LIVINGSTON, Ala. - The University of West Alabama Men's Soccer team prepares for a pair of GSC matchups this weekend as the Tigers are slated to face off against Montevallo at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before playing AUM on the road on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
West Alabama's contest against Montevallo on Friday will also be Staff Appreciation Night as the Tigers honor select staff members from the University that have left an indelible mark on the program.
UWA (3-2-2, 1-1-1 GSC) enters this weekend's play after picking up their first conference win of the season last Friday, defeating Spring Hill, 2-0. For Montevallo (3-2-2, 1-1 GSC), they make the trip to Livingston after falling to Lee, 3-0, for their first GSC loss on Sunday, while AUM (4-0-3, 2-0 GSC) comes into Sunday's matchup off the heels of wins over Lee and Trevecca Nazarene last weekend.
Two big GSC tests await the Tigers this weekend, but West Alabama comes into those contests with some momentum on their side. After struggling defensively in their previous three matches, allowing six goals in that span, UWA pitched a shutout against the Badgers on Friday.
Timon Dressel has been solid in goal all year for the Tigers as the freshman picked up his third shutout of the year on Friday and added two saves to his season total, putting him at a league-high 32 saves. Defenders such as
Ellis Williamson,
Alfie Tucker, and
Killian Griffin returned to their usual form in West Alabama's shutout win and must carry their momentum into the weekend with a pair of high quality offenses on the docket.
Offensively for the Tigers,
David Nunez continues to be UWA's best offensive player but
Michael Bell has emerged as a legit offensive player alongside Nunez. Nunez remains the team leader in goals with three which is tied for the third most in the GSC. The sophomore hasn't scored in the past four matches, creating the way for other players, such as Bell, to find their offensive rhythm. Bell, from his Midfielder position, comes into this weekend's play after scoring in back-to-back matches and will look to continue his hot streak this weekend against two tough opponents.
Seven matches into the season, Montevallo stands as one of the best offensive teams in the Gulf South. The Falcons have scored 13 goals thus far, putting them fourth in the league. The Falcons' Mark Shoebridge, Cristobal Porter, Seth Acton, and Branko Bulijan Ivelich have all scored multiple goals for Montevallo, but Shoebridge leads the way with three. Shoebridge, a graduate Midfielder, has only taken nine shots this year but he's been extremely efficient with goals coming against Catawba, Belmont Abbey, and Trevecca. While Shoebridge is selective with his shots, Porter is always on the attack, looking for scoring opportunities as the redshirt freshman forward leads the conference with 29 shots.
While Montevallo is a strong offensive team, AUM is more balanced as they've scored eight goals this season while only allowing two. The Warhawks' two goals allowed is a staggering number through seven matches. AUM ranks second in the country in that category while their goalkeeper duo of William Blake and Alfie Rule also sit second in the nation with a .913 save percentage. Blake and Rule have split time in goal for the Warhawks, with both playing exactly 315 minutes this year. Rule has been lights out as the senior has been perfect to start the year, allowing zero goals on 38 shots. After recording his third shutout performance of the campaign against Trevecca this past Sunday, the senior was named the GSC Goalkeeper of the Week. Alongside Rule, AUM's leading goal scorer, Benjamin Hoffman, was named the conference's Player of the Week on Tuesday, after scoring goals against the Flames and Trojans, giving him three goals on the year.
Friday's matchup against Montevallo is set for 7:30 p.m. at the UWA Track and Soccer Complex while Sunday's matchup against AUM is set for 3:30 p.m. in Montgomery.
