Something For The Entire Family

It's not Ringling Bros., but there will certainly be something for everyone this weekend in Forest Grove for the Boxers' sports fan. A busy weekend for those of us working at the PAC and Lincoln Park, but also for anyone hoping to see a little volleyball, soccer or softball (no, that's not a typo).

Here's the weekend rundown and preview...
VOLLEYBALL: If it wasn't for practice, the Pacific volleyball team might not remember what their home floor looked like. The Boxers have not played at home since they began the season with four matches at their own Boxer Kickoff Volleyball Invitational. Six matches later, the Boxers are home for a weekend set against Whitman on Friday and Whitworth on Saturday.

This has the possibility to be a momentum-building weekend for Lena Chan's team, who enters with a 1-1 NWC record. Whitman has struggled so far in 2008. They have gone 0-11 and are dealing with a depth problem. The Missionaries have only nine players on the roster (six plus the libero start a match) and are without their their top players from 2007: Rosa Brey and Lydia Hayes.

A quality win over Whitman could give the Boxers some confidence as they enter their Saturday match with Whitworth. The Pirates are much improved, entering with an 8-6 record and 1-1 conference mark, but have lost five of their last seven matches. The losses included a four-set loss to an improved Lewis & Clark squad and losses to a pair of like opponents to Pacific, UC Santa Cruz and Cal State East Bay.

Lena Chan said that her team felt good about their performance against the No. 10 ranked Loggers last week, despite falling in three sets, and that she was pleased about how the lineup is picking up on her system of play. We will have a chance to...finally...see that in action this weekend.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: The question for the Boxers is how do they keep the run going? Pacific is enjoying their first three-game winning streak since the 2005 season thanks to last Saturday's 2-0 shutout of Pacific Lutheran and Sunday's 1-0 double overtime victory over Lewis & Clark...their first over the Pioneers since 2004.

The Boxers have done it with a very stingy defense, allowing their last three opponents a total of 28 shots and 16 shots on goal. Goalie Erin Ichimura was named NWC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week after holding Warner Pacific, PLU and L&C scoreless. On the offensive end, Pacific has shown a much faster pace of play then they showed in the first three matches of the year. And they have played with more urgency and haven't been afraid to pull the trigger. The Boxers have taken 47 shots in the last three matches as compared to 14 in their first three matches.

If Pacific can keep up the offensive intensity against Linfield, who took a total of 19 shots combined in a 2-1 overtime loss to Whitworth and a 3-0 shutout at the hands of Whitman last weekend, the Boxers should come out of Saturday with their first 3-0 conference start since 1994.

MEN'S SOCCER: The good news that the Boxers have posted two consecutive shutouts against NWC teams. The bad news is that they haven't been able to put the ball in the net over the last 220 minutes. The numbers don't quite tell the tale. Pacific has outshot opponents by a 36-20 margin in those two matches, but have been unable to finish things off.

The defense, meanwhile, has done its job and more. Goalkeeper Andrew Stevermer has made 11 saves in the last two matches and the starting back line of Brandon Porter, Taylor Kane, Jared Komo and Anthony Jaeger have held their own well. Kane, a freshman out of Portland's Central Catholic High School, has been especially impressive with his pace in both the defense and midfield.

Saturday's match against Linfield will be the last at home under the lights in 2008 (they will, however, play a night match at Linfield on Oct. 26). The Wildcats will be looking to right the ship after losing their first two NWC matches to Whitman and Whitworth.

SOFTBALL: The team's non-traditional fall practice season will end with a game against a team of Pacific alums Saturday at noon. This will be a great first preview of this spring's team, in particular the newcomers to the program. Head Coach Tim Hill said he will break the team into two teams, one playing half of the game and then the other playing the final innings. Each team will feature six freshmen each. Pacific will hit the field this spring with somethng to prove. Their 31-9 record and second place finish to defending national champion Linfield was not enough to earn the team what should have been a well deserved playoffs berth.