Wednesday, October 17, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. - Simon Fraser and Seattle Pacific are ranked 1-2 in the first of three official NCAA West Region men's soccer polls.

The NCAA poll will eventually determine which six teams advance to the NCAA regional tournament.  No automatic berths are granted for the regional.

Earlier this week, Simon Fraser earned a No. 3 national ranking and Seattle Pacific was ranked ninth in the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association) national poll.  The NSCAA national and regional polls have no impact on which six teams are selected for the regional.

Northwest Nazarene earned a No. 8 ranking in the official NCAA regional poll.  To qualify for the regionals, the Crusaders will need to move up   two positions in the rankings.

The Crusaders, who handed Simon Fraser its only loss of the season earlier this year, host the Clan Thursday.  Kickoff will be at 4:30 p.m. instead of 5.  That time change was made today.

NCAA West Region – 1. Simon Fraser (10-1-0); 2. Seattle Pacific (9-1-3); 3. Grand Canyon (11-2); 4. Cal State Stanislaus (8-2-2); 5. Notre Dame de Namur (9-2-1); 6. Chico State (8-2-3); 7. Cal State L.A. (9-3-2); 8. Northwest Nazarene (7-2-4). (Note: Records listed are for NCAA Division II games).

Clan Faces Northwest Nazarene In Key Showdown

Nationally third-ranked Simon Fraser travels to Nampa Thursday to play Northwest Nazarene in a key Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's soccer game.

The Clan has won seven straight to improve its record to 12-1, while the Crusaders (7-2-4) are unbeaten in their last 10 contests, winning seven games and earning draws in the other three including a scoreless tie with Seattle Pacific last Saturday.

SFU is ranked third nationally and has a three-point lead over NNU in the GNAC as it makes a bid for its third straight conference title. The Clan is 8-1 in GNAC contests while the Crusaders are 6-0-3.

Both teams are ranked regionally in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association poll.  Simon Fraser is ranked first and Northwest Nazarene is ranked seventh.

Seattle Pacific (9-1-3, 5-1-3) is ranked second in the region and ninth in the latest national poll.  The Falcons travel to Bismarck, N.D. and Sioux Falls, S.D., for contests with the University of Mary  and Sioux Falls Thursday and Saturday.

In other games Thursday, Saint Martin's plays at Sioux Falls and Western Washington visits Montana State Billings. On Saturday, Saint Martin's plays at Mary and Western Washington plays at Northwest Nazarene.

Simon Fraser is also the nation's leading NCAA Division II scoring team with 53 goals in 13 contests.  SFU also ranks third in total assists (40) and first in total points (146).

Northwest Nazarene, meanwhile, ranks sixth in save percentage (.850), 11th in shutout percentage (.538) amd 13th in goals against (0.64).

Individual players ranked in the Top 10 in this week's national report include Alex Rowley of Simon Fraser, Alfredo Ontiveros of Northwest Nazarene, Kyle Simons of Sioux Falls and Michael Frenzel of U-Mary,

Rowley ranks sixth in assists per game (0.69) and fourth in total assists (9).  Ontiveros ranks seventh in save percentage (.857).  Simons ranks ninth in saves per game (6.50) and seventh in total saves (78), while Frenzel ranks sixthin total saves (79).

NCAA NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Oct. 14): Team (Top 30): Scoring – 1. Simon Fraser 4.08.  Total Goals – 1. Simon Fraser 53.  Goals Against – 13. Northwest Nazarene 0.64; 21. Simon Fraser 0.77.  Shutout PCT. – 11. Northwest Nazarene .538; 28. Seattle Pacific and Simon Fraser .462.  Saves – 11. Sioux Falls 6.58; 14. Mary 6.31.  Save PCT. –  6. Northwest Nazarene .859.  Total Assists – 3. Simon Fraser 40. Total Points – 1. Simon Fraser 146.  Individuals (Top 30): Points – 25. Carlo Basso, SFU, 1.85.  Total Points – 20. Carlo Basso, SFU, 24; 30. Justin Wallace, SFU, 21.  Goals – 21. Carlo Basso, SFU, 0.77.  Total Goals – 15. Carlo Basso, SFU, 10.  Assists – 6. Alex Rowley, SFU, 0.69; 23. Justin Wallace, SFU, 0.54; 26. Chris Bargholz, SFU, 0.50.  Total Assists – 4. Alex Rowley, SFU, 9; 14. Justin Wallace, SFU, 7; 26, Thomas Chameraud, MSUB,  6.   Goals Against – 11. Alfredo Ontiveros, NNU, 0.64; 23. Hide Ozawa, SFU, 0.77. Save PCT. – 7. Alfredo Ontiveros, NNU, .857.  Saves Per Game –9. Kyle Simons, USF, 6.50; 14. Michael Frenzel, Mary, 6.08.  Total Saves – 6. Michael Frenzel, Mary, 79; 7. Kyle Simons, USF, 78.

STREAKS: Chris Voth scored in the 104th minute as Northwest Nazarene extended its win streak to five with a 2-1 overtime win Thursday at Saint Martin’s.  NNU outshot SMU 3-1 in the overtime periods.  The Crusaders were tied Saturday by Seattle Pacific and will take a 10-game unbeaten streak (7 wins, 3 draws) into Thursday’s home game against Simon Fraser, which has won seven straight.

MULTI-GOAL GAMES:  Blaine Carver scored two second-half goals – his fifth and sixth of the season - in Seattle Pacific’s 2-0 win over MSU Billings Thursday. The first goal came in the 59th minute and was the first second half shot by either team ... Thomas Chameraud scored two goals in Montana State Billings’ road win at Saint Martin’s …  Both  Ryan Dhillon and Colby Liston scored twice in Simon Fraser’s  6-0 shutout of Sioux Falls. In Thursday’s 5-0 win against Mary, Simon Fraser got two assists from Alex Rowley – his seventh and league leading eighth of the season.

SFU SCORING STREAK AT 32 GAMES: Simon Fraser extended its streak of games played with a goal to  32.  It’s the longest streak in GNAC history.  The old record of 27 was set by Seattle University between Aug. 26, 2004 and Sept. 1, 2005.  The last time the Clan was shutout was in a 1-0 NAIA playoff loss to Great Falls on  Nov. 21, 2010.  The last time it was shutout in the regular-season was on Nov. 4, 2010 when Seattle Pacific blanked SFU 4-0.

FASTEST TO 50: Seattle Pacific’s 2-0 win Thursday gave Mark Collings his 50th win as head coach of the Falcons. He is the fastest to that figure in SPU history, reaching the 50-win plateau in his 88th game.  Including Saturday’s tie with Northwest Nazarene, Collings has compiled a 50-26-13 record in five seasons. Legendary coach Cliff McCrath (1970-2007) got his 50th win in his 94th game on the SPU sidelines. McCrath finished with a 512-190-87 record.

SAVES:  Alfredo Ontiveros had eight saves as Northwest Nazarene played a pair of double overtime games, defeating Saint Martin’s 2-1 before playing to a scoreless deadlock with Seattle Pacific.