ANDERSON, S.C. - After a convincing 3-1 win over South Atlantic Conference foe Brevard on Senior Day earlier this week, Anderson University men's soccer returns to Trojan Stadium on Saturday for a Homecoming matchup against nationally-ranked Wingate. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
The Trojans
AU enters the weekend winning two of its last three matches,
including scoring three goals in both victories. With the wins, the
Trojans hold an even 7-7 overall record and a 5-4 mark in
conference play as they sit in a tie for fourth place in the league
standings with 15 points. Anderson joins Lincoln Memorial in the
fourth slot, as the teams continue to battle for the fourth-seed
which will secure a home match in the conference tournament.
Offensively, the tandem of freshman Magnus Larsen and junior Andre Carle are responsible for 11 of the team's 18 goals (61.1 percent) on the season as Larsen leads the club with six goals. Carle tightly follows with five goals, but with his five assists on the year, he leads the Trojans in points with 15. The duo is also responsible for 42.6 percent of the team's shot on the season, combining for 75 of the team's 176. Teammate Lars Zimmermann is the only other Trojan with multiple goals on the year with three.
Sophomore goalkeeper Bo Haug continues to shine in goal as he has played in over 1,111 minutes between the posts and ranks fifth in the SAC with a 1.30 goals-against average. Haug has posted the second most shutouts in the league this year with four, while his 34 saves slots him ninth in the SAC.
The Bulldogs
In the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of
America/Continental Tire NCAA Division II National Poll, Wingate
was slotted 18th and was the lone SAC team in the weekly poll. With
the ranking, the Bulldogs were also ranked No. 4 in the first
edition of the NCAA Southeast Regional rankings, which were
announced on Wednesday. Following a win over defending conference
regular season and tournament champion Queens on Wednesday, WU
enters the weekend with a 10-2-1 overall record and a 7-1-1 tally
in the SAC.
Wingate has gone 8-0-1 in its last nine contests, highlighted by a five-match winning streak following its only setback of the season to Lenoir-Rhyne on Sept. 20. With their winning ways, the Bulldogs are in first place in the conference standings with 22 points, one point clear of LR, as the teams are the only SAC members with 20 or more points on the year.
Sophomore forward Charlie Machell is the only player in the conference with double figure goals this season, scoring three in the 4-0 win over Queens on Wednesday. The hat trick was his second of the season after scoring three in a 4-1 triumph over Emmanuel on Sept. 6. Teammate Gui Peron ranks second on the team with six goals, while junior Shaun Gadsby is third with five.
In goal, senior Stephen Banick has played in all 13 contests on the year and has allowed just 10 goals. Banick's 10 victories and six clean sheet ranks first in the SAC, as he is one of three goalkeepers with a goals-against average under 1.00 with a 0.78 mark.
The Series
Since Anderson joined the conference prior to the start of the 2010
season, the Trojans and the Bulldogs have linked up an astounding
eight times, headlined by four meetings in the SAC quarterfinals.
Since a 2-1 setback in the 2010 regular season, the Trojans hold a
6-0-1 record against their Tar Heel State rivals, as AU has
eliminated WU from the conference tournament every year it has been
a SAC member. Last season, the teams played to a scoreless draw
during the regular season, but Anderson bested Wingate in the SAC
Tournament when Martin Brain provided a game-winner in the 83rd
minute to advance the Trojans into the conference tournament
quarterfinals.
In the teams' last four meetings against each other, Wingate has failed to score a goal as AU has out-scored the 'Dogs 3-0 in the span, which included last season's scoreless draw.
