Jaspers Play VMI, Liberty During Virginia Trek

VMI: Watch (SoCon Digital Network) | Live Stats
Liberty: Watch (ESPN3) | Live Stats
 
Riverdale, NY – Manhattan men's soccer continues its three-game road stretch later this week, traveling down to the Old Dominion to play VMI on Friday, September 7 at 4:00 pm. The Jaspers then traverse through Virginia to face Liberty on Sunday, September 9 at 1:00 pm.
 
Both schools will provide live stats that fans can follow along throughout the game. Sunday's match will be televised on ESPN3, which can be accessed online and through the WatchESPN mobile app using the link above.
 
Earlier in the Week

• Despite a furious push that featured eight shots in the final 12 minutes, Manhattan fell 2-1 to Sacred Heart on Labor Day in Connecticut.
• Junior defender Adrien Awana netted his first goal as a Jasper off a header in the 81st minute.
• Manhattan held the advantage in shots (16-15) and corner kicks (5-4).

 
Beast in the East

• On Tuesday, the Jaspers were ranked eighth in the United Soccer Coaches Division I East Region Rankings.
• The East Region comprises teams from the MAAC as well as the Big East and the AAC.
• Manhattan was the only MAAC team ranked in the top 10.

 
Defending the Crown

• The 2017 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year, Marcellin Gohier, earned his first MAAC Defensive Player of the Week Award last week for his efforts against California Baptist and St. Francis Brooklyn.
• The junior was also selected as the Manhattan ATAX Student-Athlete of the Week.

 
Conference Ranks

• Manhattan is tied for first with Canisius with seven goals on the season and three goals allowed.
• The Jaspers rank second in the conference with six assists, 20 points and 13.5 shots per game.
•  Sophomore forward Berti Fourrier is second in the MAAC with two goals and five points.
• Senior forward Lucas Da Silva is tied for first with his two assists, while sophomore forward Brandon Joseph-Buadi ranks similarly with 11 shots on the year.
• Manhattan is the only team in the MAAC with three student-athletes scoring game-winning goals (Fourrier, Joseph-Buadi and fifth-year senior Troy Carrington)
• Gohier leads all eligible MAAC goalies with his .750 goals-against average, 0.813 save percentage and two shutouts.

 
End of the Road

• This weekend's pair of games will be the final non-conference road games of the season.
• Manhattan's next road game will be its MAAC opener at Monmouth on Wednesday, September 26.

 
Traveling Buddies
The Jaspers are not the only MAAC team to play VMI and Liberty this weekend: Niagara faces Liberty on Friday, then wraps up the weekend against VMI.
 
Scouting Report: VMI

• The Keydets enter their matchup vs. the Jaspers at 0-3 following a 2-1 setback to Appalachian State last Saturday.
• VMI fell to Liberty 5-0 earlier in the year as well.
• Willson Tuck has VMI's lone goal of the season, while Broden Schull has logged every minute in goal.
• Last season in Riverdale, Manhattan exploded for a season-high seven goals in a 7-0 rout on September 13.
• Friday's matchup will be the seventh meeting between the two programs since the beginning of the 2000 season. The Keydets have won have of the last six matches.

 
Scouting Report: Liberty

• The Flames head into this weekend sporting a 2-2 record, most recently dropping a 1-0, overtime contest to Eastern Tennessee State on Tuesday.
• Last season, Liberty boasted a 10-6-1 record, reaching as far as the Big South semifinal.
• This year, the program moves to the ASUN. It has not faced a current ASUN team since 1999.
• Head Coach Jeff Alder has led the Flames since 2001, where he has groomed 23 student-athletes to become professional soccer players and secured over 100 wins.
• Tresor Mbuyu headlines the Liberty attack with three goals and two assists. Brogan Engbers has earned the lion's share of minutes in net, posting a 1.31 goals-against average while collecting 12 saves.