MIAMI – FIU men's soccer closes out its regular season home slate on Wednesday evening, hosting the Tulsa Golden Hurricane for Senior Night at Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium.
Wednesday Oct. 28 vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane (6-4-4, 3-1-2 American)
- Time / Site: 7 p.m. ET at Leyva Family Field at FIU Socer Stadium
- ESPN+
- Live Stats
- Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics
- Senior Night | Ceremony begins at 6:40 PM
FIU (7-3-4, 2-1-3 American) has two matches remaining in American Conference play and sits in fifth place with nine points, just two points behind the conference leaders. Tulsa, Charlotte and Missouri State are tied atop the standings with 11 points. The Panthers secured a crucial conference victory on Friday, Oct. 23, defeating Florida Atlantic 2-1 to earn three points. A win on Wednesday would put FIU in position to secure a spot in the American Conference Championships.
The Panthers are riding an eight-match unbeaten streak, recording five victories during that stretch and remaining unbeaten since Sept. 11. FIU has outscored its opponents 15-8 during the run. The Panthers currently hold an RPI of 33, the second-highest in the American Conference behind Missouri State at No. 25. FIU also ranks 18th nationally in strength of schedule.
Prior to kickoff, FIU will honor eight seniors:
Owen Barnett,
Jad Benjelloun,
Pasquale Capriati,
Jameel Durhan,
Florian Grollmann,
Matteo Piccardo,
Santi Possu and
Nigel Van Haveren.
Game Preview
FIU enters Wednesday's matchup looking to secure back-to-back victories and close out its regular-season home slate on a high note.
The Panthers are unbeaten at Leyva Family Field this season, posting a 5-0-2 record while extending their home unbeaten streak to nine matches dating back to 2025. FIU is aiming to complete its first unbeaten regular season at home since 2021, when the Panthers went 7-0. Since head coach
Kyle Russell took over the program ahead of the 2021 season, FIU has recorded 38 home victories.
Offensively, FIU has scored 22 goals this season, led by graduate student
Santi Possu, who paces the Panthers with 10 goals and 21 points. Possu leads the American Conference with 10 goals overall and six in conference play, while ranking second in game-winning goals. Nationally, he ranks eighth in goals per game (0.77) and ninth in total goals. He earned Honorable Mention recognition following his performance against Florida Atlantic, where he scored for the second consecutive match. Possu has recorded a point in 11 of his 13 appearances this season.
Freshman
Sergio Perello is coming off his second consecutive American Conference Freshman of the Week honor after scoring in the win over Florida Atlantic. The Miami native played 73 minutes in the match and has recorded a goal and an assist over his last two contests. Perello has appeared in all 14 matches this season.
Owen Barnett has also been productive offensively, scoring in three of his last six matches. He found the net against FGCU on Sept. 29, North Florida on Oct. 6 and UAB on Oct. 11. Barnett ranks second on the team with four goals and nine points.
Jad Benjelloun has made an impact in the midfield, appearing in 13 matches and tying for the team lead with three assists.
Miquel Gelabert recorded his third assist of the season in the victory over Florida Atlantic, while freshman Raúl Carrasco earned his first assist as a Panther in Friday's win.
Martin Piedeleu has appeared in 13 matches, recording two goals and three assists while totaling 23 shots, the second-most on the team.
On the backline, graduate student defender
Finn Bauens has played a key role, starting 13 matches and contributing to five shutouts. He leads the team with 1,131 minutes played.
Michele Ballanti has also been a consistent contributor, appearing in 13 matches and totaling 852 minutes.
In goal,
Nigel Van Haveren has started all 14 matches, recording 40 saves and five shutouts. He is coming off back-to-back five-save performances, matching his season high against Florida Atlantic. His five shutouts mark a career high for a single season, ranking third in the conference and 27th nationally.
Scouting Tulsa
Tulsa enters Wednesday's matchup with a 6-4-4 overall record and a 3-1-2 mark in American Conference play, tied atop the standings with 11 points. The Golden Hurricane are coming off a signature 1-0 home victory over Charlotte on Thursday, Oct. 22. Tulsa also defeated No. 8 Missouri State on the road, earning a 2-1 win on Oct. 11.
The Golden Hurricane are led offensively by Luc Achermann-Stanfield, who has seven goals and five assists. Christian Mezas has added three goals this season. Peleg Armendariz earned American Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring in the win over Charlotte.
On the backline, Jake Reich leads the team with 1,197 minutes played, while Jared Aguilar has appeared in all 14 matches and totaled 1,014 minutes.
In goal, Carlito Saylon earned American Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honors after recording his fifth shutout of the season with two saves against Charlotte. He has totaled 49 saves this season.
Matchup History
Wednesday will mark the 17th all-time meeting between FIU and Tulsa, with the Golden Hurricane holding a 12-2-2 advantage in the series.
The teams last met in Tulsa on Oct. 18, 2025, when FIU fell in a 3-2 contest. In their most recent meeting in Miami, on Sept. 29, 2024, the Panthers secured a 3-1 victory over the Golden Hurricane.
Up Next
FIU heads to Philadelphia, Pa. to face off with the Temple Owls in the regular season finale on Sunday, Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from Temple Sports Complex and live on ESPN+.
Baptist Health
The 2026 FIU men's soccer season is 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.
