MIAMI (Sept. 2, 2022) - No. 24 ranked FIU men's soccer is back on the road this Saturday, Sept. 3, for another Top-25 clash with college soccer powerhouse North Carolina (No. 13).
Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET against the Tar Heels at Dorrance Field.
The match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra. Live stats can be followed here.
The Panthers are coming off an inspiring 1-0 victory against No. 25 ranked St. John's on the road last Monday (Aug. 29). FIU owns a 1-1 record and is ready to face its third ranked opponent to start the 2022 campaign after hosting No. 13 Akron in the season opener.
No. 13 North Carolina has posted a 2-0 record this season, downing Air Force (2-1) to start the season and shutting out South Florida (1-0) last Sunday, Aug. 28.
SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS
UNC has been led this year by midfielder Milo Garvanian, who was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week this past Monday after scoring the game-winning goal against USF. Garvanian logged five points in the season's first week, including two goals and an assist.
Midfielder Sebastian Schacht was named to the ACC's Preseason Watch List to start the year. Defender Til Zinnhardt earned a spot on the United Soccer Coaches Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List. Both Schacht and Zinnhardt graced a spot on United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch list in preseason.
INSIDE THE SERIES
FIU holds a 2-3 record in the all-time series against UNC and is looking to knot things up with a win in Chapel Hill on Saturday. UNC took the last meeting (1-0) in 2015 at Dorrance Field.
IMPRESSIVE NEWCOMERS
The Panthers saw a breakout performance from freshman goalkeeper Kevin Harr in FIU's last contest against St. John's. In only his second-ever collegiate start, Harr posted six saves on 15 shots faced in the 1-0 clean sheet victory over the Zips.
Two FIU newcomers, Fumiya Shiraishi and Paulo Alves, logged their first goals and assists as Panthers in the season opener against No. 13 Akron. Alves, a fifth-year senior transfer from Missouri Valley College, logged a goal in the 84th minute and contributed an assist on Shiraishi's score in the 38th minute. Shiraishi, a junior forward transfer from Marshalltown Community College, also logged a helper in the 86th minute with a setup on Stephen Afrifa's goal.
CREAM OF THE CROP
Senior forward Stephen Afrifa was named to the MAC Herman Trophy Watch list on Aug. 25 by the United Soccer Coaches, after gracing their Players to Watch list on Aug. 16.
Senior centerback David Garcia, who earned All-CUSA Second Team laurels last season, was recently ranked at No. 18 in Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Top-100 players list. Garcia was also named to Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best XI First Team.
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home next Tuesday, Sept. 6, for an early week showdown against in-state foe UNF. First kick against the Ospreys is set for 7 p.m. ET at FIU Soccer Stadium.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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