ALPINE, Texas – Following a tough home stand this past week, the McMurry University men's soccer team will have an opportunity to snap a four game skid on the road at Sul Ross State and Howard Payne this week.
The War Hawks will take on the Lobos on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m. and will then head to Brownwood to face HPU at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. Live stats are available for both games. Additionally, Thursday's game in Alpine will include live video streaming.
MEDIA COVERAGE:
Sul Ross State: LIVE STATS LIVE VIDEO
Howard Payne: LIVE STATS
NOTES:
LAST WEEK: McMurry (5-7, 2-4 American Southwest Conference) dropped a pair of tough contests against UT Dallas and University of the Ozarks, both of which are in the top five of the ASC standings. UT Dallas (9-3-2, 3-1-2) defeated McMurry and Hardin-Simmons and are now receiving votes for the top 25. Ozarks (8-3-1, 4-2) edged McMurry with a 2-1 victory last Saturday.
MOVING ON: McMurry has faced four situations where it had to take a loss by three or more goals into the next game. The War Hawks responded with wins in three of those four games. Also, the four game skid marks McMurry's first time suffering back-to-back losses this season.
3: McMurry has scored at least three goals in all five of its wins. In each loss, the War Hawks have scored two goals or less. They have scored four and five goals twice each in games this season.
LESS IS MORE: The War Hawks are third in the ASC in goals per game (2.25) and do so with limited shooting, as they take the fewest shots per game (8.67).
AMONG THE ASC LEADERS: Individually, senior forward Javi Mejia remains second in the ASC with 17 points and is tied for second in assists with five. Miguel Esteban Jr. ranks third in points (16) and second in goals (8).
UNFAMILIAR FOES: McMurry and Sul Ross State have only faced off one time in men's soccer, as the War Hawks clipped the Lobos, 2-1, in the ASC opener last season. This is McM men's soccer's first trip to Alpine.
RECENT HISTORY SERVES WELL: Howard Payne leads the all-time series with McMurry with a 4-3-3 record, but McM is undefeated in its last five games against the Yellow Jackets. McMurry's last loss to HPU came in 2011. In the ensuing five game span, McMurry owns a 3-0-2 record, including a 5-2 win last season in Abilene.
SCOUTING SRSU: The Lobos enter with a 3-6-2 overall record and a 1-3-2 record in conference play, just one point behind McMurry in the standings. Picking up key results against UT Dallas (0-0 tie) and Belhaven (1-1 tie), the lone ASC win for Sul Ross is a 4-1 victory over Louisiana College. The defensive-minded Lobos are led by Lorenzo Segura with three goals. Goalkeeper Frank Rodriguez owns an .804 save percentage to rank second in the ASC.
SCOUTING HPU: Howard Payne owns a 3-10 record and also trail McMurry in the ASC standings with a 1-5 record. Following a 1-0 win over Ozarks to end September, the Yellow Jackets have dropped four straight games in October. Alexander Paz leads the team with three goals and an assist, while seven other players have one goal. Howard Payne ranks atop the conference in saves (82) combined between two keepers.
