ANDERSON, S.C. - After a heartbreaking 3-2 double overtime setback to nonconference opponent Francis Marion on Wednesday, Anderson University men's soccer jumps back into South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday when it travels to Carson-Newman for the team's regular season finale. Kickoff from McCown Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Trojans
Anderson sits alone in third place in the SAC standings with 18
points, holding a 6-4 conference record and an 8-8 overall mark.
Despite the setback on Wednesday, the Black and Gold has won three
of their last five, scoring three goals in each of their wins. With
a victory, the Trojans would secure the No. 3 seed in next week's
SAC Tournament and will host a quarterfinal matchup against No. 6
seed on Tuesday.
Freshman Magnus Larsen scored AU's first goal on Wednesday at FMU, as he took sole possession of the team-lead with seven goals on the year. Larsen broke away from junior Andre Carle with six goals, as the duo is tied for the team-lead in points with 17, as they combine for 86 of the team's 197 shots this season (43.6 percent). Junior Lars Zimmermann, who is playing in his last regular season contest on Saturday, ranks third on the club with three goals.
Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Bo Haug ranks second in the SAC in victories with seven and in shutouts with five. Haug's 35 saves in the tenth-most in the conference as he carries a 1.31 goals-against average on the year.
The Eagles
Carson-Newman entered the 2014 season ranked No. 2 in the country
after advancing to the NCAA Tournament championship in 2013,
finishing as the national runner-up. The Eagles were unable to hang
on to their national ranking, as they dropped their first three
matches of the season and did not earn their first win until Sept.
20 against conference foe, Catawba. With the slow start, C-N enters
Saturday's showdown with a 6-8-2 overall record with a 5-3-2 mark
in the SAC.
Most recently, the Eagles have struggled, losing four of their last five with their lone win coming over Queens on Oct. 25. C-N has struggled at McCown Field this season, as it holds a 1-3-2 record in Jefferson City.
Junior Robert Wagner paces the Eagle offense with seven goals in nine starts on the campaign, while also leading the team in shots on goal with 16. The senior duo of Lucas Sigueira and Joao Pedro Dowsley has notched five and four goals, respectively, as Doesley holds the team-lead in shots with 30.
In goal, junior Kavi Luchyowa has made 13 starts and is responsible for all six of C-N's victories. Luchyowa ranks third in the conference in shutouts with four and has 58 saves to his credit.
The Series
Last season, Carson-Newman fended off Anderson twice with a 3-2
overtime win in the regular season finale, followed by a matching
3-2 win in the opening round of the NCAA Southeast Regional in
Gaffney, S.C. With the two setbacks to the Eagles a season ago, AU
is 2-4 against its Volunteer State rivals since 2010.
