MIAMI – The FIU men's soccer team hits the road for its lone match in a five-match stretch, as the Panthers travel to North Carolina to face Charlotte in a key Conference USA contest on Sunday night, Oct. 14. First touch is slated for 7 p.m. FIU looks to extend its C-USA regular season unbeaten streak to 18 matches against the 49ers.
 
FIU PANTHERS
5-6-0 (4-0 C-USA)
Last Game: Oct. 7 vs. No. 4 Kentucky, W, 3-2
Next Game: Oct. 19 vs. Florida Atlantic, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Kevin Nylen
Career Record: 17-8-4 (Second season)
at FIU: Same
 
RV CHARLOTTE 49ERS
6-3-1 (2-2 C-USA)
Last Game: Oct. 10 at Radford, L, 2-1 (2ot)
Next Game: Oct. 20 at Marshall, 1 a.m.
Head Coach: Kevin Langan
Career Record: 78-32-19 (Seventh season)
at Charlotte: Same
 
Click here for FIU-Charlotte match notes
Click here to watch live on CUSA TV
 
QUICK HITS
- FIU comes into its match-up at Charlotte trailing in the all-time series, 5-6-1 ... The Panthers are winless against the 49ers in their last six matches (0-5-1), after starting the series 5-1.
 
- FIU extended its regular season Conference USA unbeaten streak to 17 matches with its 3-2 win over then-No. 4 Kentucky on Oct. 7, and looks to improve on that against Charlotte ... The Panthers are 14-0-3 in their last 16 C-USA regular season tilts, with their last loss coming at New Mexico, 4-1, on Sept. 30, 2016.
 
- FIU's 3-2 win over No. 4 Kentucky was the Panthers' first over a team ranked in the top five since a 3-1 victory over No. 4 SMU in the Conference USA Tournament semifinals on Nov. 14.
 
- Over the last four matches, FIU has had five players record its 13 goals during the stretch ... Santiago Patino (6g), Andrew Booth (2g), Talla Faye (first career), Owen Green (first career), Joris Ahlinvi (2g), and Matias Barraza, have all found the back of the net ... In comparison, in the first seven matches, only three players - Ahlinvi (3g), Patino (4g) and Nick O'Callaghan, recorded goals.
 
- Santiago Patino is currently tied for the top spot in goals scored (10), is tops in the league in goals-per-game (0.91), tied for second in Conference USA in points with 21 (10g, 1a), and tied for second in points-per-game (1.91) ... Joris Ahlinvi is tied for fourth in goals with four (5), sixth in points (12), sixth in points-per-game (1.09), and fourth in goals-per-game (0.45).
 
- Patino has tallied all 21 of his points (10g, 1a) in seven of his last nine matches ... He recorded his third multi-goal match of 2018 - his second-straight - and the 10th of his career, with two scores at New Mexico on Sept. 29.
 
CHARLOTTE PREVIEW
Charlotte comes into its match with FIU with a 6-3-1 overall record and a 2-2 mark in Conference USA ... The 49ers are coming off a tough 2-1 double-overtime loss at Radford on Oct. 10. The loss snaps the 49ers' short three-match winning streak ... Tommy Madden leads the 49ers in scoring with eight points (3g, 2a) ... He is one of 10 players on the Charlotte roster to record at least one goal on the year.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
FIU comes into its match-up against Charlotte trailing in the all-time series, 5-6-1 ... The Panthers are winless against the 49ers in their last six matches (0-5-1), after starting the series 5-1 ... FIU looks for its first win at Charlotte in its meeting on Sunday (0-3).
 
LAST TIME OUT
FIU knocked No. 4 Kentucky from the ranks of the unbeaten on Oct. 7, with a thrilling 3-2 win ... In doing so, the Panthers, the only team undefeated in Conference USA play, extended their conference unbeaten streak to 17 matches ... The win over the No. 4 Wildcats is the Panthers' first over a team ranked in the top five since a 3-1 victory over No. 4 SMU in the C-USA Tournament semifinals on Nov. 14, 2007 ... Santiago Patino got the Panthers on the board early in the contest with his 10th goal of the season in the 15' minute ... The Wildcats tied the contest up just before the break ... Joris Ahlinvi didn't waste any time getting the Panthers back on top, with a laser from 20 yards out giving FIU a 2-1 lead just 1:16 into the second stanza ... Matias Barraza then got into the goal scoring column, with his first goal of the season – and what ended up being the game-winner in the 69' minute ... Daniel Gagliardi finished the night with six saves on the night for the Panthers.
 
PATINO & AHLINVI EARN PRESEASON MAC HERMANN TROPHY AND C-USA HONORS
FIU standouts Santiago Patino and Joris Ahlinvi were named to the Preseason MAC Herman Trophy Watch List along with being named Preseason All-Conference USA ... Patino and Ahlinvi are two of just 32 players nation-wide to be named to the watch list, while FIU is one of just two schools to have multiple players listed (Portland) ... Patino, the reigning C-USA Offensive Player of the Year from 2017, was tabbed as the 2018 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year ... Ahlinvi was named to the Preseason All-C-USA team ... He was also tabbed a First Team All-C-USA selection in 2017.
 
PANTHERS TABBED TO WIN C-USA IN PRESEASON POLL
FIU was voted by the league's head coaches to finish first in this year's preseason coaches' poll ... FIU received four first place votes ... Last season the Panthers were 6-0-2 in Conference USA play and won their first C-USA regular season title.
 
A LOOK AHEAD
The Panthers then return home to take on C-USA rival Florida Atlantic on Oct. 19, at 7 p.m., and then close out non-conference play on Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. against USF.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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