Cleveland State at UTSA
Friday, September 6, 2019
8:30 p.m.
San Antonio, Texas | Parks West Athletics Complex
Cleveland State vs. Rice
Sunday, September 8, 2019
12 p.m.
San Antonio, Texas | Parks West Athletics Complex
SETTING THE STAGE: Cleveland State will travel to San Antonio to participate in the UTSA Tournament beginning on Friday (Sept. 6)...The Vikings will open tournament play against UTSA on Friday at 8:30 p.m....Cleveland State will then face Rice on Sunday (Sept. 8) at 12 p.m. to wrap up the schedule.
DONE WITH THE MAC: Cleveland State concluded a four-match stretch against the Mid-American Conference with a 1-0 victory at Miami (Ohio)...Cleveland State posted a 2-1-1 record in the four matches...The Vikings defeated Akron 2-1 in double overtime, tied Kent State 0-0 and lost to Ohio 2-1 in double overtime.
VERSUS UTSA: This will mark the first-ever meeting between Cleveland State and the UTSA Roadrunners.
VERSUS RICE: Cleveland State and the Owls of Rice will be meeting for the first time ever.
FIRST TIME VERSUS TEXAS: Cleveland State will be facing teams from the state of Texas for the first time in the history of the program when it meets the Roadrunners and the Owls.
LAST TIME OUT: Cleveland State returned to form with a 1-0 victory over Miami (Ohio)...The Vikings had to wait through a long weather delay before playing the final 6:56 of regulation...Junior Essence Canady scored the game-winning goal in the 71st minute...Canady tallied her first goal of the season...Junior Elena Gutlove assisted on the goal by Canady, which marked her third consecutive match with a point...Stevie Holbrook kicked aside three shots to post her second shutout of the season...The Vikings earned a victory for head coach Dallas Boyer in his first-ever match against his alma mater as a manager...Canady led the Vikings with three shots, while Bianca Sarti recorded two shots.
IN THE PRESEASON: Cleveland State played a pair of exhibition matches in the run up to the season opener...The Vikings tied Buffalo 1-1 at Buffalo on Aug. 12...Cleveland State dropped a 2-0 decision to Duquesne at Krenzler Field on Aug. 16...Freshman McKenna Donahue scored the Vikings goal against Buffalo.
HORIZON LEAGUE POLL: Cleveland State was selected to finish third in the Horizon League Preseason Poll as selected by the league head coaches...The Vikings received two first-place votes and finished with 73 points...Defending Horizon League champion Milwaukee was tabbed as the league favorite, while Northern Kentucky was chosen to finish second in the poll.
ABOUT CLEVELAND STATE: The Vikings, who finished last year with an 11-7-1 overall record and a 6-2-1 Horizon League mark, return 17 letterwinners from last season and six starters...Cleveland State, which set school records for overall wins and Horizon League wins, advanced to the Horizon League Tournament title match for the first time in school history last year.
ABOUT UTSA: UTSA enters the meeting with the Vikings sporting a 2-1-0 overall record...The Roadrunners, who compete in Conference USA, defeated Grand Canyon 4-0 in their most recent match...UTSA defeated Louisiana 3-0 in its season opener and dropped a 1-0 decision to Texas State...Ellis Patterson has scored two goals on the season to lead the Roadrunners.
ABOUT RICE: Rice, off to the program's best start to a season since 2015, the Owls received votes in the United Soccer Coaches national poll announced on Sept. 3...The Owls won their season opener on the road at Oral Roberts 2-1 before posting a convincing 3-0 victory over crosstown rival Houston...SEC power Alabama scored a late goal to slip past Rice 2-1.
THE COACHES: Cleveland State head coach Dallas Boyer is in his third season at the helm of the Vikings and has compiled a 22-17-3 overall record...Derek Pittman is in his second season as the head coach at UTSA and has a career record of 60-77-19...Brian Lee, who is in his first season as the head coach at Rice, has a 289-189-55 career record.