LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men's soccer team will close out the regular season on the road this Friday, October 31st, taking on #24 West Florida at the UWF Soccer Complex in Pensacola. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Both teams have already secured a spot in the upcoming Gulf South Conference Tournament, with West Florida (9-1-4, 6-0-3 GSC) fighting to lock in home-field advantage for the opening round, while UWA (5-6-2, 5-4-1 GSC) looks to build momentum heading into postseason play.
The Tigers enter the matchup ranked fifth in the GSC standings, riding a competitive conference stretch that has seen them hold opponents to 1.31 goals per game while scoring 21 goals of their own. UWA is averaging 1.62 goals per game and 10.7 shots per contest, maintaining a solid 43.2% shot-on-goal rate.
Leading the charge offensively is
David Nunez, who ranks among the top goal scorers in the GSC with 10 goals and two assists this season. Nunez has been the Tigers' most consistent attacking threat, recording three game-winners and scoring on an impressive 29.4% of his shots.
Supporting Nunez is a balanced group that includes
Harrison Page (2 goals, 2 assists),
Gonzalo Rawinad (2 goals, 1 assist), and
Ronny Wakelin, who leads the team with six assists. In total, 10 different Tigers have found the back of the net this season.
Defensively, the back line anchored by
Abdul Kamara,
Oisin Griffin, and goalkeeper
Charlie Walker has held strong throughout GSC play. Walker has started all 13 matches, totaling 44 saves with a .721 save percentage and two shutouts.
West Florida enters the final week of the regular season sitting second in the GSC and ranked No. 24 nationally. The Argonauts have been dominant on both ends of the pitch, averaging 2.43 goals per game while allowing just 0.71 goals per match, ranking among the league's best defenses.
The UWF attack is led by Manu Bernabeu with nine goals, followed by Kendrick Hernandez (six goals) and Callum Edwards (four goals, eight assists). In goal, Tomas Valles Gilbert has been a steady force with a 0.794 save percentage, allowing just seven goals across 12 starts.
While West Alabama cannot clinch home field in the opening round, a win over nationally-ranked West Florida would provide a major confidence boost heading into the postseason. The Tigers are seeking to enter the GSC Tournament on a high note and build off their strong conference campaign.
Kickoff from Pensacola is set for 7:30 p.m. CT, with live stats and streaming links available at uwaathletics.com.
