MONMOUTH MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW
 
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Monmouth (2-3-1, 0-0-0 MAAC) at UMass Lowell (3-1-1, 0-0-0 America East)
All-Time Series: UMass Lowell leads, 2-1
Location: Cushing Field – Lowell, MA
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Live Video: http://flyhawks.co/2y0JQvO
Live Stats: http://flyhawks.co/2x2traM
 
The Monmouth University men's soccer team will remain on the road for a matchup with #25 UMass Lowell on Saturday night. After earning the 2-0 win over Penn on September 1 and playing #14 West Virginia to a double overtime scoreless draw, the Hawks were upended by UMBC in overtime on September 9, 2-1, before falling at Columbia on Tuesday by the same result. Junior Zach Pereira's first goal of the season made it a one goal game at Columbia in the 76^th minute, but Monmouth could not find the equalizer. Junior goalkeeper Bobby Edwards has 25 saves through the first six games of the season, including 14 stops in his last two matches. He ranks first in the MAAC with three shutouts, and second with a goals against average of 0.80.
 
BREAKING DOWN THE UMASS LOWELL RIVER HAWKS
UMass Lowell began the season with a 3-0-0 record that placed it at #12 on the national rankings. The River Hawks were dealt their first loss of the season on September 9 at Northeastern by a score of 2-1 in double overtime. Four days later, the team tied MAAC foe Quinnipiac, 1-1, also in double overtime. Junior midfielder Jakov Basic leads the team with six points (2 G, 2 A). Sophomore back Ivan Blaskic and senior forward Richard Mulo have also scored two goals on the season. In net, Austin Kroll has given up just four goals in five games, while amassing 13 saves. The senior has two shutouts with a 3-1-1 record.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UMASS LOWELL
UMass Lowell has the slight advantage in the all-time series over Monmouth, 2-1. The series began in 2014 and the programs have faced each other every year since. The Hawks earned the convincing 5-0 win in the series opener, before UMass took the 1-0 and 3-0 wins in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
 
DETERMINED DEFENSE
Monmouth has given up just five goals through the first six games of the season, which ranks first in the conference. Junior goalkeeper Bobby Edwards has made 25 saves and has registered a goals against average of .80, which rank second in the MAAC. Edwards has totaled three shutouts on the season, with the help of defenders Michael Luke, Joey Gudzak, Luke Bromley, Andy Martinez, and Ryan Wells. The Hawks have only given up one goal in the first half this season.  

SPREADING THE LOVE
Five different Monmouth athletes have scored goals in 2017, including Jake Areman, Andy Martinez, Colin Stripling, Geoffrey Schaefer, and Zachary Pereira. Areman has added two assists on the season to lead the team with four points, while John Antunes has dished two assists and leads the team with 12 shots.