MONMOUTH MEN'S SOCCER WEEKEND PREVIEW

Saturday, September 26, 2015
Monmouth (4-3-1, 0-0-0 MAAC) at Canisius (3-3-1, 0-0-0 MAAC)
Location: Demske Sports Complex – Buffalo, NY
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Live Video: ESPN3
Live Stats: MonmouthHawks.com

The Monmouth University men's soccer team begins MAAC play Saturday night at Canisius riding a five-game unbeaten streak. The Hawks have gone 4-0-1 in their last five games, with wins over Howard (5-0), Villanova (3-1), Holy Cross (1-0) and Seton Hall (4-1), while also playing Rutgers to a scoreless draw in the span. Meanwhile, the Golden Griffins are also unbeaten in their last three contests, all on the road. After playing Bryant to a 1-1 tie, Canisius defeated UMass Lowell (2-1) and, most recently, St. Bonaventure (3-0). The Hawks' and Griffs' only two meetings all-time have come in the last two years since Monmouth joined the MAAC, with each team winning on its home field. The Hawks had already secured the MAAC Regular Season title and the top seed in the conference tournament in 2013 when Canisius took a 1-0 win in double overtime to close out the regular season in Buffalo. Meanwhile, Monmouth won by the same score to open league play last season on Emmanuel Senyah Agyemang's game winner in regulation in West Long Branch.

BREAKING DOWN THE CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS
Senior midfielder Chris Berardi has sparked the Canisius offense thus far with a team-high three goals, two assists and eight points. Nicolo Baudo is close behind with two goals and an assist, while Alex De Carolis has scored a goal, while tying Berardi for the team lead in assists with two. Mathew Santos has chipped in with a goal and an assist, while Evan Walsh and Ryan Schroen have scored once each. Hakeem Milson rounds out the Griffs' point scorers with an assist. Andrew Coughlin has played all but 15 minutes in net this season for Canisius, posting a 1.28 goals-against average and a .780 save percentage. He played the full 90 minutes in a season-opening shutout of NJIT, while combining with John Hollinger on a clean sheet against St. Bonaventure.

EVERYBODY SCORES
Monmouth's 14 goals this season have been scored by nine different players. Colin Stripling leads the way with three goals, while John Egan, Jalil Blalock and Miguel Alves have each scored twice.  Dave Nigro, Anderson Asiedu, Zachary Pereira, Dan Pizzimenti and Andrew Gee have each tallied one goal.  

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 then-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.

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.