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CSU to Face ACC Side & Horizon League Leader This Week

CSU to Face ACC Side & Horizon League Leader This Week
Posted: Oct 17, 2016

MATCH #14
vs. Pittsburgh | Tuesday, Oct. 18 | 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Video

MATCH #15
at Wright State | Saturday, Oct. 22 | 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats | Video

PDF Notes
Week #9

THE OPENING KICK:
 • After having a single match last week, Cleveland State will have its final two-match week of the regular season this week.
• CSU begins the week by hosting Atlantic Coast Conference foe Pittsburgh Tuesday, Oct. 18, in each team's non-conference finale. CSU is 6-6-4 vs. Pittsburgh.
• The Vikings have won the last three meetings with the Panthers and are unbeaten in the past five contests. CSU has not hosted Pittsburgh since 2010.
• Cleveland State will resume Horizon League play Saturday, Oct. 22, at League leader Wright State. CSU is 18-15-1 all-time against the Raiders.
• The Vikings' loss last year to the Raiders ended a four-match CSU winning streak in the series. Alec Nagucki scored twice at WSU in CSU'S 2014 win. 

RECAPPING LAST WEEK:
 • Cleveland State won its lone match of the week, a hard-fought, 1-0 win over League foe UIC. CSU used a goal in the sixth minute to take an early lead.
• Sophomore Gianluca DiFranco scored his first goal of the season with junior Kevin Blackwood assisting. Sebastian Kalk made five saves in the shutout. 

FREE KICKS:
 • Head coach Ali Kazemaini announced August 17 that he will step down at the end of this season, his 11th with the Vikings.
• Kazemaini owns 82 wins for CSU, the most in program history.
• CSU has been seeded fourth or better in the Horizon League Tournament in each of the past eight seasons, the longest active streak in the league.
• CSU is tied for third in the League table with three matches remaining.
• Sergio Manesio was named a semifinalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
• Twelve of Cleveland State's 15 goals this year have come in the second half. In fact, six of CSU's goals have come in the 78th minute or later.
• Cleveland State has been one of the most disciplined teams in the Horizon League in 2016. It has accrued the fewest yellow cards in the League and committed the second fewest fouls overall.
• A total of eight newcomers, five freshmen and three transfers, have competed for CSU this year. All eight have started at least once, and two (Vlad Jandric & Noah Pio) have played in each of the first 13 matches.
• Entering this week, freshman Sebastian Kalk leads the Horizon League in save percentage (.837) and goals against average (0.94). Kalk is 18th nationally in save percentage and fifth among Division I freshmen.
• With one non-conference match remaining, CSU has played the toughest non-conference schedule in the Horizon League according to the NCAA.
• Cleveland State enters this week having allowed only 15 goals in its past 21 matches dating back to last season.
• Freshman Lawrence Karpeh scored his team-leading fourth goal against Green Bay. He is vying to become the first freshman to lead CSU in points since 2006. No Viking rookie has led the team outright in goals since 2005.
• CSU has more road wins (3) than home wins (2) thus far. This could be the third consecutive season in which the Vikings tally more wins on the road. 

UP NEXT:
 • CSU will play one League match in each of the next two weeks to close out the regular season. The Vikings will host Oakland next Saturday, Oct. 29.
• CSU will honor its four seniors prior to the match against Oakland.