PHOENIX, ARIZONA – The University of the Incarnate Word men's soccer team travels to the Grand Canyon University for a pair of games against Sacramento State on Friday at 7 p.m. and Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Cardinals (2-1) are coming off a come-from-behind thrilling win over Central Arkansas last Sunday.
Alex Hoyl (Dallas/Highland Park HS) scored off a corner kick in the 81
st minute and
Noah Keats (Exeter,Eng./The King's School) gave UIW the lead with the decisive goal in the 83
rd minute for the win.
UIW's start to the season is a promising one. They have outscored their opponents, 5-2 and created many opportunities for goals. Senior goalkeeper
Kieran O'Boyle (Blackpool,Eng./St. Mary's Catholic College) has done a masterful job in goal this season. Out of the two goals he has admitted this year, one came on a penalty kick. He collected a career-high 11 saves in the 2-1 win against Central Arkansas. This weekend marks the first games for the Cardinals on a neutral site, Grand Canyon's soccer field.
Sacramento State (0-3-1) competes in the Big West Conference and was picked to finish last in the four-team Big West North division in the 2015 pre-season poll. The Hornets qualified to the Big West tournament for the first time last season, but they lost five senior starters from last year. They lost both their leading goal scorer and leader in assists. In their first four games, they have been outscored 9-4, but they are coming off a strenuous 1-1 tie in two overtimes against CSU Bakersfield. They are averaging 8.8 shots per game, and all four of their goals have come from a different player.
Wisconsin-Green Bay (1-1-1) competes in the Horizon League and they were picked to finish ninth in the coaches pre-season poll. They are under the direction of first-year head coach, Jeremy Bonomo. All three of their games this year have been close. They suffered a 1-0 loss to Northern Illinois, beat Drake 1-0 and tied Western Illinois 1-1 after two extra times. The Phoenix will play a game against Grand Canyon on Friday before facing the Cardinals on Sunday. Audi Jepson has scored both of the Phoenix goals this season. As a team, they are averaging 10 shots per game and have only allowed two goals in 2015.
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