Saturday, October 6
Kalamazoo, MI
1:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
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Western Michigan
Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Conference Play Begins at Western Michigan
October 05, 2018 01:19 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Conference play begins for the West Virginia University men's soccer team at Western Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 6. Due to inclement weather expected in the Kalamazoo, Michigan, area, kickoff has been moved up to 1 p.m. ET.
As Mid-American Conference action commences across the league this weekend, WVU has won five of its last six, while WMU is 5-0-1 in its last six matches. Five of the six teams in the conference have a winning percentage of .500 or better, while four teams boast six or more wins.
"Western Michigan has proven to be an excellent program, with great coaching," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "We are looking forward to the challenge on Saturday and getting conference play underway."
Live stats can be found at WMU.Statbroadcast.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 (7-4-0) are coming off a 2-0 victory over Binghamton on Tuesday, their fourth 2-0 win in their last five matches. WVU improved to 7-0 when scoring at least two goals in a game in 2018 and 15-0 in the last three years. The shutout was West Virginia's fifth, tied for the most in the league.
Through 11 games, West Virginia leads the MAC and is No. 14 in the NCAA with 14 assists, while WVU ranks No. 22 nationally with 61 points and is second in the conference with 19 goals and an average of 1.73 goals per game. The Mountaineers' .816 save percentage ranks No. 22 in the country and is the best in the MAC, along with their 3.64 saves per game.
The Broncos (6-4-1) begin defense of their MAC title on Saturday after they captured their first MAC regular-season crown a year ago and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan is third in the league in goals (16), assists (20), points (52), save percentage (.714) and goals-against average (1.062).
Junior midfielder Sebastian Garcia-Herreros is No. 20 nationally with five assists, while junior defender Pascal Derwaritsch and junior defender Ryan Kellogg lead the team with four goals. Kellogg has a team-best nine points, while he, Derwaritsch and senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc are tied for second in the MAC with two game-winning goals.
In goal, sophomore Steven Tekesky has five shutouts, the most in the MAC and 10th-most nationally. He has eight career shutouts, which rank No. 9 all-time in program history. Tekesky leads the conference in save percentage (.813), total saves (39), goals-against average (0.824) and saves per game (3.55).
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan begins MAC play with a 6-4-1 record and a 4-1-1 mark at home. The Broncos are coming off a 1-1 home draw to Pacific on Sept. 30, which snapped a five-match win streak. WMU's lone home loss came to No. 9 Butler.
Kosti Moni leads the team with four goals and is second with eight points. Paul Liagre's five assists is a team best, while Zack Shane paces the squad with nine points. In goal, Lukas Von Lienen has started seven matches and is 4-1-1 with one shutout. He has 24 saves with a .774 save percentage and has allowed seven goals.
A WMU letterwinner from 1998-2001, Chad Wiseman is in his sixth season as head coach. The MAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2017, he owns a career record of 60-34-15. Wiseman led Western Michigan to its first MAC regular-season title in 2017, as the Broncos made their first NCAA Tournament since 2003.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE BRONCOS
The Mountaineers are 2-3-2 all-time against Western Michigan, with all seven meetings coming since WVU joined the MAC in 2012. A pair of ties opened the series, 1-1 in 2012 and 0-0 in 2013, before West Virginia won the next two. A 2-1 victory on the road in 2014 was followed by a 1-0 home win in 2015. The Broncos have won the last three, with two coming last year. Then-No. 8 WMU won in Morgantown, 1-0 in overtime, in the regular season, before a 1-0 victory in Kalamazoo in the MAC Championship semifinals.
UP NEXT: RANKED FOE ON THE ROAD
West Virginia faces its first ranked opponent of the season on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at No. 11 Wright State. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The Mountaineers will make their second trip to Dayton, Ohio, this season, after they posted a 2-0 victory at Dayton on Sept. 22.
LAST TIME OUT: ANOTHER 2-0 WIN
Two first-half goals less than five minutes apart propelled West Virginia to a 2-0 victory against Binghamton on Oct. 2, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The Mountaineers improved to 5-1-0 at home with its fifth clean sheet of the season thanks to goals in the 22nd and 27th minute and a defense that held the Bearcats to four shots, one on goal.
West Virginia's goals came from Kellogg, his third in the last two games, and freshman midfielder Josh DiMatteo, the first of his career. WVU out-shot Binghamton, 18-4, and held a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal.
DiMatteo led the team with five shots, two on goal, while junior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino had four shots, all on goal, and earned his first assist as a Mountaineer. Junior defender Albert Andres-Llop and junior midfielder Ethan Shim assisted on WVU's first goal, while Muriel Albino and Garcia-Herreros assisted on the second. In goal, Tekesky stopped the one shot on goal he faced.
WVU HONORED FOR ACADEMICS
For the 11th consecutive year, WVU earned the Team Academic Award from the United Soccer Coaches for its team grade point average. With a 3.14 GPA, the Mountaineers were recognized as one of 289 men's teams to earn a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2017-18 academic year. WVU was one of 191 schools to have both its men's and women's programs recognized, while a total of 773 teams (289 men, 484 women) were honored.
WVU soccer scarf ticket packages and single match tickets are on sale now at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800 WVU GAME. The scarf ticket package includes a scarf and 10 tickets to be used at any men's or women's soccer match during the 2018 regular season. Packages are just $30 and are available while supplies last. Single match tickets are $5 each and $3 for groups of 10 or more when purchased in advance at WVUGAME.com. At the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium ticket window, tickets will be $7 for adults, $5 for youth and seniors and $3 for groups. The discounted online pricing will be available until kickoff of the match. Tickets for WVU students are free with a valid student I.D.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
As Mid-American Conference action commences across the league this weekend, WVU has won five of its last six, while WMU is 5-0-1 in its last six matches. Five of the six teams in the conference have a winning percentage of .500 or better, while four teams boast six or more wins.
