MONMOUTH MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW

Saturday, September 19, 2015
Monmouth (2-3-1) at Holy Cross (2-2-2)
Location: Linda Johnson Smith Soccer Stadium – Worcester, MA
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Live Video: Patriot League Network
Live Stats: www.GoHolyCross.com

The Monmouth University men's soccer team returns to action Saturday, when it travels to Worcester, MA, to take on Holy Cross. The Hawks are unbeaten in their last three games, including wins over Howard and Villanova and a scoreless draw against Rutgers on Wednesday. Holy Cross is 2-2-2 with wins in two of their last three matches against Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart. The two teams met for the first time last season, when Monmouth earned a 2-0 win at Hesse Field.

BREAKING DOWN THE HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS
Holy Cross is led by Joey DeVivo and Yuji Callahan, who have both registered seven points so far this year. DeVivo has a team-best three goals, while Callahan tied for the team lead in assists with three. Diego Ceron has also dished out three assists and is tied in the point column with Eric Dixon, who's scored once and added an assist. Nicholas Cestaro, Justin Carfora and Owen Azrak have each scored one goal, while Arno Rupp has a pair of assists. Eddie Gibbons and Mason Brummett round out the Crusaders' point scorers with one assist apiece. Kevin Wright has seen the majority of time in net for Holy Cross, posting a 0.62 goals against average and a .833 save percentage.

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.

EVERYBODY SCORES
Monmouth's nine goals this season have been scored by eight different players. Jalil Blalock scored twice against Howard, while John Egan, Dave Nigro, Colin Stripling, Miguel Alves, Anderson Asiedu, Zachary Pereira and Andrew Gee have all scored one goal each.

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.

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. Monmouth reached a program-high of the No. 4 ranking in 2010.

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.