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SSU MSOC takes on Spring Arbor (Mich.) in road matchup
Posted: Sep 06, 2024

SSU MSOC takes on Spring Arbor (Mich.) in road matchup

Following an impressive 9-0 victory over Washington Adventist (Md.), a 10-win unit from 2023, the men's soccer program at Shawnee State will look to continue building on its impressive performance from Tuesday afternoon when the Bears take on Spring Arbor (Mich.) Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Cougar Soccer Complex in Spring Arbor, Mich.

Previewing Spring Arbor (Mich.)

Spring Arbor, a traditionally stout program in South Central Michigan, has won four Crossroads League Tournament Championships and made four NAIA National Tournament appearances over the last 10 years, accomplishing each feat in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Counting this season, Spring Arbor is 21-13-11 -- including an 11-5-4 mark in 2023. The Cougars are 3-2 this season with a 3-2 victory over No. 18 Lindsey Wilson already in its back pocket.

Spring Arbor is led by:

  • 6-1 senior forward Kaelan Dabbage (three goals, three assists, nine points)
  • 6-0 sophomore forward David Magalhaes (three goals, two assists, eight points)
  • 5-8 senior forward Rood Schnaider (three goals, two assists, eight points)
  • 5-9 senior midfielder Jack Reynolds (two goals, three assists, seven points)
  • 5-10 senior forward Josh Madery (three goals, six points)
  • 6-2 sophomore goalkeeper Victor Jaunay (20 saves, seven goals allowed, .741 save percentage, 1.50 goals-against-average)

Reviewing Shawnee State

In last week's 9-0 victory over Washington Adventist, Shawnee State had seven different players score a goal in a triumphant home opener for first-year Shawnee State head coach Stan Rodrigues.

Junior do-it-all talent Nikos Pontikis -- a captain on this year's SSU unit -- and freshman Théo Cavaleiro Trindade each nabbed two goals and an assist for a five-point outing apiece, while juniors Marco Riva and Alfie Maynard scored once and assisted on a goal for three points in their own strong performance.

Also contributing on the scoreline were Guillermo Conejo Martin's splendid opening goal in the 10th minute, Cameron Thompson, and João Coqueti Léo, who each scored goals in the contest, as well as Trevor Aveiro Masanjala and Darian Rodrigues who added in one assist each.

Overall, three players -- Cavaleiro Trindade, Coqueti Léo and Thompson -- each scored their first career goals in the 9-0 victory. Pontikis is now at nine goals and four assists for his career at Shawnee State, Maynard is at 13 goals and three assists for his NAIA career between SSU and Blue Mountain Christian (Miss.) while Conejo Martin has eight goals for his Shawnee State career and Riva three goals in his own career at SSU.

Defensively, Shawnee State controlled the flow of the match as the Bears limited Washington Adventist to just five shots with none coming on goal. The Bears, in turn, took 25 shots, put 15 shots on frame and scored on nine of the 15 shots that were put on target in Tuesday's resounding result.

Additional

Live video of Shawnee State's match against Spring Arbor can be found at https://saucougars.com/sports/2020/6/2/csn.aspx/?B=1153193.