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Home stand begins. They are off to a great start and yet they’re going nowhere. Having won its first five women’s soccer games with an impressive goal differential, 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific University begins another home stand this weekend. The Falcons (5-0-0) face Notre Dame de Namur (0-3-1) Saturday afternoon (Sept. 8) in the final precursor to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Central Washington and No. 25 Western Washington roll into Interbay Stadium next week.

Last test run. On the eve of this season, Coach Chuck Sekyra said that the first order of business was to take back the GNAC title. That won’t be easy, since the conference continues to get stronger, top to bottom. Along with SPU, fellow contenders Western Washington and Seattle U. possess stout defenses, and the Falcons must continue to explore ways in which their ball control and scoring opportunities are capitalized upon. Seattle Pacific’s attack was on-target in the 7-1 win over Cal State Stanislaus but settled for 1-0 wins over Sonoma State and Chico State despite launching a combined 26 shots.

Unchanged. The national rankings, as far as SPU was concerned, were unchanged this week. But look for some movement the next time around. A road victory over No. 17 Chico should get some attention from the voters. UC San Diego moved up to No. 3 this week, while Michigan’s Grand Valley State replaced Metro State at No. 1.

Martinez is hot. If Seattle Pacific is to make a legitimate run at a conference and regional crown, it will likely be at the feet of forward Sarah Martinez (Sr., Bothell, Wa./Cedar Park Christian). Although she did not figure in the sole goal at Chico, Martinez has begun the campaign on record pace. She gathered five goals and three assists in last week’s games to earn GNAC player of the week, and with one more goal she will match her junior season total. Martinez (96) trails only Shannon Lovejoy (111) in career points. She tied Lovejoy’s game-winning goals mark with her brace versus Stanislaus.

Teague time. Martinez’ chief competition for the league’s weekly award was her own teammate, Meredith Teague (Jr., Redmond, Wa./Bellevue Christian). In the win over Stanislaus, Teague was running rampant down the right wing and the evidence was everywhere. She scored two goals and assisted on three of the others. She tied Michelle Sanders’ mark for single game assists and her seven total points ties for No. 2. She’s already established a career season best 11 total points.

Early Birds. It would be wise of SPU spectators to arrive before kickoff because the goals have been coming rather early. Five times the Falcons have scored in the first 12 minutes, with Martinez netting three of those, including two strikes in the first 5:47 of last week’s rout. Four more goals have come within the first six minutes of the second half, and it was Teague and Shannon Oakes (Jr., Boise, Id./Boise) who struck 52 seconds apart against the Warriors. Oakes also opened her account for the season, volleying home the game-winner vs. Sonoma, scoring again against Stanislaus and creating the winner at Chico when her long-range shot caromed off the crossbar.

Tight-knit. For those occasions when the offense isn’t revving, it’s nice to know that there’s plenty of ability on defense. Holding midfielder Kara Hamby (Sr., Spokane, Wa.Mead) tends to break-up things before the opponents reach the final attacking third. But when threatened, the back four of Claire Grubbs (Jr., Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls), Becca Woods (Fr., Beaverton, Or./Beaverton), Jessica Gerstmann (Sr., Puyallup, Wa./Cascade Christian/Wash. St.) and Katie Taylor (Jr., Vancouver, Wa./Colum. River) have proven unflappable. They can inflict pain on the offensive end as well. Woods scored off a set piece vs. Stanislaus and reserve centerback Jeanne Webster (Sr., Bothell, Wa.) got an assist. Keeper Jesslyn Rahm (So., Eugene, Or./South Eugene) earned a pair of shutouts by making a combined five saves against Sonoma and Chico.

Throw-ins. Janae Godoy (Jr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley) has a knack for scoring vital goals. Of her five career tallies, four have been game-winners, including her conversion of the Oakes rebound in the second half at Chico...SPU scored on its first two shots of each half against Stanislaus…Martinez is pacing the GNAC in total points and is the co-leader in goals. Teague is No. 2 in assists and Rahm’s 0.23 GAA is also No. 2...Thirteen players have appeared in all five matches with Sekyra starting the same 11 in each…Amanda Johnson (Fr., Duvall, Wa./Cedarcrest) has made her presence felt in each game, launching long throws into the box and powering past defenders with the sphere at her feet. A throw led to the Oakes winner vs. SSU and Johnson broke loose for her first goal vs. CSS...The team’s goal total vs. the Warriors was the highest in 35 games...SPU has gone unbeaten in 16 (14-0-2) straight non-conference home games since 2004...The Falcons’ longest winning streak to start a season was 11 games in ‘05.

Coaching Staff. Chuck Sekyra has guided the Falcons to the NCAA tournament in each of his first four seasons. Sekyra was voted 2005 region coach of the year after taking SPU to the national title game. He is a three-time GNAC coach of the year, and has won three conference championships. Sekyra has played on two NCAA championship teams at Seattle Pacific from 1985-88. He and was assistant men’s coach from 1998-99 and assistant women’s coach at Washington from 2000-02. Goalkeeper coach Kevin Blokker returns for his fifth year on the staff after previously coaching at San Francisco (his alma mater), Wyoming, Fresno State and Kansas. Chalise Baysa, Oregon’s all-time scoring leader, is in her fourth season on the staff. Arby Busey is in his second year. He was Idaho’s head coach from 2002-04 and an assistant at Villanova, his alma mater, in 2005.

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.