FORT MYERS, Fla. – Coming off a West Coast trip which culminated with its first win of the year, the FGCU men’s soccer team (1-2-1) returns home on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. against the University of San Francisco (2-1-0).

OPENING KICK
FGCU is coming off a 2-1 win at UC Irvine on Sunday afternoon, while San Francisco posted its own 2-1 victory on Sunday evening over UC Davis. The meeting will be the second all-time between the two programs, with the first coming in the Bay Area in 2014 – a 1-0 Dons’ win on a 79th-minute penalty kick with then-#24 FGCU playing with 10 men.

WHAT TO KNOW
Tickets are still available and can be purchased for $5 for youth (ages 3-12) and $7 for adults by logging on to FGCUTickets.com or at the ticket kiosk at the FGCU Soccer Complex’s main entrance. Thursday is Social Media Night, with fans who answer trivia questions correctly pre-game and at halftime from @FGCUDirtyBirds on Twitter having the opportunity to win prizes.

SOUTHEAST RANKING
Following a 1-1-1 performance last week, FGCU moved from unranked to #9 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Southeast Region Poll on Tuesday. The Eagles are one of just two Atlantic Sun Conference members represented, with the other being North Florida at #3.

OFFENSIVE SPARK
FGCU has scored in each of its first four games for the first time since 2013, and it’s largely due to an increased shot attempts – and the efforts on frame. The Eagles currently lead the ASUN in shots with 80 – 12 more than any other team – and their per-game average of 20 ranks 3rd in the nation. FGCU is averaging 7.75 shots on goal per game to check in at 14th in the country and tops in the league.

Individually, Dylan Sacramento (Winnipeg, Manitoba/York University/Bill Crothers S.S.) leads the nation with 6.25 shots per game. Fellow front-liner Albert Ruiz (Barcelona, Spain/UE Cornella/CE L’Hospitalet) has tallied at least one point in each of the first four games of the year. Ruiz is tied for 2nd in the ASUN with three goals and two assists, while his eight points are good for 2nd in the league.

KEEPER ROTATION
While the offense, for the most part, has clicked early on for the Eagles, head coach Bob Butehorn has alternated goalkeepers the first four contests. Freshman Jared Brown (Aurora, Ontario/St. Maximilian Kolbe CHS) got the start in the team’s season opener at Northwestern on Aug. 26 before sophomore Sawyer Jackman (Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East HS) got the starting nod to against Michigan last Monday. Last Friday, Brown was again in net at Loyola Marymount before Jackman got the decision versus UC Irvine on Sunday.

Jackman is 1-0-1 on the year with a 1.35 goals-against average in 200 minutes, while Brown is 0-2-0 with a 2.00 GAA in 180 minutes. Jackman has surrendered three goals and made eight saves, while Brown has given up four goals – two off penalty kicks in the opener – and posted seven stops. While the Green and Blue have scored in each of the first four games of a season for the first time since 2013, it also marks the first time they have failed to shut out an opponent through the first four games since 2013.

SCOUTING SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco has posted consecutive 2-1 wins over CSU Bakersfield and UC Davis to bounce back from a season-opening 3-1 loss at Nebraska Omaha on Aug. 26. The Dons had their game at Creighton canceled on Aug. 29 due to lightning.

The Dons have scored six goals through their first three games, and all six have been tallied by different players. Josh Smith and USC Upstate transfer Leon Schwarzer lead the team with three points each as both have added an assist on the campaign. In net, Ryan Buckingham got the start in the opener, but Andre Glasnovic has assumed those duties for both of the Dons’ victories, recording eight saves in that time.

USF returns all 11 starters from last year’s team which went 6-11-1 overall and 4-2-1 in the West Coast Conference. Nine newcomers join a roster that was predicted to finish tied for 2nd in the WCC, with senior forward David Garrett and senior midfielder Davi Ramos both earning All-WCC preseason nods.

San Francisco has a long tradition of excellence. The program has won four NCAA championships – the fourth-most in history – and has secured 795 all-time wins in 71 seasons – the third-most in NCAA history behind only UCLA (954, 72 seasons) and Penn State (817, 106 seasons).

WEST COAST RECAP
FGCU is coming off a pair of 2-1 decisions in the Los Angeles area over the weekend. The trip started with a setback at Loyola Marymount on Friday, and concluded with the aforementioned triumph at UC Irvine. The Eagles struck in the 2nd minute on Sunday against the Anteaters, but UCI responded in the 77th minute to tie the game before Dennis Zapata (Orlando, Fla./University HS) provided the game-winning strike in the 79th minute.

DID YOU KNOW?
FGCU owns the longest home conference regular-season unbeaten streak in the nation at 28 straight (25-0-3). The Eagles have not lost a home ASUN regular-season game in nearly eight years, dating back to a 2-0 defeat against Jacksonville in October of 2008 – the program’s second season.

NEXT UP
The USF game will be the only contest for the Eagles in a 10-day period – and the only match at the FGCU Soccer Complex in an 18-day stretch. FGCU is next in action at UCF on Wednesday, Sept. 14, before returning to The Nest on Saturday, Sept. 17, to face UNC Wilmington at 7 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION
Season and single-game tickets are available for the 2016 campaign, with season tickets starting at just $35. More information, including special discounts and group rates, can be accessed by visiting FGCUTickets.com. To purchase tickets, or for additional inquiries, call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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.

COACH BUTEHORN
FGCU is led by Bob Butehorn, who has coached six professional players and 54 ASUN All-Conference selections since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just five years of postseason eligibility, Butehorn has guided FGCU to three ASUN Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012 and 2014 – and has won an unprecedented six-straight ASUN regular-season championships. His teams have been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets. Now in his 14th season as a head coach, Butehorn has a 116-92-26 (.551) overall record, 82-60-22 (.567) mark in his 10th season at FGCU and 48-17-6 (.718) record in ASUN contests.

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.