Matchup: FGCU (7-5-3) @ FAU (1-13-0)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 7 PM
Where: Boca Raton, Fla. | FAU Soccer Stadium
Links: Video | Live Stats
Series: Tied, 4-4-1
Coaches: Jesse Cormier (1st Season @ FGCU (7-5-3); 14th Overall (121-94-50)) | Joey Worthen (1st Season @ NJIT (1-13-0); Same Overall)

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Coming off a crucial ASUN Conference win on Sunday, the FGCU men’s soccer team faces a quick turnaround as the Eagles will travel across Alligator Alley to face FAU on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m.

 

OPENING KICK

The match will conclude FGCU’s regular season as the Eagles will be looking to move one win closer to their second-straight year of double-figure victories. Because its game against NJIT scheduled for Saturday got postponed until Sunday due to rain, FGCU will head into the contest with just one day of rest.

 

ALL-TIME vs. FAU

The all-time series between FGCU and FAU is tied at 4-4-1. FAU won all four of its games consecutively from 2009-13 (the teams did not play each other in 2012). FGCU, meanwhile, opened the series in 2007 – the program’s first year – with a 3-0 triumph and followed it up with a 2-0 victory in 2008. Over the last three meetings, FGCU holds a 2-0-1 edge, and is coming off a 5-1 win last year – the largest margin of victory in the nine all-time meetings.

 

SCOUTING THE OWLS

^ FAU’s lone win came on Sept. 9 at South Carolina, 2-1. The Owls have lost 10-straight games since, scoring just four total goals in that stretch.

^ Head coach Joey Worthen is in his first year with FAU. He previously served as an assistant coach at South Carolina for five years.

^ FAU has played several ASUN members, including NJIT (2-0), Jacksonville (2-1, 2 OT) and Stetson (1-0). FGCU has defeated NJIT (5-0), Jacksonville (1-0) and tied Stetson (1-1).

^ Carlos Sanchis leads the Owls with five goals for 10 points. He is responsible for all but three of FAU’s goals this season as the Owls have tallied just eight and allowed 37.

 

INSIDE THE FGCU LINEUP

Sophomore Shak Adams (Antioch, Tenn./Cane Ridge HS) leads the FGCU offensive attack with 14 points off a team-best six goals (4th-most in the ASUN) and two assists. Senior Robert Ferrer (Barcelona, Spain/Brevard College/IES Calamot) has posted 11 points off four goals and three assists. Junior Dennis Zapata (Orlando, Fla./University HS) – despite missing four matches with a hamstring injury – has produced a trio of goals and a team-high five assists (tied for the 2nd-most in the ASUN).

 

ASUN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Earlier on Monday, senior Nicolas Samayoa (Guatemala City, Guatemala/Colegio Valle Verde) was named the ASUN Defensive Player of the Week, league officials announced.

 

That was the final weekly award handed out by the conference this year, and it marked the last opportunity for Samayoa – the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – to garner his first career ASUN Defensive Player of the Week honor.

 

Samayoa started and played all 110 minutes in FGCU’s 1-1 double-overtime tie against I-75 rival USF on Tuesday, and followed it up by not subbing out at all in the Eagles’ clean sheet opposite NJIT on Saturday. In that contest against the Highlanders, Samayoa scored FGCU’s third goal just before halftime to put the game out of reach.

 

Making the performance even more impressive is that Samayoa – who has played and started in all but one game this year – and his fellow backline members shut down the nation’s leading scorer in Mamadou Guirassy, who entered the match with 16 goals – representing 64 percent of NJIT’s total goals on the year (25). Furthermore, Samayoa and the defense limited Guirassy to just two shots, and neither of those was on frame.

 

HIGHLIGHT-REEL FINISHES

Over the last few years, FGCU has turned in some highlight-reel goals which have garnered national attention. The most recent came on Oct. 10 against #14 FIU when freshman Kareem Riley (Couva, Trinidad and Tobago/Presentation College San Fernando) secured the No. 3 spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays for his incredible goal from about 40 yards. Riley sent a laser of a shot which stayed on line with the crossbar nearly the entire time before just dipping under the bar for his first collegiate goal and the eventual game-winner against #24 Omaha (watch the goal).

