GAME NOTES: Concordia men’s soccer set for road trip to Colorado

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s soccer team will travel to Colorado this weekend for a pair of nonconference matches. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the Bulldogs will face Sterling College (Kan.) (1-3-1) at 4:30 in Denver, Colo. Then at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20, CUNE will face host Johnson & Wales University (Colo.) (2-3) in Commerce City, Colo.

MATCH INFO
Sterling College (Kan.) (1-3-1) vs. Concordia University (3-2)
Saturday, Sept. 19 | 4:30 p.m. CDT
Site: Manual High School | Denver, Colo.
 

MATCH INFO
Concordia University (3-2) at Johnson & Wales University (Colo.) (2-3)
Sunday, Sept. 20 | 3:30 p.m. CDT
Site: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park | Commerce City, Colo.

 

Last time out
The No. 14 Bruins of Bellevue University topped Concordia University, 2-0 Thursday, Sept. 10 at Bulldog Stadium. In the first meeting of the two teams since 2007, the Bulldogs put up a defensive fight and recorded six saves as a team. There were opportunities for the Bulldogs to score. With just over 21 minutes left in the second stanza, Sean Doran headed the ball to the net off a free kick from Carlos Acosta but it was quickly grabbed by Bellevue keeper, Ben Martin. Toby Down also showed a fire to score late in the game with two and a half minutes left in the contest.

GPAC individual rankings
Julian Amaya – points per game, sixth (2.0); total points, sixth (11); assists per game, tied for second (0.8); total assists, tied for second (4); total goals, tied for seventh (3)

Toby Down – points per game, tied for seventh (1.8); total points, tied for seventh (9); goals per game, tied for sixth (0.8); total goals, tied for sixth (4); shots per game, tied for sixth (3.2); game winning goals per game, tied for fifth (0.2); total game winning goals, tied for fifth (1)

Mark Horsburgh – total saves, 10th (13); goals against average, first (0.58); saves per game, ninth (3.25)

Quotable
 “Bellevue is a really good team, we were right there with them. We feel it was a game if a few things would’ve went differently we would’ve came out of there with a win. I think it was a matter of execution at key moments both in the attack but more so in both goals we kind of gave them the opportunity to execute, they took those goals really well.”
-Jason Weides on the loss against No. 14 Bellevue

“You have to take a chance sometimes and shoot from distance, otherwise you’re not going to get goals. Just had a go and it went into the top corner luckily. Otherwise the team would have been shouting at me.”
-Toby Down on the win against York

Scouting the Sterling College Warriors
The Warriors of Sterling College (Kan.) will bring a record of 1-3-1 into this weekend’s match. Each game that the Warriors have competed in have been decided by one goal with the exception of a 1-1 (2OT) tilt with Saint Gregory’s University. As a team, the Warriors have a save percentage of .829 while their shots to shots on goal ratio is .508 percent. Individually, the team’s four total goals have came from four different athletes. The shots column is also fairly balanced with four Warriors recording at least nine shots and 15 total athletes taking at least one shot. The Warriors are led by head coach Brandon Ponchak who is in his third season at Sterling College. Ponchak is assisted by Nic Martinez, Johnny Chavez and Josiah Gunn.

Scouting the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats
The Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University (Colo.) are currently 2-3 on the season. The latest loss suffered by JWU was from the GPAC’s Midland University when the Warriors prevailed, 4-2. Also a shared opponent, No. 14 Bellevue traveled to Colorado to defeat the Wildcats, 4-2. As a team, Johnson & Wales have a shooting percentage of .260 while its shot on goal percentage is at .680 through five games. Individually, freshman Dalton Pando rank No. 18 in shots on goal per game at 2.6. The Wildcats are led by head coach Lee Ibrahim who is in his third season at JWU. Ibrahim is assisted by Taylor Diem, David Key and Miguel Rosales.

GPAC preseason rankings
In the preseason coaches’ poll announced Wednesday, Aug. 19, Concordia University was picked fourth while receiving one first place vote and 74 points. This ranking ties the highest preseason pick dating back to 2006 in the GPAC. Hastings, defending GPAC champion, was picked first followed by Midland and Doane.

Up next on the pitch
After returning from the west, the men’s Bulldog soccer team will open GPAC play as they travel to Orange City, Iowa to take on Northwestern College. The tilt is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:15 p.m.