ANDERSON, S.C. - In a match that will help sort out the final regional rankings, Anderson University men's soccer hosts Peach Belt Conference member Francis Marion on Wednesday in its final non-conference matchup of the regular season. Kickoff from Trojan Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m.
The Trojans
Anderson, which enters Wednesday with just one win in its last five
matches, looks to put together a home winning streak to close out
the regular season, as it takes on FMU on Wednesday and
Carson-Newman on Saturday for Senior Day. Most recently, the
Trojans come off a 0-0 draw with Wingate on Saturday which slots
them in seventh-place in the conference standings with 14 points
and a 4-4-2 conference record. Overall, AU is 9-4-3 on the year and
is seeking double-digit wins for the first time since 2011 when it
won 17.
After scoring a goal in every conference match before the Lincoln Memorial contest on Oct. 19, the Trojans have been shut out in their last three matches. AU has still outscored its opponents this season 31-16, as redshirt sophomore Andre Carle continues to lead the way with 10 goals. After becoming the first player this season to record double digit goals, Carle ranks third in the league in the category as LMU's Mario Pinto and Carson-Newman's Ross Frame has surpassed Carle with 14 and 13 goals, respectively.
Despite the winless stretch, the AU defense has allowed just two goals in the last three matches. Freshman goalkeeper Bo Haug added his fourth clean sheet of the season, making four saves against Wingate on Saturday night. Haug continues to impress during his first collegiate season, as he ranks third in the conference with his 0.95 goals against average and fourth in saves with 53.
The Patriots
Francis Marion comes into the mid-week contest with a four-match
unbeaten streak, moving to 3-0-1 in its last four. Overall, the
Patriots are 8-2-4 on the season with a 5-2-1 mark in the PBC. In
its most recent result, FMU matched AU's last result with a
scoreless road draw at Georgia Southwestern. Prior to the draw, the
Patriots added wins against Newberry (3-2), Clayton State (2-0) and
USC Aiken (1-0).
FMU has scored 20 total goals which have been spread throughout the lineup as 10 different players have notched at least one goal. Freshman Shahin Hemat paced the offense with four goals and two assists on the season, while senior Alex Blandin and sophomore Tyler Norris closely follow with three apiece. Sophomore midfielder Sven Ricke has been a major factor in the FMU offense, as Ricke carries seven assists which ties for second in the Peach Belt.
In goal, freshman Nick Stover has started 13 of Francis Marion's 14 contests. Stover holds a 0.76 goals against average with 52 saves on the year. The freshman matches FMU's 6-2-4 record and is responsible for the team's six shutouts.
The Series
Anderson and Francis Marion have played each other every
year since 2009 with AU holding a 3-1 advantage over the Patriots
in the all-time series. FMU broke a three-match winning streak last
season with a 2-1 win in Florence a season ago.
