Tuesday, October 15, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – With half of the conference schedule completed, Seattle Pacific is just one point behind Simon Fraser at the top of the GNAC standings.

The Clan jumped up to No. 3 in this week’s National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25 after falling to No. 9 last week. Previously, SFU had spent three consecutive weeks occupying the top spot in the NCAA.

Simon Fraser is in the top five across Division II in most major scoring categories including total goals (37, 2nd), total points (100, 2nd), scoring offense (3.36, 4th) and points per game (9.09, 4th).

Seattle Pacific meanwhile is ranked towards the top in goals-against average, allowing .67 per contest (13th). Cody Lang has been a major reason for the Falcons’ defensive success, ranking 18th in the nation individually in goals-against average (.67) and 30th in save percentage (821). 

Offensively it is Fredy Razo representing the GNAC on the NCAA leader board, ranking in the top-20 in points per game (2.0) and goals per game (.89).

LAST WEEK

With just four matches last week, all eight GNAC teams enjoyed a day off on Thursday before returning to the pitch on Saturday.

Since losing for the first time in 2013, Simon Fraser (10-1-0, 6-2-0 GNAC) has won two straight matches and holds a narrow lead at the top of the GNAC standings. The Clan welcomed Western Washington (5-3-2, 3-1-3) to Burnaby on Saturday, walking away with a solid 2-0 victory.

GNAC Defensive Player of the Week Alexander Kleefeldt scored for the Clan in the 12th minute, and anchored a defense that allowed just one shot on target all game. The loss for WWU was the Vikings’ first GNAC defeat of the season.

Seattle Pacific (7-1-2, 5-0-2) kept pace with the top team in the GNAC, beating Saint Martin’s 3-0 and increasing its point total to 17. The Falcons peppered SMU (3-7-1, 3-3-1) with 13 shots while limiting the Saints’ offense to just three attempts on target in the one-sided result.

Northwest Nazarene (3-3-4, 3-2-2) and Montana State Billings (2-6-3, 2-3-2) battled to a scoreless double-overtime draw. NNU’s Razo was held scoreless for the first time this season, and the Crusaders failed to capitalize on an opportunity to surpass WWU in the rankings by collecting just one of three possible points.

MSU Billings meanwhile remained in sixth place and faces an uphill battle to finish in the upper half of the conference table.

In a matchup of winless teams the University of Mary (1-8-0, 1-6-0) emerged victorious over South Dakota School of Mines (0-10-0, 0-7-0), as Jordan Pearce notched a goal and an assist to help the Marauders to a 3-0 victory and their first three points of the season. Pearce was awarded GNAC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his effort.

COMING UP

Conference action heats up this week, with a full slate of games on Thursday and Saturday. All three Washington schools and Simon Fraser make a trip east, with WWU and SFU heading furthest to take on Mary and SD Mines.

SPU faces perhaps the toughest challenge of the week, with road games at NNU on Thursday and MSU Billings on Saturday. The Falcons are in a position to remain in the top two in the standings, but will have to defeat a pair of motivated teams that are fighting for their lives.

SMU will also take on MSU Billings and NNU, in a pair of matches that could significantly rearrange the GNAC standings.