FULTON, Mo. -- In the middle of a three-game homestand, the William Woods University men's soccer team hosts NCAA Division II side Southwest Baptist University on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff for the match is set for 2 p.m. from Firley Field.
The Matchup
This is the first meeting between the schools. Southwest Baptist recently reinstated its men's soccer program after a 10-year hiatus. The Bearcats have two games under their belt on the 2012 season and neither were low-scoring affairs. SBU prevailed 3-1 over Delta State in its debut match before getting drubbed 10-0 by Drury University. All three of their goals have come in the second half, with opponents scoring four goals in the first half and seven in the second. The visitors have also given up one penalty kick on the young campaign, the only goal scored by Delta State.
Quick Look - William Woods
The Owls look to recover from a tough loss to Central Methodist. William Woods comes into the match with a 1-3 record, although they've outshot opponents by a 59-50 margin. WWU has scored eight goals on the year and given up nine.
Marcelo Carreiro leads the Owls with six points (2 G, 2 A), with
Matt Steiniger chipping in two goals as well on the season.
Kyle Konigsberg is the other member of the squad with stats in both scoring categories, with a goal and an assist on the young campaign.
Entering the third week of the national schedule, William Woods is making appearances in the national rankings despite being idle on opening weekend. The Owls are one of a number of teams with at least one clean sheet on the season, as they currently rank 31st in shutouts.
Carreiro is also in the national rankings in a pair of categories. His game-winning goal against York puts him 18th in the nation in that category, while his two assists are 47th-best in the NAIA.
Get Social With The Owls
In addition to the latest news, scores and stories about WWU Athletics available at wwuowls.com, you can also get behind-the-scenes info by following the Owls on twitter (@WWU_Owls) or catching up with us on Facebook.
Live Broadcasts
Although there will be no broadcast of today's game, William Woods will broadcast most home events live this year. For more information or to listen to the game when you can't make it to Firley Field, check out wwuowls.com/LiveBroadcasts on game days for more information. We will also offer live stats for all of our games - as well as road games when available - for your enjoyment. Check out the schedule page for links for available games.
Last Time Out
The Owls were last in action on Wednesday night, suffering a tough defeat at the hands of Central Methodist. WWU fell behind early in the match on a fluky goal, as Guilherme Frota's freekick deflected off
Kyle Matthews leaving
Dillon Snyder unable to recover.
WWU equalized with a well-earned goal from
Luca Stroeter in the 16th minute and took the lead just minutes later as
Marcelo Carreiro shrugged off two CMU defenders grabbing at his shoulders to break into open space and slot the ball into the back post.
The Eagles would muster an equalizer before the half, again from Frota, before grabbing what would be the game-winner in the 62nd minute on a sloppy play, with
Igor Dos Santos allowing the go-ahead goal.
WWU continued to press the attack but couldn't find a second equalizer.
Upgrade Me
Not that you would necessarily notice an additional fixture on the light posts, but the white dishes mark a major upgrade to Firley Field and for Owls Athletics as a whole. With the addition, WWU Athletics will be able to tie into the campus internet for enhanced broadcast capabilities, with fans also able to enjoy in-game live stats on WiFi-capable smartphones.
Milestone Watch
It came with little fanfare, but with his assists against Missouri Valley College,
Marcelo Carreiro became the career leader for WWU in the category with 17. His career pace is slightly behind that of the previous top handout man, as Jason Skinner tallied 15 assists in a two-season (1997-98) career for the Owls. Carreiro did match the single-season pace of Skinner in 2011 as he equaled the single-season best mark with 10 assists.
Also setting a new single-season record for William Woods in 2011 with 17 goals, J.P. Parra finds himself in second on the all-time table for WWU with 26 career strikes. Barring an explosive year, he will be chasing the career lead into his senior season as he needs 29 goals to match the record set by John Hayes.
Corporate Partners
The presenting sponsor for today's match is Atkins, Inc.
Throughout the 2012-13 season, William Woods will take many opportunities to thank our corporate partners for their support both on and off the field for our student-athletes. Thanks to Atkins Inc., Central Dairy, Coldwell Banker Niedergerke & Co., Columbia Orthopaedic Group, Cost Cutters of Mid-Mo, Jack's Gourmet Restaurant, Holiday Inn Express, Joe Machens Dealerships, Mid-City Lumber, Mo-X, PEAK Performance, Red Weir Athletic Supplies, State Farm/Don Woodson and White Dog Promotions.
For more information on the WWU Corporate Partner programs, contact the Athletic Department at 573.592.1624.
