The 2016 college soccer season is well underway. How are City’s collegiate players faring so far? Let’s take a look…
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE: The Cardinals currently sit in first place in the GLIAC table, with a 13-3-1 overall record and 11-3-1 record in GLIAC play. SVSU is unbeaten in its last four matches, with Troy Watson (Sr.), Tyler Stephens (Sr.), Jordan Kalk (Sr.), Omar Sinclair (So.) and Andrew Dalou (So.) all continue to play major roles in the team’s success. Stephens has started all 17 matches for SVSU, Watson has started 16 matches, and Dalou has 15 starts, as well as three goals in his last three matches. The Cardinals have one final regular season match on the schedule. They face Northern Michigan on Friday, Oct. 28. If the Cardinals secure a win in Friday’s Senior Day match, they will clinch the GLIAC regular season championship. Kickoff is at 2:30 PM in Saginaw. Follow SVSU soccer on Twitter here.
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY: The University of Detroit Mercy Titans currently sit at 3-8-4 overall and 1-4-2 in the Horizon League, coming off a 1-0 victory over Northern Kentucky on Oct. 22 to extend their winning streak to two matches. Spiro Pliakos (Jr.) remains tied for the team-lead in goals with three in 10 matches played. Pliakos is also tied for the most points with seven. The Titans sit in eighth place in the Horizon League table. UDM will look to get to three wins in a row in its final home match of 2016 against Green Bay on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff at Titan Field is at 1 PM. The UDM regular season wraps up on Friday, Nov. 4 at Belmont at 7:30 PM ET. Follow UDM soccer on Twitter here.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: The Wolverines are 3-9-4 overall and 1-5-1 in the Big Ten Conference. UM, who is 3-5-1 at home this season, is coming off an impressive 5-1 thumping of Oakland on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Billy Stevens (Jr.) has featured in 15 matches for the Wolverines, while Brett Nason (Sr.) has featured in 13. Evan Louro (Jr.) has an overall save percentage of .743 in 15 matches played. UM, who sits in second-to-last place in the Big Ten table, hosts No. 1 Maryland in Ann Arbor on Sunday, Oct. 30 to close out the 2016 regular season. Kickoff is at 1 PM ET. Follow UM soccer on Twitter here.
MORE TEAMS TO WATCH:
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA: Ranked 25th in the nation, the Gamecocks sit in second place in the C-USA standings with a 4-1-1 record and a 9-5-1 record overall. South Carolina’s last result was a 2-1 loss on Oct. 26 to No. 8 Charlotte, who ranks first in the C-USA. Danny Deakin (Sr.) continues to lead the team in points with 19, tallying seven goals and five assists in 15 matches. Next up, South Carolina travels to face New Mexico on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 8 PM ET before closing out the regular season at home against Kentucky on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7 PM ET. Follow the Gamecocks soccer team on Twitter here.
SEATTLE PACIFIC: The Seattle Pacific Falcons are 5-5-5 on the season and 3-3-4 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action, coming off a 3-1 win over Concordia (Ore.) on Thursday, Oct. 27. Cody Lang (Sr.) has started all 15 matches for the Falcons, with a 1.39 goals against average and .741 save percentage. Seattle Pacific hosts GNAC opponent Saint Martin’s on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff is at 6:15 PM ET. Follow Seattle Pacific on Twitter here.
ALBION: The Albion Brits are 8-9 overall on the season and 7-6 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play. The Brits sit in sixth place in the MIAA standings. Bobby Budlong (Jr.) has featured in all 17 matches for the Brits and has tallied three goals and three assists for nine points. Albion is coming off a 4-1 loss to Calvin on Oct. 25. The Brits close out the regular season at Kalamazoo on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff is at 7 PM ET. Follow Albion soccer on Twitter here.
GARDNER-WEBB: The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs are 3-11 overall this season and 1-5 in Big South play. Redshirt senior Ali Al-Gashamy (Sr.) leads his team in goals and points with seven and 17, respectively. The Runnin’ Bulldogs are coming off a 1-0 loss to Winthrop. They’ll look to end the season on a high note at High Point at 7 PM ET on Saturday, Oct. 29 before playing their last regular season match against Big South foe Presbyterian on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Kickoff for the match is at 7 PM ET. Follow Gardner-Webb soccer on Twitter here.
XAVIER: The Xavier Musketeers are 4-2-1 in the Big East and 8-5-3 overall, coming off a 2-1 OT win over No. 18 Creighton in which Matt Nance (Jr.) delivered the game-winning assist on a free kick. Nance was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 17. With three goals and four assists, Nance has started all 16 matches for the Musketeers and is second-best in minutes with 1,511. Next, the Musketeers travel to Seton Hall on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 7 PM ET before closing out the regular season against rival Butler on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 7 PM ET. Follow Xavier soccer on Twitter here.
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO: The Ramblers are unbeaten in their last six matches and remain unbeaten in Missouri Valley Conference play with a 5-0-1 record. Alec Lasinski (So.) has featured in all 14 matches and he leads his team in goals with six and points with 15. The Ramblers visit SIUE, who they beat 1-0 earlier in the season, on Saturday, Oct. 29. Kickoff is at 6 PM ET. They close out the regular season against conference opponent Bradley on Saturday, Nov. 5 at home at 6 PM ET. Follow the Ramblers on Twitter here.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: City head coach Ben Pirmann, City goalkeeping coach Bret Mollon and former City coach Cale Wassermann and the MSU Spartans are 4-2-1 in the Big Ten Conference, sitting in second place in the standings behind Maryland. The Spartans are riding a three-match win streak, coming off a 1-0 away win over Notre Dame. The Spartans will end the regular season at Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 30. Kickoff is at 1 PM ET. Follow MSU soccer on Twitter here.