 

It’s the third time in the last 2+ seasons that the team has been featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays. The first was Preston Kilwien (San Francisco, Calif./College Park HS) (No. 3 on Sept. 10, 2015) and then Dylan Sacramento (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Bill Crothers S.S/York University) (No. 7 on Oct. 17, 2015).

 

LUCKY 100

With its 3-2 victory over #24 Omaha on Oct. 3, FGCU secured its 100th all-time win. The Eagles are 102-68-27 (.586) in 10+ seasons, including a dominant 56-19-8 (.723) record in ASUN contests. Since the program’s first two seasons in 2007 and 2008, FGCU has posted a winning record each of the past eight years, including double-figure victory totals in half of those campaigns.

 

RECORD-SETTING 2016 CAMPAIGN

FGCU led the country in nearly every offensive category a season ago, including goals with 62 – nine more than any other team. The club reached record heights as it secured a program-record 14 wins.

 

The Eagles advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round for the first time after claiming a 3-0 triumph in penalty kicks at USF in the opening round following a 2-2 double-overtime tie. FGCU went on to face North Carolina, and the Green and Blue had a 2-1 lead until an 86th-minute goal by the Tar Heels. FGCU played the final 52 minutes of the match with 10 men, and UNC finally tallied a double-overtime goal to emerge victorious, 3-2. The Eagles return nearly every player from 2016, including 10 starters.

 

NATIONALLY RANKED

The Eagles began the year ranked #15 in College Soccer News Preseason Poll. It marked the fourth-straight season that FGCU has been nationally ranked. The Eagles finished last year #20 in the NSCAA Poll (now United Soccer Coaches) after being ranked for the final nine weeks of the season and climbing to a program-best #11 in mid-October.

 

FGCU NATIONAL RANKING HISTORY
10/5/2010: #25 Soccer America

10/12/2010: #24 Soccer America

10/14/2010: #24 Top Drawer Soccer

10/19/2010: #21 Soccer America

10/26/2010: #23 Soccer America

11/2/2010: #19 Soccer America

11/9/2010: #19 Soccer America

11/16/2010: #20 Soccer America (Final Poll)

8/2/2011: #14 Goal.com (Preseason Poll)

8/30/2011: #22 Goal.com

9/27/2011: #25 Goal.com

9/9/2014: #24 NSCAA and Soccer America

8/31/2015: #19 Top Drawer Soccer

10/13/2015: #22 Top Drawer Soccer

10/20/2015: #22 Top Drawer Soccer

9/27/2016: #15 NSCAA

10/4/2016: #12 NSCAA

10/11/2016: #12 NSCAA

10/18/2016: #11 NSCAA

10/25/2016: #20 NSCAA

11/1/2016: #22 NSCAA

11/8/2016: #21 NSCAA

11/15/2016: #18 NSCAA

12/13/2016: #20 NSCAA (Final Poll)

8/3/2017: #15 College Soccer News (Preseason Poll)

 

ALBERT RUIZ

Albert Ruiz (Barcelona, Spain/ CE L’Hospitalet/UE Cornella) missed the first eight games of the year with an injury, but returned on Oct. 3. In the seven games since, he has recorded nine points off four goals and an assist. Ruiz was named to the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List as one of the nation’s top players after finishing runner-up for the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy a season ago. The lethal striker – who was also one of just three forwards on Top Drawer Soccer’s Preseason Best XI list – destroyed single-season program records in goals (22) and points (49) en route to being named an NSCAA First Team All-American – the first ASUN Conference representative since 1997.

 

The senior – the only unanimous selection to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference Team – scored five more goals and totaled nine more points than any other player in the country in 2016. He also led all Division-I players in goals per game (1.10; next closest: 0.89) and points per game (2.45; next closest: 1.95). By himself, Ruiz scored more goals than 74 teams – more than one-third of the 203 D-I men’s programs – and secured more points than 43 teams last season.

