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Conference Play Begins Friday Night
October 06, 2016 01:17 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Conference action begins for the No. 22 West Virginia University men’s soccer team on Friday, October 7, at 7 p.m. ET, against Bowling Green at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
Friday night is WVU Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night, where all WVU faculty and staff will receive free admission with their WVU ID. The first 400 fans will receive a free WVU pint glass, courtesy of Coca-Cola, and the Mountaineers will sign autographs after the match. Additionally, ‘Kleats 4 Kenya’ is collecting gently-used sporting gear, and free admission to the match will be given to anyone who donates.
Tickets can be purchased online at WVUGAME.com, by calling 1-800-WVU GAME or at the ticket office before the match. Free parking is available at the Natatorium/Band lot, adjacent to DDSS.Fans unable to cheer on the Mountaineers in person can watch a free live stream, courtesy of CityNet, and follow live stats on WVUSports.com. Additional updates, news and notes will be available on social media by following and connecting with @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Mountaineers (6-2-1) are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to Saint Mary’s, which snapped a seven-match shutout and unbeaten streak. The Falcons (7-3-1) come to Morgantown after a 2-1 victory at Northern Kentucky on Tuesday.
WVU senior forward Felix Angerer, junior midfielder Jad Arslan and sophomore midfielder Tucker Stephenson lead the team with two goals each, while Angerer, Arslan and junior midfielder Joey Piatczyc have notched a team-high-tying five points. Piatczyc and freshman defender Sebastian Garcia-Herreros have a team-high three assists, and Stephenson’s 16 shots leads the Mountaineers.
Junior goalkeeper Jose Santos, who has made 23 saves and recorded seven shutouts, is No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference and No. 2 nationally in goals-against average (0.241) and is No. 2 in the MAC and 13th nationally in save percentage (.852).
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green comes to Morgantown with a 7-3-1 record and a 2-3-0 mark away from home. The Falcons are coming off a 2-1 win at Northern Kentucky on Tuesday night and are 2-1-1 in their last four matches. Against top-25 teams, BGSU is 0-1, with a 1-0 loss at No. 25 Michigan State on Sept. 28.
BGSU is led by Eric Nichols, in his eighth season with the Falcons. With a 60-63-21 record, he has guided Bowling Green to winning seasons each of the last six years.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE FALCONS
West Virginia is 3-5-1 all-time against Bowling Green and 1-0-1 at home. Since joining the MAC, WVU owns a 2-2-1 mark against BGSU. Conference matchups began with a 1-0 road win in 2012 before a 3-3 draw in 2013 in Morgantown and a 2-1 home win in 2014. In the 2014 MAC Tournament, the Falcons prevailed in overtime, 3-2, and Bowling Green claimed a 2-0 win in Ohio last year.
UP NEXT: VS. NO. 1 MARYLAND
WVU welcomes No. 1 Maryland to Morgantown on Monday, October 10, at 7 p.m. ET for a top-25 matchup at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The ‘Monday Night Fútbol’ contest is a Dollar Night, where tickets and select concession items – small soda, popcorn and Skittles – can be purchased for just $1 each.
LAST TIME OUT: STREAK SNAPPED
West Virginia’s shutout streak was snapped with a 2-1 overtime loss to Saint Mary’s (Calif.) on Oct. 1. The Mountaineers saw their school-record shutout streak, and unbeaten streak, end at seven matches and more than 750 minutes.
After Saint Mary’s scored in the 52nd minute, WVU answered with less than four minutes remaining. Junior midfielder Jad Arslan scored his second goal in as many games to even the score at 1-1 before SMC won it in the 96th minute.
Junior goalkeeper Jose Santos allowed two goals, his first goals allowed since the first half of WVU’s season-opening contest on Aug. 26. Arslan led the team with three shots, one on goal. Senior defender Jack Elliott and junior defenders Steven James and Louis Thomas each had two shots and one on goal.
WVU HONORED FOR ACADEMICS
For the ninth consecutive year, WVU earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award for its team grade point average, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced on October 6. With a 3.04 GPA, the Mountaineers were recognized as one of 315 men’s teams to earn a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2015-16 academic year. WVU is one of 221 schools to have both its men’s and women’s programs recognized, while a total of 892 teams (315 men, 577 women) were honored by the NSCAA.
WVU Soccer Scarf ticket packages are now on sale and includes the official 2016 WVU Soccer fan scarf and 10 tickets to be used at any men’s or women’s home matches during the regular season. Packages are just $30 and are available while supplies last. To order, visit WVUGAME.com or call 1-800-WVU GAME. More information is available on WVUSports.com.
Additionally, single-game tickets for all nine regular-season home matches are now on sale at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800-WVU-GAME.
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