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NEW ORLEANS – A ranked matchup between No. 25 Kentucky and No. 20 Georgia Southern headlines a midweek slate of Sun Belt men’s soccer with all 10 teams in action.

FOUR IN THE TOP 25

For the sixth consecutive week four Sun Belt men’s soccer teams are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Marshall (7-1-4, 4-1) comes in at No. 9, West Virginia (9-2-2, 4-1) dropped to No. 10, Georgia Southern (10-2-1, 3-2) moves up to No. 20 and Kentucky (7-2-3, 4-1) holds on to No. 25.

 

RANKED MEETING OF THE WILDCATS & EAGLES

No. 25 Kentucky sits tied at the top of the Sun Belt standings with a 4-1 record (12 pts), No. 20 Georgia Southern is fourth with a 3-2 record (9 pts). Kentuky still seeks their first ranked win of the season, while Georgia Southern took down a ranked West Virginia team earlier in the season. A win for either team would keep them in the running for a top seed and the opportunity to host the opening round of the Sun Belt tournament. Georgia Southern is 5-0-1 at home this season and look to their home field advantage when welcoming Kentucky. 

 

HERD ON A HOT STREAK

Marshall has won four straight since losing to a ranked Georgia Southern team on Sept. 28th. Marshall is one of three teams with a 4-1 record in league play with four games left in the regular season. Still on the schedule is their ranked rival West Virginia, a match which decided the conference champion a season ago. The Herd ranks second in the league in total offense with a 2.167 scoring average, relying on an arsenal of players to find the net with 13 different goal scorers this season, 10 of which have two or more. Joao Roberto leads the team with nine total points off three goals and three assists.

 

PANTHERS MAKE HISTORY

Georgia State came through with one of their biggest wins in program history last week with a 2-1 win over No. 3 West Virginia. Dylan Williams scored his first goal of the season to seal the victory helping the Panthers to the second-highest ranked win in program history. After missing out on the Sun Belt tournament last season, Georgia State finds themselves at fifth in the league standings with four matches left on the year.

 

MOUNTAINEER OFFENSE

West Virginia’s offense includes the leagues points leaders with Pablo Pozos and Marcus Caldeira both tied at 21. Pozos leads the league in goals with 10, while Caldeira is tied for second with seven and is second in assists with seven. As a team the Mountaineers produce a league best 2.231 scoring average with 29 total goals on the season.

 

SBC IN THE RPI

Seven Sun Belt teams rank within the top 100 of the RPI. Marshall has the best in the league at 18, followed by West Virginia (20), Georgia Southern (27), Kentucky (47), UCF (55), South Carolina (65), James Madison (89).

 

INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS

POINTS: Marcus Caldeira & Pablo Pozos, WVU, 21

GOALS: Pablo Pozoz, WVU, 10

ASSISTS: Clarence Awoudor, UCF, 11

SHOTS: Ethan Ballek, SC, 44

SHOTS ON GOAL: Marcus Caldeira, WVU, 18

SAVES: Loan Marin,  GSU, 45

SAVE PERCENTAGE: Erik Jaspers, JMU, .804

GOALS AGAINST AVG: Nate Martinez, GS, .692

 

TEAM STAT LEADERS

POINTS: West Virginia, 90

GOALS: West Virginia, 29

ASSISTS: West Virginia/Old Dominion, 32

SHOTS: West Virginia, 190

SHOTS ON GOAL: Old Dominion, 93

SAVES: Georgia State, 56

SAVE PERCENTAGE: Georgia Southern, .804

GOALS AGAINST AVG: Georgia Southern, .692

WHERE TO WATCH




Date
 Time
 Matchup
 Broadcast


 Wednesday, Oct. 22
 6:00 p.m.
 James Madison at UCF
 ESPN+


 Wednesday, Oct. 22
 6:00 p.m.
 Kentucky at Georgia Southern
 ESPN+


 Wednesday, Oct. 22
 6:00 p.m.
 Georiga State at Coastal Carolina
 ESPN+


 Wednesday, Oct. 22
 6:00 p.m.
 Old Dominion at West Virginia
 ESPN+


 Wednesday, Oct. 22
 6:00 p.m.
 South Carolina at Marshall
 ESPN+

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