California State University at Northridge
Utah Valley
CSUN Concludes Roadtrip at No. 19 Utah Valley
9/16/2016 8:32:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Matadors and Wolverines to Meet for First Time in Men's Soccer
GAME NOTES IN PDF FORMAT
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN Matadors (2-3-0) wrap up their five-match roadtrip with a contest at No. 19 Utah Valley on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. (PT). The Matadors and Wolverines will be meeting for the first time ever in men's soccer. There will be a live video feed as well as live stats available for the contest while fans are encouraged to check with the CSUN athletic department's official Twitter accounts (@GoMatadors, @CSUNMensSoccer) for updates throughout the weekend.Â
Last week, CSUN suffered a pair of shutout losses in road matches at SIU-Edwardsville and No. 8/9 UCLA. The Matadors finished with 13 shots in each contest and Kevin Marquez finished with five saves over the 180 minutes in goal.Â
This week, CSUN gets its second-straight test with a nationally ranked opponent in the Utah Valley Wolverines. Although they are just in their third year of NCAA Division I men's soccer, the Wolverines have thrived in competition and are coming off a berth in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. This year, they are 5-1-0 overall and opened the season with a shutout victory over Washington.Â
Next week, CSUN returns to Matador Soccer Field to host the University of San Diego on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. The Matadors and Toreros met last season with CSUN scoring a 1-0 victory in San Diego. The contest will be CSUN's first and only match-up with the West Coast Conference in 2016.
Following the game with the Toreros, the Matadors hit the road for one final non-conference contest and travel to CSU Bakersfield for a 7 p.m. contest on Sunday, Sept. 25. The Matadors and Roadrunners played to a scoreless draw last year in Northridge and the two teams have not met in Bakersfield since the 2011 season.Â
A Closer Look at No. 19 Utah Valley
The No. 19 Utah Valley Wolverines will be CSUN's second-straight nationally ranked opponent when the teams meet for the first time ever on the soccer pitch on Saturday, Sept. 17at 6 p.m. (PT). Utah Valley started NCAA Division I soccer in 2014, participated in the 2015 NCAA Tournament and competes in the Western Athletic Conference.
Offensively, the Wolverines have produced 11 goals and 13 assists for 35 points on the season. Paul Hoffmeister leads the squad with four goals and two game-winning goals on the season while Skyler Milne has three goals, three assists and nine points. Utah Valley averages 11 shots and four corner kicks per game.
In net, Elliott Rubio has played the majority of minutes on the season for the Wolverines. He sports a 0.91 goals-against-average, 11 saves, a .688 save percentage and two shutouts on the season. Defensively, opponents are averaging just over 10 shots and four corner kicks through six matches in 2016.Â
CSUN and Utah Valley figure to engage in a physical affair Saturday night. The Wolverines are averaging just under 15 fouls per game and have seen 15 yellow cards and one red card. The Matadors have committed 69 fouls on the year, an average of just under 14 per contest, while also seeing five yellow cards. Utah Valley defeated Gonzaga 1-0 on Thursday. Sept. 15.
This and ThatÂ
- CSUN's last overtime win: 9/4/2016, 2-1Â vs. Air Force in Albuquerque, NM
- CSUN's last overtime loss: 11/7/2015, 2-1 vs. UC Davis
- CSUN's last double overtime draw: 9/13/2015, 0-0 vs. CSU Bakersfield
- CSUN's last hat trick: Carlos Gonzalez at Saint Mary's on 9/18/2015
- CSUN's last brace: David Turcios at Sacramento State on 10/10/2015
- CSUN's last multi-assist performance: Dean Wright (2) vs. Sacramento State on 10/10/2015
- After the Tulsa win, CSUN holds an all-time record of 25-12-2 in its season openers and a 29-10 mark in its home openers
The Defense Never Rests
- The CSUN defense returns several prominent players and has been one of the top units in the Big West Conference over the past several seasons.
- CSUN has allowed 149 goals since the start of the 2010 season, the second-fewest in the Big West
- CSUN has allowed the second-fewest goals three times since 2011 and has finished no worse than fourth in GAA
- That defense has helped lead CSUN to 32 road or neutral-site wins since the start of the 2010 season, the second-most in the Big West Conference
- CSUN has produced 25 shutouts since the start of the 2012 season and four of the five goalkeepers with the most victories in program history played after the turn of the 21st century
