MIAMI – The FIU men's soccer team returns to the FIU Soccer Stadium on Wednesday night, Oct. 3, when FGCU makes the short drive across Alligator Alley for a 7 p.m. meeting with the Panthers. FIU looks for its third-straight win as it seems to have found its offense, netting nine goals in the past two matches. The contest is the first of two-consecutive at home for FIU, and the first of four out of its next five at home for the Panthers. FIU closes out its short two-match stretch at home on Sunday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. against No. 7 Kentucky.
 
FIU PANTHERS
4-5-0 (3-0 C-USA)
Last Game: Sept. 29 at New Mexico, W, 4-2
Next Game: Oct. 7 vs. No. 7 Kentucky, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Kevin Nylen
Career Record: 16-7-4 (Second season)
at FIU: Same
 
FGCU EAGLES
4-3-1 (1-1 Atlantic Sun)
Last Game: Sept. 29 at Lipscomb, L, 3-2
Next Game: Oct. 6 vs. Stetson, 7 p.m.
Head Coach: Jesse Cormier
Career Record: 126-98-51 (15th season)
at FGCU: 12-9-4 (Second season)
 
Click here for FIU-FGCU match notes
Click here to watch live on CUSA TV
 
QUICK HITS
- The Panthers come into their match with the Eagles looking for their second-straight win in the series, and their sixth win in the last seven meetings ... FIU leads the all-time series, 6-3, dating back to the 2007 season.
 
- FIU also looks to move over .500 against the Eagles, at home ... The Panthers are currently 3-3 all-time at the FIU Soccer Stadium against FGCU with their last win coming on Sept. 24, 2014 (W, 2-1).
 
- FIU extended its regular season Conference USA unbeaten streak to 16 matches with its 4-2 win over New Mexico on Sept. 29, and looks to improve on that against Kentucky on Oct. 7 ... The Panthers are 13-0-3 in their last 16 C-USA regular season tilts, with their last loss coming at New Mexico, 4-1, on Sept. 30, 2016.
 
- Over the last two matches, FIU has had five players record its nine goals during the stretch ... Santiago Patino (4g), Andrew Booth (2g), Talla Faye (first career), Owen Green (first career), and Joris Ahlinvi, 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 first in Conference USA in points with 17 (8g, 1a), while also being tied for the top spot in goals scored (8), points-per-game (1.89) and goals -per-game (0.89) ... Joris Ahlinvi is tied for fifth in goals with four (4), sixth in points (10), fifth in points-per-game (1.11), and tied for fifth in goals-per-game (0.44).
 
- Patino has tallied all 17 of his points (8g, 1a) in five of his last seven matches ... He recorded his third multi-goal match of the season - and his second-straight - and the 10th of his career, with two scores at New Mexico on Sept. 29.
 
FGCU PREVIEW
FGCU comes into Wednesday's match with a 4-3-1 record and a 1-1 slate in Atlantic Sun play ... The Eagles are coming off a 3-2 loss at Lipscomb on Sept. 29 in Nashville, Tennessee ... Shak Adams leads the team in scoring with 14 points (5g, 4a) while O'Vonte Mullings is second with eight points (3g, 2a) ... Gustavo Vasconcelos has posted a 2-2-1 record in net for FGCU with 37 saves, a 1.29 goals-against-average and a .822 save percentage.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
FIU leads FGCU 6-3 in the all-time series, dating back to the 2007 season, and are 3-3, in home matches ... FIU looks for their second-straight win and their sixth win in the last seven matches against the Eagles ... FGCU, then ranked No. 12 in the nation, defeated the Panthers, 4-1, in their last contest at the FIU Soccer Stadium on Oct. 4, 2016.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Santiago Patino recorded his third multi-goal match of the season with two scores (16' & 86') to lead FIU to a 4-2 road win over New Mexico on Sept. 29 ... The win marks the Panthers' first-ever road victory at New Mexico, while also extending FIU's regular season Conference USA unbeaten streak to 16 matches ... FIU trailed at the break, 2-1, however wasted no time getting on the board in the second half, when Andrew Booth took a pass from Xavi Olmos Ferris, just 56 seconds into the second stanza, and scored on a header ... Three minutes later, Talla Faye logged his first career goal to put the Panthers back on top, 3-2, off a goalkeeper deflection in the 49' minute ... Daniel Gagliardi finished the match with seven saves, while improving to 3-0 on the year.
 
FIU FIRSTS LAST WEEK
Talla Faye logged his first career goal - a game-winner - on Sept. 29 at New Mexico in FIU's 4-2 win ... It came in the 49' minute and put the Panthers back on top 3-2 ... Xavi Olmos Ferris assisted on Andrew Booth's match-tying goal in the 46' minute on FIU's win at New Mexico ... It was Ferris' first career assist ... Owen Green recorded his first career goal for the Panthers, coming in the 11' minute in FIU's 5-3 win at North Florida on Sept. 23.
 
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 close out their short two-match homestand on Oct. 7, at 7 p.m., when No. 7 Kentucky visits Miami for a key Conference USA match ... The contest against the Wildcats is the second of four that FIU will play at home during a five-match stretch.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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