Tuesday, October 22, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – With five games remaining on the 2013 Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s soccer schedule, three teams are separated by just four points at the top of the standings. 

Simon Fraser, which fell one spot to No. 4 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25 poll, holds a one-point advantage over Seattle Pacific, as both teams won and tied last week. The Falcons sit in second place with 21 points and are the lone team to remain undefeated in GNAC play so far this season. Western Washington is very much alive in the postseason race, currently sitting three points behind SPU with 18 and just four behind leader SFU.

SFU bolstered its offensive numbers with nine total goals last week, keeping the team in the top five across the NCAA in most major scoring categories. The Clan ranks third in total points (126) and total goals (46), and fourth in scoring offense (3.54), points per game (9.69) and total assists (34).

SPU remains undefeated since its first match of the 2013 season, thanks in large part to a defense that ranks 15th in the NCAA in goals-against average (.71) and 30th in save percentage (.813).

Individually, Fredy Razo of Northwest Nazarene remains the top offensive threat in the GNAC, landing at No. 30 in the nation in total goals (9) and goals per game (.82). Colin Jacques of SFU cracked into the top-10 in the NCAA in total assists with eight, and ranks 14th amongst Division II competition in assists per game with .62.

RECAP

Thanks to a last-ditch effort from Andrew Weishaar, Western Washington (7-3-3, 5-1-3 GNAC) capitalized on a golden opportunity to gain ground in the GNAC standings. The senior forward scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season with less than 30 seconds remaining on Thursday to give the Vikings a 1-0 victory over South Dakota Mines (0-12-0, 0-9-0). The effort of Bailey Martin on WWU’s back line earned the senior Red Lion Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Simon Fraser (11-1-1, 7-1-1) had to earn a point on Thursday, twice scoring crucial goals in the final 10 minutes against the University of Mary (1-9-1, 1-7-1). The Marauders’ Rory Pratt scored in the 39th minute, and Mary held a 1-0 lead until Jacques set up Joseph Martin for a game-tying goal in the 81st. Each team scored within 60 seconds a few minutes later, including a game-tying goal from Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week Juan Sanchez of SFU, but neither could break through in overtime as the game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Seattle Pacific (8-1-3, 6-0-3) had a chance to leapfrog SFU into first place, but a goal in the final minute from NNU’s Razo knotted the score at 2-2 as the Falcons settled for a frustrating draw. SPU’s defense shut down Montana State Billings (3-7-3, 3-4-2) on Saturday, limiting the Yellowjackets to just three shots in a solid 2-0 victory.

Despite a 4-0 setback against MSU Billings on Thursday, Saint Martin’s (4-8-1, 4-4-1) edged its way into fourth place in the standings with a 1-0 result over NNU (3-4-5, 3-3-3) on Saturday. Playing a man down for the final 20 minutes due to a red card, SMU held off the Crusaders’ barrage of 23 shots as Saint goalkeeper Eric Owen made 10 saves en route to the shutout.

While the hopes of a playoff berth for SMU, NNU, and MSU Billings are slim, the three teams are all within two points in the GNAC standings and will be in a heated competition over the final five matches to finish in the upper half of the conference table.

THIS WEEK

SFU, SPU and WWU each host a pair of contests as the three schools jockey for position at the top of the GNAC standings. NNU and MSU Billings will visit the Clan and the Falcons, while Mary and SD Mines make a trip west to face SFU and SMU.