SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word men's soccer team will look to get back on the winning track after two road losses, as they host Grand Canyon for a Western Athletic Conference game on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Benson Stadium, and then go on the road to face UNLV on Sunday at 3 p.m.
The Cardinals (5-5, 1-3) are on a current three-game losing streak, including back-to-back 1-0 losses to UMKC and Air Force this past weekend.
Despite getting outscored 2-0 last week, the Cardinals offense is still one of the top offenses in the WAC. They rank first in assists (18) and assists per game (1.8), and rank second in goals per game (2.0). Midfielder,
Noah Keats (Exeter, Eng./The King's School) is tied for first in goals with eight, and leads the conference in goals per game (.80), points (19) and points per game (1.90). Forward
Dylan Kelly (Tucson, AZ/Salpointe Catholic HS), is tied for the lead with six assists on the year.
The Cardinals are 3-1 at home and have been much more efficient in the second half of contests. Fourteen of their 20 goals this year have come in the last 45 minutes of play. Their opponents this week will try to deny the Cardinals from getting back to their winning ways.
Grand Canyon (6-5, 2-2) is coming off a pair of conference losses on the road. The Antelopes lost 2-1 to CSU Bakersfield and 6-0 against San Jose State. Their two conference wins have come against UTRGV, 1-0, and Houston Baptist, 3-1. All five of their losses have come on the road this year where they are 2-5. They are averaging 1.45 goals and 13.1 shots per game. Most of their scoring has come in the second half as 10 of their 16 goals have come in the last 45 minutes. They have allowed 19 goals to their opponents this year. Their top player is Alberto Sanchez Garcia, who leads the team in goals (6) and assists (4) for a total of 16 points. The Antelopes have played UIW three times before and have won two and lost one. Last year, the Cardinals hosted GCU for a conference match and beat them, 3-1. After the conference season was over GCU hosted UIW and beat them, 3-2.
UNLV (8-3-1, 2-1-1) is currently in third place of the WAC and is coming off a 1-0 win over San Jose State and a 1-1 draw against CSU Bakersfield. The Rebels' goalkeeper, Richard Garness, took the Defensive Player of the Week honors in the WAC for his two outstanding games last week. He turned in a clean sheet against San Jose State in which he had a career high eight saves. He then surrendered only one goal out of 11 shots against SJSU in 110 minutes and collected four saves. UNLV is averaging 1.80 goals per game and are outscoring their opponents 20-12. They are averaging 15.3 shots per game, which is second best in the conference. Danny Musovski is tied for the conference lead in goals with eight and is third in total shot attempts with 37. Last year, the Rebels defeated the Cardinals, 3-2 in San Antonio.
####
pr15497smm