Hall Hosts #21 Butler on Saturday Afternoon
10/11/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 11, 2013
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall men's soccer team continues its four-game home stand with a BIG EAST Conference matchup with the Butler University Bulldogs on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m. The Pirates are coming off a 2-1 win over Villanova on Wednesday night while Butlers suffered 3-2 loss in double overtime at Marquette on Wednesday.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
No. 21 Butler was off to a great start this season as the Bulldogs are 8-3-1 overall and 2-1 in the BIG EAST, but they have dropped two of their last three matches, including a 3-2 setback in double overtime at Marquette on Wednesday night. Butler's fast start included a 2-1 win over defending national champion Indiana in double overtime and conference victories over DePaul and Villanova. Freshman forward David Goldsmith was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week for a second week in a row after tallying his BIG EAST leading ninth goal of the season in the win over DePaul. Goalkeeper Jon Dawson was named to the conference Honor Roll after making three stops in a shutout against DePaul, his third clean sheet of the season.
SERIES HISTORY VS. BUTLER
Seton Hall and Butler have never faced one another. This will be the first meeting between the Pirates and one of the three new members of the BIG EAST Conference.
Max Garcia CONTINUES HOT STREAK
Senior midfielder Max Garcia continued his offensive hot streak by heading in the game-winning score in the 83rd minute against Villanova on Wednesday night. The Pirate captain, who led the team in scoring last season, has now scored a goal in three of Seton Hall's last four matches. The game-winner against Villanova was the fifth of his career but the first in 2013.
MUCH NEEDED ASSISTANCE
Seton Hall points leader freshman Samuel Geiler started off his career by scoring four goals over his first four games but recently has been making his presence felt in a different way. He assisted both goals in the Pirates' win over Villanova on Oct. 9, which came after he recorded his first-career assist in the victory at Rider on Oct. 2. Geiler leads SHU with 11 points this season, scoring four goals with three assists.
HOME COOKING
Seton Hall continues to excel when playing in front of its home crowd at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Pirates are 3-1-1 at home this season and the team is averaging 2.6 goals per game on its home turf compared to 0.67 on the road.
LOOKING FOR A FAST START
Seton Hall has had a habit of getting off to slow starts offensively this season. Of the Pirates' 17 goals scored in 2013, only four of them have come in the opening half. Seton Hall has scored 13 goals in the second half or overtime, which helps explain why the Pirates are 2-0-2 in games that are tied at the end of regulation.