 

BUILDING A CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAM

FGCU has produced six professional players – including two current MLS members in Rodrigo Saravia (Columbus Crew) and Aaron Guillen (FC Dallas) – and 63 ASUN All-Conference selections. In just six years of D-I postseason eligibility, FGCU has won four ASUN Tournament championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 – and won an unprecedented six-straight ASUN regular-season championships from 2010-15.

 

ASUN TOURNAMENT BREAKDOWN

The win over NJIT on Sunday – which came in impressive fashion as the Eagles and Highlanders entered the match tied for 2nd in the ASUN – allowed FGCU to clinch the No. 2 seed in the ASUN Tournament with 13 points. That gave the Eagles a bye into the semifinals, which they will host next Sunday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m.

 

FGCU will also host an opening-round matchup between No. 3 NJIT (8-7-3, 3-2-1 ASUN) and No. 6 Lipscomb (9-7-1, 2-4-0 ASUN) on Friday, Nov. 3, at 5 p.m.. The Green and Blue will play the winner of that contest in the semifinals.

 

Top-seeded Stetson (7-6-2, 4-0-2 ASUN) will host the other semifinal on Nov. 5 as the Hatters will take on the winner of No. 4 North Florida (3-9-2, 2-3-1 ASUN) and No. 5 Jacksonville (4-9-1, 2-3-1 ASUN) which will be contested on Nov. 3.

 

The highest remaining seed after the two semifinals will host the final on Saturday, Nov. 11. Additional information regarding the ASUN Men’s Soccer Championship can be found by logging on to ASUNSports.org.

 

FGCU Career Records

	GOALS				POINTS
1	Albert Ruiz (14-Present)	34		1	Albert Ruiz (14-Present)	76
2	Cristian Raudales (08-11)	19		2	Cristian Raudales (08-11)	43
3	Felipe DeSousa (12-14)	18		3	Felipe DeSousa (12-14)	38
4	Henry Penagos (10-14)	13		4	Arion Sobers-Assue (14-Present)	37
5	Arion Sobers-Assue (14-Present)	12		5	Dylan Sacramento (15-Present)	32
	Dylan Sacramento (15-Present)	12
	ASSISTS
1	Josey Portillo (08-11)	15
2	Arion Sobers-Assue (14-Present)	13
3	Francesco DiStefano (08-11)	12
4	Dennis Zapata (15-Present)	11
	Andres Navas (09-12)	11

 

FGCU Single-Season Records

	GOALS					POINTS
1	Albert Ruiz (2016)	22			1	Albert Ruiz (2016)	49
2	Arion Sobers-Assue (2016)	11			2	Arion Sobers-Assue (2016)	33
3	Albert Ruiz (2015)	7			3	Deion Jones (2010)	17
	Felipe DeSousa (2012)	7				Scott Harrison (2008)	17
	Cristian Raudales (2011)	7			5	Albert Ruiz (2015)	16
	Deion Jones (2010)	7
	ASSISTS
1	Arion Sobers-Assue (2016)	11
2	Josey Portillo (2011)	7
3	Deion Jones (2011)	6
	Donovan Henry (2010)	6
	William Morse (2011)	6

 

IRMA RELIEF DONATIONS

In the wake of Hurricane Irma, many individuals and families throughout Southwest Florida are still in desperate need of assistance. To aid in those relief efforts, FGCU Athletics will be collecting donations at all Eagle home games for the immediate future. Donation items most needed include: non-perishable food, clothing, household items and first-aid supplies. Additionally, those unable to attend upcoming home games can drop off donations in canisters located in the Alico Arena lobby. All donations will be given to those hardest hit in Lee and Collier counties.

 

FOLLOW ALONG

For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men’s soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.

 

HEAD COACH JESSE CORMIER

Jesse Cormier was hired in January 2017 to become just the 2nd head coach in program history. The head coach at Vermont for the previous 13 seasons, Cormier won 14 games with the Catamounts in 2016 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. During his time with Vermont, Cormier guided the program to the America East Tournament in 12 of 13 seasons, making five title game appearances, winning two tournament crowns, claiming a regular-season championship and advancing to three NCAA tournaments, including a pair of Second Round appearances. Cormier has a 121-94-50 (.551 winning percentage) overall record as a head coach.

 

SUPPORT THE CAUSE

FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics’ charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.