CSUN Faces Deceptive Seattle-Pacific

The weather in Seattle can be most deceptive.

A clear, sunny morning in the Pacific Northwest city can sometimes whip into a snowstorm, one such as Friday’s that engulfed Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as Seattle-Pacific’s soccer team departed for the San Fernando Valley.

Seattle-Pacific is not unlike its hometown weather.

One minute the Falcons are on the move, using the “run-and-kick” offense, but quicker than you can say Puget Sound, its defense will settle into positions protecting the goal--an alignment known as “playing chess.”

“We’ll dribble the ball all day,” said Coach Cliff McCrath, whose team travels to Cal State Northridge in the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament tonight at 7:30. “But if they want to set up, and hold shop down in front of their goal, well, we can do that to. It’ll be a chess game.”

McCrath knows his game. In his 15 years as Seattle-Pacific coach, he has guided the Falcons to playoffs 14 times. Seattle-Pacific won the national championship in 1978 and again in 1983.

In 25 years of coaching college soccer, McCrath has a 298-118-51 record. He is two away from being the first Division II coach to win 300 games.

Seattle-Pacific, 17-3 and ranked No. 3 in the nation, placed second in the Northwest Collegiate Soccer Conference after losing in overtime to Washington, 2-1, in the title game.

Goalie John Richardson has 11 shutouts with an 0.61 goals-against average. Forward Peter Hattrup has 21 goals, 14 assists and is 6-6 on penalty kicks. He also has five game-winning goals. Another forward, Glenn Lurie, has 16 goals.