MONMOUTH MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Monmouth (2-4-2, 1-0-0 MAAC) vs. Saint Peter's (1-6-2, 0-1-0 MAAC)
All-Time Series: MU, 15-4-1 (Last meeting: MU, 3-1 – Oct. 14, 2015)
Location: Jaroschak Field – Jersey City, NJ
Kickoff: 2 p.m.
Live Video: MAAC.TV
Live Stats: None
The Monmouth University men's soccer team continues MAAC play Saturday afternoon when it travels to hOURglass rival Saint Peter's. Monmouth has won two straight, including its MAAC opener against Manhattan, 2-1, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Peacocks are 1-6-2 (0-1-0 MAAC) following a 4-1 loss at Iona on Tuesday. The lone Peacocks win this season came in overtime at Sacred Heart, part of a five-game stretch in which 90 minutes weren't enough to decide the contest. The Peacocks posted a 1-2-2 mark in that span of overtime games.
BREAKING DOWN THE SAINT PETER'S PEACOCKS
Luke Fairlamb leads Saint Peter's with four goals and three assists so far this season. Two of his four goals have come on penalty kicks. Brandon Goncalves and Michael Crentsil have each added a pair of goals, while Goncalves also has an assist. Ezequiel Cei, Rodrigo DaSilva and Chris Rodrigues round out the Peacocks' goal scorers so far this season. Andrew Romero has dished out two assists, while Cei and Davis Hocking have one assist apiece. Jamie Cleland has played the majority of minutes in net for Saint Peter's, posting a 2.34 GAA and .731 save percentage. Brandon Pereira has made two starts and picked up the win vs. Sacred Heart, but hasn't seen the field since the victory.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. SAINT PETER'S
Monmouth owns a 15-4-1 advantage in the all-time series against Saint Peter's, including a five-game winning streak dating back to 2010. Monmouth won the first nine games in the series, which commenced in 1987. Saint Peter's took three-straight contests from 2003-05, before the two teams tied in 2006 and Monmouth secured a 3-0 win in 2007. The Peacocks got back in the win column with a 2-0 victory in 2008, before the Hawks retook control of the series with wins in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
STRIP SCORES TWO
Colin Stripling scored both goals in the Hawks' 2-0 conference-opening win over Manhattan on Sept. 27. The senior midfielder streaked in for the rebound of a saved penalty kick in the 6th minute before finishing a David Nigro feed from the top of the 18-yard box in the 29th minute for what proved to be the game winner.
KEEPER CONTRIBUTIONS
Senior goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky has made his mark on the Hawks' program over the past four years and his absence due to injury for six non-league games covering a month was felt. Since arriving on campus, the Hawks have posted a 32-9-15 record in games started by Klenofsky. In games started by anyone else, Monmouth is 2-9-3. Klenofsky returned to the line-up on Sept. 27 vs. Manhattan.
KLENOFSKY CLIMBING MAAC ALL-TIME WINS LEADERBOARD
With the Hawks' 2-1 win in double overtime at Manhattan on Oct. 21, 2015, junior goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky moved into sole possession of second place all-time in the MAAC with 28 career victories in net. Klenofsky, who now stands at 32 career wins, moved past 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.
FAMILY MATTERS
Michael Luke scored his first career goal for the game winner at Howard on Sept. 17. Luke followed in his brother, Derek's, footsteps, as the elder Luke's first career goal also came as a game-winner in a 1-0 victory (Sept. 22, 2011 at Columbia) early in his freshman year.
NIGRO'S NIGHT
David Nigro matched his career-best of five points in a single game on Sept. 14 vs. Columbia. The senior forward scored twice and added an assist, matching his output vs. UMass Lowell in the 2014 season opener.
AREMAN ARRIVES
Junior midfielder Jake Areman, a Maryland transfer, scored his first goal as a Hawk and added an assist against Columbia on Sept. 14. The three-point output matched Areman's one-goal, one-assist effort for the Terps last season in a victory over St. John's.
DEPENDABLE DEFENDERS
Sophomore holding center midfielder Anderson Asiedu and freshman back Andy Martinez have yet to leave the field thus far in 2016. Both players have accounted for 670 minutes played in seven games.
SCHAEFER SHOWING UP
Freshman Geoffrey Schaefer responded well to increased playing time, developing several offensive chances and assisting on David Nigro's goal at UMBC on Sept. 10 for his first collegiate point.
FLIPPING IT IN
Sophomore forward Jalil Blalock, whose signature goal celebration is a back flip, scored his first goal of the season on Sept. 1 at Hartford. Blalock received a feed from Dave Nigro in the middle of the 18-yard box and went inside the right post for the score, his third-career goal.
CONTINUING TREND
Colin Stripling led the Hawks with six goals a year ago and began this season in the same way. The senior midfielder deposited the ball in the back of the net on a penalty kick in the 37th minute against Denver as the Hawks and Pioneers played to a 1-1 draw. He then added his second goal at UMBC, equalizing at 2-2 in the 54th minute.
RUBBING ELBOWS WITH THE NATION'S BEST
A fixture in the national polls over the last several years, the Hawks were ranked No. 30 in the College Soccer News Preseason Top 30 to earn a national ranking for the 11th straight season. The Hawks also received votes in the poll's second week. Monmouth reached a program-high of the No. 4 ranking in 2010.
PRESEASON RESPECT
Winners of two of the last three MAAC Regular Season Championships, Monmouth was selected by the league's coaches to win the title once again in 2016. In addition, five Hawks comprised the 11-member Preseason All-MAAC Team. Goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky was named the Preseason Player of the Year, while Anderson Asiedu, David Nigro, Zachary Pereira and Colin Stripling were also named among the top players in the league.
RETURN OF THE MAC
Sophomore Anderson Asiedu was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, becoming the first sophomore and the 10th Hawk in Head Coach Robert McCourt's tenure to garner the honor. Asiedu joined Joseph Schmid (2013), Ryan Clark (2012), RJ Allen (2011), Max Hamilton (2011), Anthony Vazquez (2011), Ryan Kinne (2009, 2010), Bryan Meredith (2010), Chase Barbieri (2009) and Tom Gray (2007) among Monmouth players to earn the recognition.
THE GOLD STANDARD
Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt's teams have won nine conference regular season titles in his 12 years directing the program. Included in the Hawks' run of success are five conference tournament championships in the last 10 years and the accompanying NCAA Tournament berths.
RETURNING CAST
Monmouth returns the scorers of 30 of their 41 goals from a year ago, led by leading scorer Colin Stripling (6). Stripling also had five assists to lead the team with 17 points. David Nigro and Miguel Alves also scored five goals apiece, while Zachary Pereira came on strong to score four goals from the back line. Danny Figarella and Andrew Gee chipped in with three goals each, while Anderson Asiedu and Jalil Blalock scored twice each. Along with Pereira, center back Joey Gudzak helped stabilize the Hawks' back line and 2015 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year Eric Klenofsky is back for his fourth season as the last line of defense.
WELCOME TO THE SQUAD
Monmouth's newcomers include some exciting prospects, including Maryland transfer Jake Areman and 2015 Gatorade New Jersey Boys Soccer Player of the Year John Antunes. The back line lost Derek Luke, but brings a familiar look in Luke's brother, Michael, who will fill Derek's role. Fellow freshman Andy Martinez also looks to fill a pivotal role as a center back. Jacob Curtis, Colin Muller, Geoffrey Schaefer and Ryan Wells will also vie for minutes in their first year in the Blue & White.