"Western Michigan has proven to be an excellent program, with great coaching," WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc said. "We are looking forward to the challenge on Saturday and getting conference play underway."
Live stats can be found at WMU.Statbroadcast.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 (7-4-0) are coming off a 2-0 victory over Binghamton on Tuesday, their fourth 2-0 win in their last five matches. WVU improved to 7-0 when scoring at least two goals in a game in 2018 and 15-0 in the last three years. The shutout was West Virginia's fifth, tied for the most in the league.
Through 11 games, West Virginia leads the MAC and is No. 14 in the NCAA with 14 assists, while WVU ranks No. 22 nationally with 61 points and is second in the conference with 19 goals and an average of 1.73 goals per game. The Mountaineers' .816 save percentage ranks No. 22 in the country and is the best in the MAC, along with their 3.64 saves per game.
The Broncos (6-4-1) begin defense of their MAC title on Saturday after they captured their first MAC regular-season crown a year ago and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan is third in the league in goals (16), assists (20), points (52), save percentage (.714) and goals-against average (1.062).
Junior midfielder Sebastian Garcia-Herreros is No. 20 nationally with five assists, while junior defender Pascal Derwaritsch and junior defender Ryan Kellogg lead the team with four goals. Kellogg has a team-best nine points, while he, Derwaritsch and senior midfielder Joey Piatczyc are tied for second in the MAC with two game-winning goals.
In goal, sophomore Steven Tekesky has five shutouts, the most in the MAC and 10th-most nationally. He has eight career shutouts, which rank No. 9 all-time in program history. Tekesky leads the conference in save percentage (.813), total saves (39), goals-against average (0.824) and saves per game (3.55).
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan begins MAC play with a 6-4-1 record and a 4-1-1 mark at home. The Broncos are coming off a 1-1 home draw to Pacific on Sept. 30, which snapped a five-match win streak. WMU's lone home loss came to No. 9 Butler.
Kosti Moni leads the team with four goals and is second with eight points. Paul Liagre's five assists is a team best, while Zack Shane paces the squad with nine points. In goal, Lukas Von Lienen has started seven matches and is 4-1-1 with one shutout. He has 24 saves with a .774 save percentage and has allowed seven goals.
A WMU letterwinner from 1998-2001, Chad Wiseman is in his sixth season as head coach. The MAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2017, he owns a career record of 60-34-15. Wiseman led Western Michigan to its first MAC regular-season title in 2017, as the Broncos made their first NCAA Tournament since 2003.
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE BRONCOS
The Mountaineers are 2-3-2 all-time against Western Michigan, with all seven meetings coming since WVU joined the MAC in 2012. A pair of ties opened the series, 1-1 in 2012 and 0-0 in 2013, before West Virginia won the next two. A 2-1 victory on the road in 2014 was followed by a 1-0 home win in 2015. The Broncos have won the last three, with two coming last year. Then-No. 8 WMU won in Morgantown, 1-0 in overtime, in the regular season, before a 1-0 victory in Kalamazoo in the MAC Championship semifinals.
UP NEXT: RANKED FOE ON THE ROAD
West Virginia faces its first ranked opponent of the season on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at No. 11 Wright State. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The Mountaineers will make their second trip to Dayton, Ohio, this season, after they posted a 2-0 victory at Dayton on Sept. 22.
LAST TIME OUT: ANOTHER 2-0 WIN
Two first-half goals less than five minutes apart propelled West Virginia to a 2-0 victory against Binghamton on Oct. 2, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. The Mountaineers improved to 5-1-0 at home with its fifth clean sheet of the season thanks to goals in the 22nd and 27th minute and a defense that held the Bearcats to four shots, one on goal.
West Virginia's goals came from Kellogg, his third in the last two games, and freshman midfielder Josh DiMatteo, the first of his career. WVU out-shot Binghamton, 18-4, and held a 13-1 advantage in shots on goal.
DiMatteo led the team with five shots, two on goal, while junior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino had four shots, all on goal, and earned his first assist as a Mountaineer. Junior defender Albert Andres-Llop and junior midfielder Ethan Shim assisted on WVU's first goal, while Muriel Albino and Garcia-Herreros assisted on the second. In goal, Tekesky stopped the one shot on goal he faced.
WVU HONORED FOR ACADEMICS
For the 11th consecutive year, WVU earned the Team Academic Award from the United Soccer Coaches for its team grade point average. With a 3.14 GPA, the Mountaineers were recognized as one of 289 men's teams to earn a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2017-18 academic year. WVU was one of 191 schools to have both its men's and women's programs recognized, while a total of 773 teams (289 men, 484 women) were honored.
WVU soccer scarf ticket packages and single match tickets are on sale now at WVUGAME.com or by calling 1-800 WVU GAME. The scarf ticket package includes a scarf and 10 tickets to be used at any men's or women's soccer match during the 2018 regular season. Packages are just $30 and are available while supplies last. Single match tickets are $5 each and $3 for groups of 10 or more when purchased in advance at WVUGAME.com. At the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium ticket window, tickets will be $7 for adults, $5 for youth and seniors and $3 for groups. The discounted online pricing will be available until kickoff of the match. Tickets for WVU students are free with a valid student I.D.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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