MONMOUTH MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW

Wednesday, October 21, 2015
#25 Monmouth (9-3-3, 5-0-2 MAAC) at Manhattan (2-8-1, 2-4-0 MAAC)
Location: Gaelic Park - Riverdale, NY
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Live Video: MAAC.TV
Live Stats: MonmouthHawks.com

The Monmouth University men's soccer team continues MAAC play Wednesday night when it travels to Manhattan. The Hawks are unbeaten in their last 12 games (9-0-3), including a 5-0-2 mark in MAAC play. Last time out, Monmouth played 110 scoreless minutes Saturday night at Fairfield in spite of dominating possession and outshooting the Stags, 12-7, including an 8-1 edge in shots on goal. Meanwhile, the Jaspers dropped their second-straight game, a 3-1 setback at Rider.   
 
BREAKING DOWN THE MANHATTAN JASPERS
Niels Kirch and Alex Shackley lead the Manhattan offense with two goals apiece, while Troy Carrington has contributed a goal and two assists. Abraham Bartoah and Adam Weisberger have also scored once each, while Ajani Phillips rounds out the Jaspers' point scorers with an assist. R.J. Noll has seen the clear majority of time in net for Manhattan, posting a 1.27 goals-against average and a .696 save percentage. His, and the Jaspers', two wins this season have both been shutouts.  

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. MANHATTAN
The Hawks own a 5-1-2 lead in the all-time series against the Jaspers. Since losing the opener in 1996, Monmouth is unbeaten (5-0-2) in the last seven. The Hawks played Manhattan to a pair of scoreless ties in 2013, Monmouth's first year as a MAAC member, advancing in the conference tournament on penalty kicks. Last season, Brandon McCarthy's strike from 20 yards out in the 13th minute held up in a 1-0 shutout for Monmouth.        

AROUND THE MAAC
Around the MAAC, local derbies litter the docket as Iona travels to Saint Peter's for a battle of 12-point teams at 2 p.m., while Fairfield (10 points) visits Quinnipiac (5 points) in another afternoon affair. Marist (13 points) plays host to Siena (9 points), while Canisius (3 points) welcomes Niagara (1 point) in a tussle of Western New York foes.

SOLID COMPANY
Monmouth's 12-game unbeaten streak stands as the third-longest active streak in the nation. No. 1 Creighton has the longest active streak at 14 games, while No. 7 Denver is next with 13 straight.  (Rankings from NSCAA)

Longest Active Unbeaten Streaks in NCAA Division I

	TEAM	STREAK
1.	#1 Creighton	14
2.	#7 Denver	13
3.	#25 Monmouth	12
	#3 Stanford	12
5.	#4 Clemson	9
	Detroit	9
7.	#2 Wake Forest	8
	#12 SMU	8

RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE NATION'S BEST
A fixture in the national polls over the last several years, the Hawks opened the season at No. 21 in the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Poll and receiving votes in the College Soccer News Preseason Top 30 Poll. Following a 12-game unbeaten streak, the Hawks have earned the No. 25 position in the NSCAA NCAA Division I Men's National Rankings and the No. 29 ranking in the College Soccer News Top 30 National Poll this week. Monmouth reached a program-high of the No. 4 ranking in 2010.

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS
As a team, Monmouth leads the MAAC in total goals (26), save percentage (.820), shutouts (7), shutout percentage (0.47), goals-against average (0.70) and win-lost-tied percentage (.700). Individually, Eric Klenofsky paces the MAAC's goalkeepers with a 0.70 goals-against average, .820 save percentage, seven shutouts and 0.47 shutouts per game. Miguel Alves, Dave Nigro and John Egan are tied for third in the league with two game-winning goals apiece, while John Egan and Colin Stripling have dished out five assists each, good for fourth in the MAAC. Nationally, the Hawks rank ninth in total assists, 18th in total points and goals-against average, 19th in save percentage, 20th in total goals, 21st in assists per game and 27th in win-lost-tied percentage.   

KLENOFSKY CLIMBING MAAC ALL-TIME WINS LEADERBOARD
With the Hawks' 3-1 win over Saint Peter's on Oct. 14, junior goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky moved into a tie for second all-time in the MAAC with 27 career victories in net. Klenofsky is tied with Niagara's John Fiutowski (2006-09) and only Iona's Nils Binstock (2006-09) remains ahead of the Hawks' junior goalkeeper with 38 career wins.   

