Live Video l Live Stats l SRU 2018 Stats l Cedarville 2018 Stats

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – The Slippery Rock University men's soccer team will hit the road to open the 2019 season with a non-conference game at Cedarville University 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

MATCH DETAILS
Opponent: Cedarville University
Date: Thursday, Sept. 5 – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Yellow Jacket Soccer Complex l Cedarville, Ohio
Live Video: Link
Live Stats: Link
In-game Updates: Twitter (@Rock_Athletics)
All-Time Series: SRU leads the series 3-0
Last Played: Sept. 15, 2018 (Slippery Rock recorded a 1-0 win at home)

LAST MEETING
The Rock defeated the Yellow Jackets 1-0 Sept. 15, 2018 at home on the back of a shutout by goalkeeper Matt Hunsberger and a goal by Luke Picchi in the 12th minute, assisted by Alexander Vilchek. Hunsberger recorded four saves on seven total shots.

SERIES HISTORY
SRU and Cedarville have played three times, with Slippery Rock taking all three contests by a combined score of 9-3. This will be only the second time that The Rock has traveled to Cedarville for a matchup with the Yellow Jackets.

SLIPPERY ROCK PRIMER
2018 Record: 6-10-2
2018 PSAC Record: 4-6-1
2018 Home Record: 6-4-0
2018 Away Record: 0-6-2
Last Five Games of 2018: 2-3
2019 Preseason Poll: Picked to finish fourth in PSAC West
Head Coach: Kevin Wilhelm l Second Season at SRU (6-10-2)

SCOUTING THE ROCK
• HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS – The Rock recorded a 6-4-0 (.600) record at home in 2018, good enough for the fifth best winning percentage at home in the PSAC. Slippery Rock averaged 1.5 goals per game at home while allowing less than a goal per game at 0.7.

• SEASON OPENERS – SRU has done well when opening its season. Slippery Rock is 44-28-5 (.604) in season openers with its last win in a season-opening game coming in 2015 in a 2-1 victory over Malone.

• WILHELM RETURNS – Kevin Wilhelm returns to The Rock for his second season after serving as interim head coach for the 2018 season. Wilhelm had his interim tag removed in December, officially becoming the 12th head coach in program history after guiding SRU to six wins last season.

• DEPTH IS KEY – Wilhelm prioritized adding depth in his offseason recruiting efforts and did just that. Wilhelm boasts a recruiting class of 10 for the upcoming season including junior transfer Ale Okuma, who figures to have an integral role on offense in 2019.

• STRONG SENIOR CLASS – The Rock return a solid three-man senior class for the 2019 season including Hunsberger, Picchi and defender Anthony Werth. Hunsberger had a stellar season in goal as a junior, recording 82 saves on 221 shots faced. Picchi tied for the team-high in goals scored with three and was second in total points with seven. After a strong showing as a leader on defense in 2018 and having played in 33 of a possible 52 games over his career, Werth has been named team captain for the 2019 campaign.

• ROCK SOLID DEFENSE – Slippery Rock returns seven members of a defense that ranked fourth in the PSAC in shutouts with five in 2018 including Ryan Collette, Hector Buchter, Dan Schearer, Cory Olix, Anthony Werth, Benjamin Trevino, Hayden Seifert and Mo Kanani.

• CLOSE CALLS – Slippery Rock recorded a 1-6 record in seven contests decided by only one goal in 2018, including two of their six losses on the road.

• GOING ON THE OFFENSIVE – The Rock return seven players who scored at least one goal in 2018 for the upcoming season. Alexander Vilchek, Picchi, Abdallah Bangura, Seifert, Olix, Kanani and Werth accounted for 65% of The Rocks' goals in 2018 (11 of 17).  

THIS WEEK IN ROCK HISTORY
• Sept. 4, 2018 – Head coach Kevin Wilhelm earns his first career coaching victory at The Rock in a 2-0 Rock win over Salem. George Oakley scored his first goal of 2018 on a penalty kick in the 39th minute followed by a Justin Minda goal in the 56th minute.

• Sept. 5, 2009 – SRU upsets No. 16 California (Pa.) 1-0 on the back of a Benjamin Lloyd goal in the 77th minute.

• Sept. 6, 1986 ­– Legendary head men's soccer coach Jim Egli begins his final season with a 5-1 win over Robert Morris.

NEXT FIVE GAMES
Sept. 7 (6 p.m.) at Lake Erie
Sept. 11 (3 p.m.) vs Shepherd
Sept. 14 (7:30 p.m.) at Walsh
Sept. 18 (3:30 p.m.) vs District of Columbia
Sept. 25 (4 p.m.) at Lock Haven

CEDARVILLE PRIMER
2018 Record: 11-6-2
2018 G-MAC Record: 10-2-2
2018 Home Record: 6-2-1
2018 Away Record: 5-3-1
Last Five Games of 2018: 3-2
2019 Preseason Poll: Picked to finish second in G-MAC
Head Coach: Brett Faro l Seventh Season at CU (74-34-14)

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
• Cedarville was recently picked to finish second in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. In 2018, Cedarville finished with a 11-6-2 record and earned a berth in the G-MAC Tournament.

• Head coach Brett Faro returns for 2019 after guiding Cedarville to an 11-6-2 record in 2018, good enough to earn Faro his third G-MAC Coach of the Year honor.

• Cedarville returns eight starters from the 2018 campaign, including Derek Braak who led the way on offense for the Yellow Jackets. Braak recorded a team-high nine goals along with ranking second in points with 19.

• The Yellow Jackets ranked fourth in the G-MAC in total offense in 2018, averaging just under two goals per game (1.84) while allowing less than a goal per game (.84). Cedarville returns goalkeeper Carter Selvius who recorded 60 saves on 196 shots faced as a junior.

UP NEXT
Slippery Rock will continue its road slate, traveling to Lake Erie for a non-conference matchup 6 p.m. Sept. 7 in Painesville, Ohio.





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