MIAMI – The FIU men's soccer program will conclude its regular season with a critical conference match against the first-place Memphis Tigers this Friday night at Leyva Family Field.

Friday, Nov. 1 vs Memphis (7-6-2 (4-1-1 AAC)

• Time / Site: 7 p.m. ET at Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium
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• Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics

 With one game remaining, FIU (4-5-5, 2-2-2) holds fourth place in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) standings with eight points, one point ahead of Florida Atlantic. South Florida sits in third with nine points.
 
The Panthers have already secured their spot in the AAC Championships. A win, combined with a South Florida loss or draw, would earn FIU the third seed. FIU's final standing could range from as high as second to as low as sixth, depending on other results in the conference.
 
The top two seeds in the AAC receive a first-round bye, while the third and fourth seeds host a first-round match from Nov. 8 to Nov. 10. The winners will advance to the semifinals, which will be hosted by the top-seeded team.
 
Prior to the match, FIU will honor seniors Edgar Aguilar, Adrian Barosen, Diego Castillo, Juan Pablo Correa, Bernardo Dos Santos Monteiro, Julien Gastaldy, and Thomas Wallis for their contributions to the program.
 
FIU comes off a scoreless draw on the road at Temple on Saturday, Oct. 26. Both teams were locked in a defensive battle as the Panthers recorded seven shots and earned their third clean sheet of the season.
 
Senior forward Bernardo Dos Santos Monteiro leads FIU's offense, tying for the team lead with three goals and seven points. He tops the AAC in shots (36) and ranks second in shots on goal (15). Dos Santos Monteiro has logged 1,055 minutes this season, including five full 90-minute performances.
 
Forward Nicolas Villalobos has also been instrumental, recording three goals and seven points over 1,045 minutes, while striker Michael Appiah has scored three goals in 784 minutes across 14 appearances.
 
On defense, David Houja has anchored the backline, logging a team-high 1,170 minutes and playing the full 90 in 13 of FIU's 14 matches. Senior defender Edgar Aguilar has started 13 matches, amassing 1,120 minutes, including 90-minute performances in the last eight games.
 
Senior Adrian Barosen has added two assists in 12 matches, and midfielder Joao Domingues has started every game, contributing 1,067 minutes. Castillo, with two goals and two assists, is tied for second on the team with six points.
 
In goal, sophomore Nigel Van Haveren leads the AAC with 55 saves and ranks 27th nationally with an average of 4.23 saves per game. His goals-against average (GAA) stands at 1.24.
 
Goalkeeper Beltran Fernandez recorded his first career clean sheet at Temple in his starting debut, making one save.
 
As a team, FIU ranks fourth in the AAC in scoring offense, averaging 1.21 goals per game with 17 goals on the season.
 
HISTORY WITH MEMPHIS
FIU holds a 6-5 advantage in the all-time series against Memphis, winning the last three encounters. The Panthers claimed a comeback victory on Sept. 23, 2023, with late goals from Eduardo Mustre and Dos Santos Monteiro sealing a 2-1 win on the road.
 
The last time Memphis visited Miami, Dos Santos Monteiro scored the game-winner in a 3-2 FIU victory on Oct. 1, 2022.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Memphis enters the season finale with a 7-6-2 record and a 4-1-1 conference mark, securing first place. The Tigers are fresh off a 2-1 home victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Oct. 26.
 
With 13 points, Memphis sits two points clear of second-place Charlotte. A win over FIU would clinch Memphis the AAC regular season title—their first AAC title and second conference title overall (the first being in Conference USA in 2004). This would also secure Memphis the No. 1 seed and the right to host the AAC Tournament semifinals and finals.
 
Midfielder Lleyton Imparato leads Memphis with five goals and five assists, ranking third in the AAC with 22 points. Lucho Galizzi is second on the team with four goals.
 
Defender Logan Longo has been a mainstay on the backline, appearing in all 15 matches and tallying four goals, three assists, and 1,350 minutes. In goal, junior Filip Sabatti has started 13 matches, posting a 1.08 GAA with 43 saves.

UP NEXT
FIU will prepare for the AAC Championships, which begins on Friday, Nov. 8 for first-round matchups. The Panthers will find out seeding on Saturday, Nov. 9 as regular season play concludes in the conference.

BAPTIST HEALTH
Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUMSoccer), Twitter (@FIUMensSoccer), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer) for all the latest Men's Soccer news
 
General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.