FIU Match Notes vs. Furman, UMKC
C-USA Notes

MIAMI (September 13, 2012) – The FIU men’s soccer team heads into the weekend with the best record (5-0-0) in Conference USA and will play Furman on Fri., Sept. 14, in Ft. Myers, Fla., before returning home for a match against UMKC on Sun., Sept. 16 at 7:00 p.m., at the FIU Soccer Stadium

MEET ME ON THE PITCH
Ahead for FIU this weekend
Who: Furman Paladins (4-2-1)
When: Friday, Sept. 14 – 5:00 p.m. (ET)
Where: Ft. Myers, Fla. (FGCU)
Watch: FGCUAthletics.com –– Live Stats
-and-
Who: UMKC ‘Roos (1-4-0)
When: Sunday, Sept. 16 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Where: Miami, Fla. (FIU Soccer Stadium
Watch: FIUSports.com – Live Video – Live Stats

HISTORY IN THE MAKING
The FIU men’s soccer team (5-0-0) is off to its best start to a season in 25 years after a two-goal performance from sophomore Colby Burdette lifted FIU to a 2-1 overtime victory at UIC. The last time the Panthers started a season 5-0-0 was in 1987, FIU’s first year of Division I athletics. FIU’s five victories also match its season total from a year ago.

CLEAN SHEET
FIU is the only unbeaten and untied C-USA team, and is one of 12 unbeaten teams left in collegiate men’s soccer. Impressively, the Panthers have played just one time on their home field (2-0 victory against Bryant) and sport a perfect 4-0-0 record in away matches.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
FIU freshman keeper Robin Spiegel was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending on Sept. 10. Spiegel has been spectacular for the Panthers between the posts this season. Most recently, he helped FIU to a perfect 2-0-0 weekend with wins over Wisconsin (3-1) and UIC (2-1). Click HERE for highlights.

POLLSTERS SHOWING FIU LOVE
The collegiate soccer world has taken notice of the FIU men’s soccer team as TopDrawerSoccer.com included the Panthers as its No. 41 team in the latest Top 48 poll (9/10). The Panthers are also receiving votes in the College Soccer News Top 30 poll (9/9) and are ranked No. 8 in the NSCAA south region.

SHARING IS CARING
In the first NCAA national statistic rankings, FIU is top dog when it comes to passing the pebble. The Panthers have an NCAA leading 17 assists, as Nicolas Rodriguez and Lyle Lindquist are ranked 18th with a trio of assists apiece. 

SPRECHEN SIE DEUTSCH?
A goal is a goal in any language, but it seems to be sweeter when German import Quentin Albrecht scores them. The sophomore from Hessen, Germany, currently has a team-high five goals, matching his season total from a year ago. His five goals put him fifth in total goals, just one shy of the NCAA leader with six. He also ranks 10th in total points with 11 (5g, 1a), just three shy of the NCAA leader in that category.

LAST TIME OUT
The Panthers defeated Wisconsin, 3-1, and UIC, 2-1, in OT last weekend to remain perfect on the season. The 5-0-0 start keeps the Panthers atop the Conference USA standings, with Marshall (4-0-1) being the only other unbeaten team in the conference. FIU continues to share the ball this season, adding eight assists over the weekend to bring its league-leading total to 17. The Panthers also lead C-USA in points (37) and are second in shots (72), goals (10) and GAA (.59).

JAMMIN’ BEFORE JAMAICA: USMNT TRAINS AT FIU
The U.S. Men’s Soccer National Team (USMNT), which includes international superstars Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur), Tim Howard (Everton) and Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander), trained at FIU Soccer Stadium in preparation for their matches against Jamaica in the 2014 World Cup Qualifier in Kingston, Jamaica. The two teams split their two matches.

“Having the USMNT train at FIU is a great motivational factor for our players,” FIU Head Coach Kenny Arena said. “We were very fortunate to have [U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach] Jürgen Klinsmann speak to our players and really open their eyes about what it takes to become the best they can be.”

Click HERE to watch a video of the USMNT training at FIU Soccer Stadium and HERE to read more about their visit.

FIU GK ERIC REYES CALLED UP TO PUERTO RICAN NATIONAL TEAM
A year ago this week, FIU junior goalkeeper Eric Reyes was called up to his country’s national team to play in a World Cup qualifier match against Canada. Since then, Reyes has accumulated five caps playing for Puerto Rico and will once again get to represent his county in the first round of the 2012 Caribbean Cup in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Reyes started in goal and earned his sixth cap in a 2-1 loss to Haiti on Sept. 11.

Reyes carries on a great tradition of FIU players who have played for their country’s national teams, such as FIU standouts Robin Fraser (27 caps with USA), Steve Ralston (34 caps with USA), Tyrone Marshall (81 caps for Jamaica) and Bobby Boswell (3 caps with USA). Most recently, FIU senior defender Anthony Hobbs helped his home country of New Zealand qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Click HERE to read more on Reyes.

“OUT OF THE CAGE” WITH QUENTIN ALBRECHT
FIU’s Pete Pelegrin recently went “Out of the Cage” with the Panthers’ leading scorer, Quentin Albrecht. Did you know that before coming to FIU, Albrecht had only been to the United States once (two weeks in Boston), and loves to cook. Find out Albrecht’s favorite dish and more by clicking HERE.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Nine underclassmen have seen time significant time so far this season for the Panthers. FIU’s five goals have been scored by sophomore Quentin Albrecht (4) and freshman Patrick Ramdial (1) with freshman Robin Spiegel starting all three matches between the pipes. Freshman defender’s Lyle Lindquist and redshirt sophomore Christopher Moffett each have over 200 minutes of action this season.

YOU SHALL NOT PASS
FIU’s back-line of Anthony Hobbs, Joseph Dawkins along with Lyle Lindquist and Christopher Moffett have helped limit opponents to a stingy eight shots on goal compared to 20 for FIU. Freshman Robin Spiegel has been excellent between the pipes this season, allowing only one goal in eight chances for a 0.35 GAA and an impressive .875 save percentage.

SCOUTING FURMAN
The Paladins are coming off a 1-0-1 weekend with a win over UNC Wilmington and a tie against Memphis in the Diadora/Spinx Gray Griffin Memorial Tournament. Furman has two players, senior Coleton Henning and junior Martin Ontiveros, who have four goals apiece. Five other Paladins have registered at least one goal this season.

SCOUTING UMKC
Before facing the Panthers, the ‘Roos will take on Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday, Sept. 14. Prior to this weekend, UMKC defeated Baker (Kan.), 2-1, and lost, 1-0, to SIU-Edwardsville. The ‘Roos boast three players who have Miami roots in Jeff Stezovsky (Miami Killian HS), Diego Figueroa (Miami Killian HS) and David Sarabia (Florida Christian HS). 

NEXT UP
The Panthers will have the week off before traveling to DeLand, Fla., to take on the Stetson Hatters on Sat., Sept. 22, before beginning conference play at South Carolina on Sat., Sept. 29, in Columbia, S.C.

###

About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida’s anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.

 

 

--- www.FIUSports.com ---