BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University men's soccer (6-2-1) opens league play on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Georgia State (6-3-0) at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex.
A Win for App State Would
- Improve the Mountaineers' record to 7-2-1 and 2-1-2 in Sun Belt openers
- Stay undefeated at home with a 4-0 mark
- Move to 4-6-1 all-time against the Panthers
- Record its first win against GSU as a league member
Previewing the Matchup
Saturday's contest might be a low-scoring affair as both the Mountaineers and Panthers are tied for first in the Sun Belt with just seven goals allowed, while the two goalkeepers in
Jake Chasteen (.750) and Paul Tyson (.78) are first and second, respectively, in goals against average. App State is averaging 1.9 goals per game to GSU's 1.6 goals per contest.
About the Mountaineers
The Apps tied a season high in goals with a 3-0 shutout on the road against George Mason last weekend.
Zeiko Harris scored twice for his first multi-goal performance, while
Aldo Tarantini notched his first collegiate score.
Jake Chasteen helped App earn its conference-leading fourth shutout of the season. App State is 5-0 this season when allowing three or fewer shots on goal, and it has attempted at least five shots on goal in seven of nine games this season.
Harris Named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week
The sophomore earned his first Sun Belt weekly award after his two-goal outing against George Mason. Harris is the fourth player (
Jake Chasteen,
Camden Holbrook,
Reed Hunnicutt) to be honored by the conference. App State and Georgia State are tied for the most players who have been named Sun Belt Offensive/Defensive Player of the Week with four.
Scouting Georgia State
The Panthers had their six-game win streak snapped by Santa Clara, 2-1, last Saturday. GSU has one of the top defenses in the conference, as its tied for first in the conference in goals surrendered with seven. Lukas Joyner leads GSU with three goals scorer. Max Hemmings leads the Panthers with 29 shots, while Paul Tyson ranks first in the Sun Belt in save percentage at .800 and second in goals against average (.78).
Series History
App State is 3-6-1 all-time against GSU. The Apps and Panthers tied last season, 0-0.
What's Next
The Mountaineers hit the road for a pair of matches against UAB on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (ET) before traveling to Conway, S.C. for a matchup against Coastal Carolina next Saturday.
