the last 12 meetings between SPU and Seattle U. have been decided by one goal, and four have gone to overtime. Often times, the outcomes have decided who wins the GNAC title or which team advances to the playoffs and who stays home. In last season’s final game, it was the Falcons eliminating the Redhawks from postseason contention with a 1-0 win at Interbay. Seattle Pacific has lost only one of its last 18 home games.

Alive and kicking. There’s more to life than soccer, as the Phoenix pileup proved. And yet soccer will aid in the healing of minds and bodies shaken in the accident. Forward James Coggan (Jr., San Jose, Ca./Valley Christian) and midfielder Michael Morris (Sr., Bothell, Wa./Blanchet) missed the Canyon contest and are questionable for the Seattle U. game. Morris sustained a concussion and Coggan is experiencing pain and stiffness in his neck and shoulders. Together, Morris and Coggan have scored nine goals and assisted on seven others. Winger Steve Spencer (Sr., Scottsdale, Az./Chaparral/Paradise Valley CC) is on the mend from a broken nose suffered Sept. 25.

Back in gear. Fortunately, the Falcons have proven to be both deep and diversified in the attack this season. Five players have scored at least four goals, among them Colin Rigby (Sr., Mercer Island, Wa.) and Jeff Hallenbeck (Jr., Redmond, Wa./Inglemoor). Both are coming on strong of late, each scoring a pair of goals on the road trip. An offensive force during the second half of last season, Hallenbeck has contributed either a goal or an assist in each of the last four games while Rigby, the GNAC player of the week, has four goals and one assist in the last six outings. With five goals he now shares the team lead with Coggan.

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.