Weekly Notes: Home Sweet Home for Men’s Soccer

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE VERSION OF WEEK NINE GAME NOTES (PDF)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Marygrove (7-6-1, 4-2-1 WHAC) vs. Siena Heights (6-5-2, 1-4-2 WHAC)
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Marygrove Soccer Field — Detroit, Mich.
Coverage: Live video, audio and stats (coverage begins at 3:45 p.m.)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
Marygrove (7-6-1, 4-2-1 WHAC) vs. Cornerstone (7-6-1, 5-1-1 WHAC)
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Marygrove Soccer Field — Detroit, Mich.
Coverage: Live video, audio and stats (coverage begins at 2:45 p.m.)

BY THE NUMBERS
14: A balanced attack in 2015 has led to contributions from 14 different Mustangs in either the goal or assist column. With points from 14 different players, the Mustangs present one of the more balanced attacks in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. In all, the Mustangs have amassed 77 total points and have held their opponents to a 49 points on the season.

3: The Mustangs entered the 2015 campaign with arguably the most depth on their roster in the seven-year history of the program. The depth has shown throughout the season as the Mustangs have used numerous lineups to combat the opposition. Only three (3) Mustangs have started all 14 matches – Gaoussou Cisse, Talal Hamodi and Jeff Okerstrom.

28: The Mustangs have tallied 28 goals through the first 14 matches of 2015, five off of the team’s season total of 33 from the entire 19-match 2014 schedule. Senior forward/midfielder Abdoulie Jallow (Bansang, The Gambia/Rust College) paces the Mustangs with seven goals while Gbenga Ayanwale and Oneil Robinson follow with four goals each. 

MUSTANG REWIND
Seventh-year head coach Matt Johnson and the Mustangs started last week off with a 1-0 road win at Indiana Tech on Wednesday (Oct. 14). The 1-0 win was a product of stout defense and a Khalid Suleiman (Tulkarm, Palestine/Madonna Univ.) goal. On Saturday (Oct. 17), the Mustangs fell 2-1 at Aquinas, their first setback in WHAC play to an unranked opponent.

HOME SWEET HOME!
The Mustangs return home this week for a pair of matches in Detroit. The two-match homestand will be the second in three weeks as Siena Heights visits Detroit on Wednesday (Oct. 21) with Cornerstone following on Saturday (Oct. 24). During the last homestand, the Mustangs outscored the opposition 10-1 behind a 7-0 win over Concordia and 3-1 decision over Lourdes.

SCOUTING SIENA HEIGHTS
The Siena Heights Saints enter Wednesday’s matchup with the Mustangs in the middle of a four-match losing skid and a six-match winless streak (two ties). The Saints opened the 2015 campaign on a roll, posting a perfect 6-0-0 record while outscoring opponents by a stunning 26-4 margin. Since that time, the Saints have posted a 0-4-2 mark, a product of a difficult conference schedule. Brent Rodden leads a balanced cast of Saints offensively with seven goals and five assists for 19 points on the season. 

THE MARYGROVE-SIENA HTS SERIES
Marygrove and Siena Heights will meet for the sixth time in as many seasons Wednesday as the Mustangs aim to draw even in the all-time series. The Mustangs are 1-2-2 all-time against the Saints, tying their WHAC foe more times than any other opponent. The Mustangs are 1-0-1 in matches played in Detroit.

DID YOU KNOW?
Head coach Matt Johnson was the fastest to 50 wins of any coach in Marygrove College history. Johnson and the Mustangs sit at 52 wins in program history entering the week.

SCOUTING CORNERSTONE
Head coach Mark Bell is back roaming the Golden Eagles’ sideline for the 18th season and has his Cornerstone squad positioned for a potential WHAC postseason run. The Golden Eagles enter the week at 7-6-1 overall and 5-1-1 in WHAC play after enjoying a 4-1-0 start in October. WHAC Defensive Player of the Week Nick Hopkins leads the Golden Eagles in net with four shutouts and 47 saves.

MARYGROVE AGAINST CORNERSTONE
The Cornerstone Golden Eagles own a narrow 4-3 advantage in the series through seven meetings. Despite Cornerstone holding the advantage in the series, the Mustangs have won three-of-the-last-four over the Golden Eagles with the lone loss coming in the WHAC playoffs in 2012. Since joining the WHAC, the Mustangs are a perfect 3-0 in regular season meetings with Cornerstone.

THE WHAC PLAYOFF PICTURE
The Mustangs are primed to make their fourth consecutive trip to the WHAC playoffs in 2015. Currently sitting in fourth place as of Oct. 19, the Mustangs have amassed 13 points off of a 4-2-1 record in league play. The 13-point conference season places the Mustangs three points behind Cornerstone – Saturday’s opponent – with 16 points. If the playoffs started today, the Mustangs would be in line for a first-round home match opposite fifth-place Lourdes, a team that sits one point behind the Green and Gold.

THIS WEEK IN MUSTANG HISTORY
The Mustangs put together a late-match rally to overcome a one-goal deficit in a 2-1 double-OT win over Cornerstone on the road. Vincent Umejeigo tucked in the equalizer in the 85th minute while Oneil Robinson (Montego Bay, Jamaica/Cornwall College) tallied the game-winner in the 109th minute.

THE MUSTANG SPORTS NETWORK (MSN)
The MSN is back for another year of live video on marygrovemustangs.com/live, this time with expanded coverage including multiple cameras and added talent!

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MEN’S SOCCER CONTACT: Tim Johnston | [email protected]/* */ | @tjohnston56
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