EVERYBODY SCORES
Monmouth's 26 goals this season have been scored by 12 different players. The Hawks lead the nation with nine players with at least two goals scored. Colin Stripling and Dave Nigro lead the way with four goals each, while John Egan has tallied three goals. Anderson Asiedu, David Acuña Camacho, Jalil Blalock, Miguel Alves, Andrew Gee and Danny Figarella have each scored twice.  Zachary Pereira, Derek Luke and Dan Pizzimenti have each tallied one goal.  

EVERYTHING BUT THE FINISH
Monmouth dominated possession and most statistical categories, but settled for a point in a scoreless draw at Fairfield on Oct. 17. The Hawks outshot the Stags, 12-8, including an 8-1 margin in shots on goal, but Fairfield goalkeeper Matt Turner made eight saves to keep Monmouth off the scoreboard.

SET PIECES STUN SAINT PETER'S
David Acuña Camacho put Monmouth on the board with a goal off a free kick in the ninth minute and added an assist on John Egan's goal off another set piece in the 26th minute as the Hawks defeated hOURglass rival Saint Peter's, 3-1, Oct. 14 on Hesse Field. Anderson Asiedu rounded out the scoring with a goal in the 48th minute.

SCORE EARLY, SCORE OFTEN
Monmouth took an early lead on Dave Nigro's goal in the 11th minute, while also adding goals from David Acuña Camacho and Derek Luke in the 54th and 65th minutes, respectively, en route to a 3-1 victory over longtime conference rival Quinnipiac on Oct. 10.

hOURglass RUNS OUT AFTER 110 MINUTES
Monmouth and Rider played to a 1-1 tie on Oct. 7 in Lawrenceville. Danny Figarella broke a scoreless tie in the 53rd minute and the Broncs responded with the equalizer from Jose Aguinaga just over nine minutes later. The tie extended Monmouth's unbeaten streak to nine games.

KLENOFSKY HONORED FOR SHUTOUT PERFORMANCES
Eric Klenofsky was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Men's Team of the Week and earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Week after shutting out Iona (Sept. 30) and Siena (Oct. 3). The junior goalkeeper equaled his career high of seven saves in shutting out the Gaels, while also making a pair of saves against Siena for his sixth clean sheet of the year and 27th career shutout.

STAYING HOT AGAINST SIENA
Dave Nigro scored in the 27th minute and Danny Figarella added his first career goal in the 78th minute as the Hawks defeated Siena, 2-0, on a rain-soaked Hesse Field on Oct. 3. Eric Klenofsky made a pair of saves in the victory, while Derek Luke assisted on both goals. Anderson Asiedu also picked up an assist on Figarella's goal.

GEE, THAT'S A SOLID WAY TO WIN
Andrew Gee scored off assists from John Egan and Colin Stripling in the 35th minute and Eric Klenofsky tied his career high with seven saves as the Hawks blanked Iona, 1-0, on Sept. 30. Stripling played Egan into the top, right corner of the box, before Egan sent the ball low to the left post, where Gee deflected it into the net. Klenofsky (seven saves) and the Hawks' defense made the goal stand up for their fifth clean sheet of the year and the 26th of Klenofsky's career.

STRIP'S STAKE TO NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LEAGUE HONORS
Colin Stripling was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week, while also earning Corvias ECAC Division I Offensive Player of the Week and MAAC Player of the Week recognition on the week of Sept. 28 after scoring three goals and adding an assist in the Hawks' 2-0 week with wins over Seton Hall and Canisius. Stripling scored twice and added an assist in a 4-1 win over the Pirates, before giving the Hawks an insurance goal in a 2-0 win to begin league play against the Griffs in Buffalo.     

COMMENCING CONFERENCE CORRECTLY
Monmouth opened league play with a 2-0 win on the road at Canisius. Dave Nigro scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 32nd minute off a Zachary Pereira assist, before Colin Stripling added insurance just 3:33 later, scoring off the rebound of Danny Figarella's shot. Eric Klenofsky made three saves to secure his 25th career shutout and his fourth clean sheet of the season. Monmouth is now 2-0-1 in league openers as a member of the MAAC.

