MIAMI (Nov. 7, 2019) - The 19th-ranked FIU men's soccer team will battle against No. 14 Marshall for the Conference USA regular-season crown on Friday night, as both squads look to earn a No. 1 seed heading into the C-USA Tournament.

FIU and Marshall are scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff in Miami, Florida, with the match set to air on C-USA.tv.

For the full game notes, click here.

MARSHALL PREVIEW
Marshall has posted a 12-2-3 overall record within the 2019 campaign, including a 4-1-1 record in Conference USA. The Thundering Herd hold 13 points in the C-USA standings and are tied with FIU at that mark. Marshall has one of the best offensive attacks in the conference and currently leads the league in total shots, points, and goals. The Thundering Herd are coming off a 1-0 victory over No. 15 Kentucky this past Sunday. 

HIGH STAKES
The winner of Friday's match between FIU and Marshall will become C-USA regular-season champions, finishing with 16 points in conference and earning the No. 1 seed in the C-USA Tournament. If the upcoming match ends in a draw, FIU would earn the No. 2 seed over Marshall based off goal differential in conference play, and Charlotte would seize the league crown with 15 points. Clinching a top-two seed would ensure FIU a first-round bye to start the C-USA Tournament. A loss by either FIU or Marshall this Friday would result in a No. 3 seed for the runner-up.

INSIDE THE SERIES
FIU and Marshall are even at 10-10 in the all-time series dating back to the 1999 season. The Panthers have defeated the Thundering Herd in seven out of their last eight meetings. The two programs last met on Nov. 7, 2018 in the quarterfinals of the C-USA Tournament, with Marshall defeating FIU by a score 2-1. Prior to that, the Panthers had defeated the Thundering Herd in seven consecutive matches dating back to the 2013 season.

AMONG THE NATION'S BEST 
FIU enters the matchup ranking top-15 in multiple offensive categories. The Panthers are fifth overall in the country in assists-per-game (2.6) and seventh in total assists (39), while also ranking sixth overall in points-per-game (7.53) and eighth in total points (113). Additionally, the Panthers are ranked seventh nationally in scoring offense (2.47) and 13th in total goals (37).

C-USA STANDOUTS
FIU ranks first in multiple C-USA offensive categories this season, including points-per-game, goals-per-game, assists, and assists-per-game. The Panthers also rank second in the conference in total goals and shot attempts (211). Goalkeeper Daniel Gagliardi ranks first in C-USA with 59 saves and a 0.797 save percentage. Alessandro Campoy currently ranks second in C-USA with 2.73 shots-per-game, and Inigo Sagarduy ranks fifth overall with six assists.

DEEP PANTHER PACK
FIU has seen productive play throughout the roster to fuel a stellar 2019 campaign. Seventeen different Panthers have logged either a goal or an assist this season. Fifteen Panthers have logged a goal thus far, while 14 players have contributed an assist. An impressive total of 12 Panthers have logged both a goal and an assist. Those players include returning veterans Campoy, Sagarduy, Andrew Booth, Nick O'Callaghan, Matias Barraza, Owen Green, Xavi Olmos Ferris, Mohamed Conde, and newcomers Stephen Afrifa, Alban Rousselet, David Garcia, and Ronaldo Marshall. 

FOLLOW LIVE
Live stats for the match against Marshall can be found here. A live stream for the match can be found here.

UP NEXT
FIU will move on to the C-USA Men's Soccer Tournament next week in Norfolk, Virginia. The tournament is set to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 13 and will end on Sunday, Nov. 17.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUAthletics).