SEATTLE (Oct. 30) ­ Back in the NCAA Division II women's soccer tournament for a fourth consecutive year, Seattle Pacific University will play arch-rival Seattle University for the second time in five days in a first-round pairing.

The Falcons (16-4-0), last year's national runner-up, are the No. 3 seed, behind host UC San Diego (18-1-2) and Seattle U. (15-2-2). SPU and the Redhawks play at 4:30 Thursday in La Jolla, Calif. The host Tritons take on Western Washington (14-4-1) in the 7 p.m. game. The regional final is 1 p.m. Saturday.

Seattle Pacific dropped a pair of 1-0 decisions to Seattle U. during the regular season, including an overtime game last Saturday. The teams also met in the 2004 regional championship game.

SPU split two games with Western Washington but has not played UC San Diego since last year's Far West final, won by the Falcons, 2-0, at Interbay Stadium. Seattle Pacific had hosted the women's regional the past two years.

The winner of the Far West will visit the Midwest champion in the quarterfinal round Nov. 11 or 12. The semifinals and championships game are Nov. 16 and 18 in Pensacola, Florida. In all, 32 teams received Div. II berths nationwide.

Teams (by seed): 1. UC San Diego 18-1-2, 2. Seattle University 15-2-2, 3. Seattle Pacific 16-4-0, 4. Western Washington 14-4-1

Game Schedule:
Thursday, Nov. 2
4:30 Seattle Pacific v Seattle University,
7:00 UC San Diego v Western Washington.
Saturday, Nov. 4
1:00 Regional Championship (Winner to host Midwest winner in quarterfinal round Nov. 11 or 12)