STORMING INTO CONFERENCE PLAY
The Hawks put a rough three-game stretch to begin the season well into the rearview mirror with a 4-0-1 finish to non-conference play. The Hawks got in the win column with a 5-0 win over Howard before playing perhaps their most complete 90 minutes of the season in a 3-1 win over previously unbeaten Villanova. Following a scoreless draw against Rutgers, Monmouth earned a 1-0 win at Holy Cross and a 4-1 triumph over Seton Hall.

HALL OF A WIN
The Hawks' offense scored three goals or more for the third time in non-conference play in a 4-1 win over intrastate foe Seton Hall on Sept. 22. Colin Stripling scored twice and added an assist, while Miguel Alves and Dan Pizzimenti contributed highlight-reel quality goals. John Egan, Zachary Pereira, Anderson Asiedu, Derek Luke and David Acuna Camacho also dished out assists in the win, while Eric Klenofsky made six saves in net to secure the victory.

ONE-UPPING THE CRUSADERS
Monmouth defeated Holy Cross on the road, 1-0, on Sept. 19. John Egan finished off an Anderson Asiedu cross on one touch in front of the net in the 51st minute for what proved to be the game-winning goal. Eric Klenofsky made six saves in his third shutout in four games to earn MAAC Defensive Player of the Week.

RUNNING WITH RUTGERS
A year after defeating Rutgers, 3-0, on the road, Monmouth and the Scarlet Knights played to a 0-0 tie on Sept. 16 at Hesse Field. Eric Klenofsky made four saves in his second shutout of the season.

WILD(CAT) WIN
The Hawks defeated Villanova, 3-1, on Sept. 12. Anderson Asiedu scored his first-career goal off a Colin Stripling assist, before Miguel Alves scored the game-winning goal off a free kick to break a 1-1 tie in the 47th minute. John Egan's thru ball led to Andrew Gee's first goal of the year to put the game on ice in the 79th minute. Eric Klenofsky made a career-high seven saves en route to MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Villanova entered the game ranked No. 25 in the Top Drawer Soccer National Rankings and receiving votes in the NSCAA National Poll.

OFFENSIVE ERUPTION
Monmouth's offense erupted for five goals in a 5-0 shutout of Howard on Sept. 6. Jalil Blalock scored twice en route to MAAC and ECAC Rookie of the Week honors, while Dave Nigro and John Egan both contributed with a goal and two assists. Zachary Pereira also scored his first-career goal, while Spencer Moeller, Derek Luke and Miguel Alves also tallied assists.

THE GOLD STANDARD
Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt's teams have won eight conference regular season titles in his 11 years directing the program and his peers have once again chosen his team to win the league in 2015. Included in the feat are five conference tournament championships in the last nine years and the accompanying NCAA Tournament berths.

PRESEASON HONORS
Eric Klenofsky was named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year after leading the nation in goals-against average in each of the last two seasons. Derek Luke and Dave Nigro joined Klenofsky on the Preseason All-MAAC Team.

PLENTY BACK FOR THE HAWKS
What Monmouth lost in quality from the 2014 squad in All-MAAC performers Matt Jeffery, Dom Sarle and Emmanuel Senyah Agyemang, the Hawks make up for with eight starters returning. Klenofsky, David Acuna Camacho and Derek Luke lead a defense that led the nation in goals-against average (0.48) and save percentage (.883). Meanwhile Dave Nigro leads the offense having scored the game-winning goal in double overtime of the MAAC Championship to cap off a five-goal, three-assist campaign. Brandon McCarthy also returns after scoring three goals and adding an assist, while Luke came up from the back line to tally a team-best six assists. Andrew Gee came on late in the season to score twice and add an assist, while Miguel Alves scored a goal and handed out three assists. John Egan played a pivotal role in the midfield and added a goal and an assist.  

ACCLAIMED INCOMING CLASS
College Soccer News ranked the Hawks' incoming class No. 22 in the country. Anderson Asiedu leads the group as a 2014 Top Drawer Soccer Fall High School All-America First Team and 2015 Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI honoree, while Danny Figarella was named to the All-America Second Team. Asiedu, Figarella and Daniel Aversano were selected to the Top Drawer Soccer Fall All-East Region Team, while Chase Covello and Zachary Pereira joined Asiedu, Aversano and Figarella on their respective Top Drawer Soccer Fall All-State Teams. Also joining the Hawks this season are sophomore Memphis transfer Spencer Moeller and freshmen Jalil Blalock and Jassiem Wahtuse.