ST. GEORGE/SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Off to an unbeaten start and receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll, the Fort Lewis College men's soccer team will look to keep things rolling when they play at Dixie State on Friday and Westminster on Sunday.
FLC would be 29th in the national poll if it extended past the top-25, after receiving votes this week. The Skyhawks are also fifth in the South Central Region, one spot up from last week. FLC is off to their best RMAC start since 2015 when they won their first four conference matches. Last year, FLC also was unbeaten through their first four conference matches, posting a 2-0-2 record.
First up will be a matchup with Dixie State on Friday at 5 p.m. and then against Westminster on Sunday at noon. FLC rolled to a pair of home wins this past weekend against MSU Denver (5-2) and Colorado Christian (4-0). The Skyhawks have 4-0 shutouts in two of their past three games. Last time out, FLC generated 34 shots, with 17 on goal against Colorado Christian. They held the Cougars to just six shots, with two on goal. Ty Lang scored a pair of goals, while Bar Hazut and Hakeem Rabiu added a goal each.
So far this season, FLC has outscored opponents 21-8, with a 145-66 edge on shots, with 71 on goal to 30 for opponents. Hazut leads the team with 13 points, scoring five goals and adding three assists. Ryan Lee is second with 11 points, also scoring five goals and adding an assist. Lang has eight points with three goals and two assists. Rabiu adds seven points, with two goals and three assists. Other goal scorers this season include Marshall Metzger with two goals, Nicolas Perez, Landon Gibson and Coleman Kane with one apiece. Ventura Salcido leads the team with 673 minutes played, followed by 652 from Lang and 650 from Metzger. In net, Salcido has a 1.07 goals against average, with 21 saves and a .724 save percentage.
FLC is ranked high in the RMAC and nationally in several categories including first in the RMAC and seventh nationally in assists per game (3.14), first in the RMAC and 26th nationally in corner kicks per game (6.43), first in the RMAC and 10th nationally in points per game (9.14), third in the RMAC in save percentage (.733), first in the RMAC and 12th nationally in goals per game (3.00), first nationally in shots per game (20.71), first in the RMAC and fourth nationally in shots on goal per game (10.14), third in the RMAC in shutout percentage (.286), fourth in the RMAC an 50th nationally in team goals against average (1.070), first in the RMAC and 10th nationally in total assists (22), third in the RMAC and 15th nationally in total goals (21), second in the RMAC and 15th nationally in total points (64), third in the RMAC and 16th nationally in win-loss percentage (.857).
Individually, Max Fuentes Carrera, Hazut, Perez and Rabiu are sixth in the RMAC and 79th nationally in assists per game (0.43), Lee is second in the RMAC and 25th nationally in game-winning goals (2), Gibson, Hazut and Lang are all tied for fifth in the RMAC with one apiece. Salcido is fifth in the RMAC and 59th nationally in goals against average (1.070), Hazut and Lee are tied for second in the RMAC and 51st nationally in goals per game (0.71), Lang is 10th in the RMAC in the same category with a 1.14 average. Salcido also ranks in the top-10 in saver percentage (.724), sixth in the RMAC and in saves per game (3.00), ninth in the RMAC. Hazut is second in the RMAC and 37th nationally in shots per game (3.57), Rabiu is fifth in the RMAC and 87th nationally in the same category with a 3.00 average. Rabiu is second in the RMAC and 47th nationally in shots on goal per game (1.86), Lang is third in the RMAC and 93rd nationally at 1.57 and Hazut is sixth in the RMAC at 1.43. Salcido is third in the RMAC and 49th nationally in shutouts (2) and is seventh in the RMAC in total saves with 21. Fuentes Carrera, Hazut, Perez and Rabiu are all tied for sixth in the RMAC in total assists (3). Hazut and Lee are tied for second in the RMAC and 47th nationally in total goals (5), while Lang is 10th in the RMAC with three. Hazut is second in the RMAC and 47th nationally in total points (13), while Lee is fourth in the RMAC and 73rd nationally in the same category with 11.
First up, FLC will face Dixie State for the first time since 2009 when they bested the Trailblazers 3-1 in Durango. That was the season the Skyhawks went on to win their second national title. Dixie State is 2-5-1 overall this season and 0-3-1 in the RMAC. They tied Westminster to begin the conference slate, but have since fallen to MSU Denver (1-4), UC-Colorado Springs (2-3) an Regis (0-1). The Trailblazers are 0-3 at home this year.
As a team, they have 10 goals to 16 for opponents, with 110 shots to 109 for opponents, with 39 on goal to 40 for the opposition. Moises Medina leads the team with six points on three goals. Gustavo Ortega and Daniel Brubaker add five points apiece. Outside of Medina's three goals, Ortega and Tony Foulger add two apiece. Ricky Nunez has logged the most minutes at 751, with Zach Nielson the next closest at 645. In net, Nielson is 2-3-1 with a 1.54 goals against average, 18 saves and a .621 save percentage. Levi Lord has also seen time in net, going 0-2 in 1-6 minutes, with three saves and a 4.23 goals against average.
To close the trip, FLC will matchup with Westminster. The Griffins are off to a 7-0-1 overall record and 3-0-1 in conference. They hold a 4-0-1 mark at home. This past weekend they defeated Regis (3-0) and UC-Colorado Springs (3-2). Last year, FLC won 2-1 at home against Westminster. Gibson scored the first goal of the game in the 22nd minute and then Lee added one just two minutes later. Westminster posted a late tally in the 84th minute. Westminster held a 18-9 shot advantage and 7-3 on goal in the game. Lee led the offense with four shots. The Skyhawks also won the last meeting in Salt Lake City during the 2016 season by a 1-0 score.
The Griffins hold a 24-7 goal advantage on opponents, including a 125-81 edge on shots and 64-32 on goal. Danny Darelli leads the team with 12 points, scoring five goals and two assists. Kaden Amano has 10 points with five goals. Amit Hefer adds eight points with two goals and four assists. Zach Nielsen, not to be confused with the Zach Nielson from Dixie State, has logged the most time at 732 minutes. Bridger Hansen is second with 712 minutes. In net, Will Desantis and Max Medley have each played and started four games this year.
Live video and stats will be available for both games.
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