Women's Soccer
Fresno Pacific (5-9-2, 3-5-1 GSAC) vs. #25 Point Loma Nazarene (5-4-5, 3-3-3 GSAC), 11 am
Live Stats
FPU enters Saturday's regular season finale needing a win to secure its spot in the conference playoffs next week. Eight teams make the playoffs and the Sunbirds currently sit in eighth place, two points ahead of Vanguard and one point behind Biola. View the full standings here.
With a victory, the Sunbirds could earn a seed as high as number five and would jump over PLNU in the standings. A loss or a tie though and the Sunbirds are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture altogether.
Because of the way the tiebreakers work out, a tie would not do the Sunbirds any more good than a loss. Should FPU lose or tie against PLNU, they would need Vanguard to either lose or tie against Westmont on Saturday.
If there is a three-way tie for seventh between Biola, FPU and Vanguard, the Sunbirds would find themselves as the odd team out, due to a loss against Vanguard earlier this season. Biola holds a victory over Vanguard, so they would also advance. The playoffs begin Tuesday.
The Sunbirds can avoid all of those scenarios by winning on Saturday. It won't be easy as PLNU features one of the conferences toughest defensive teams, led by 2009 NAIA All-American goalie Tiffany Kracy and All-GSAC defender Tommie Graham. The team struggles to score at times, but their defense makes them difficult to beat, as evidenced by their five ties on the year.
The Sea Lions began the season ranked #2 in the nation, riding the success of last season's run to the NAIA title game, but injuries and inconsistency have kept PLNU from reaching similar heights in 2010.
FPU lost to PLNU 1-0 in San Diego last season in a hard-fought game.
The Sunbirds will be honoring seniors Amanda Sherr, Jessica Pereschica and Liz Baldwin before the game.
Men's Soccer
Fresno Pacific (8-8, 5-4 GSAC) vs. Point Loma Nazarene (6-9, 3-6 GSAC), 1:30 pm
The Sunbirds enter Saturday's game on a three-game losing skid. Less than two weeks ago, FPU was sitting at 5-1 with a chance to challenge for the conference title. After losses to Biola, Vanguard and Azusa Pacific though, FPU is now fighting for the number four seed and the right to host a home playoff game.
The Sunbirds can clinch that number four seed with either a win or a tie against PLNU. View the full standings here.
At 5-4, the Sunbirds have 15 points, three ahead of Biola and Westmont who are tied for fifth. FPU defeated Westmont 4-1, so does not have to worry about the Warriors. However a 2-0 home loss to Biola two weeks ago means the Eagles hold the tiebreaker with FPU.
So if the Sunbirds should lose, they would need Biola to either tie or lose against The Master's on Saturday. A Sunbird loss combined with a Biola win, and FPU would have to head to La Mirada next Wednesday.
The Sunbirds can expect quite a game from PLNU, as the Sea Lions will essentially be playing to keep their season alive. PLNU currently sits ninth in the standings, one spot out, but a win would secure them a playoff spot.
Though PLNU is 9th in the standings, they are the only GSAC team that has defeated first-place Cal Baptist this season. The Sea Lions are led by forward Austin Fares, who leads the team with six goals, and center-back Macaine Piercy who is a factor on both ends of the field.
The two teams tied 2-2 in San Diego last season. Guilherme Machado sent it into overtime with a second half goal on an assist from Paul Islas.
FPU will be honoring seniors Mihailo Jovanovic, Shawn Grieco, Fino Ucelo and Seya Lumeya before the game.
