MORAGA, Calif. — Newly-ranked No. 4 Saint Mary's will play host to Santa Clara this Sunday in the Gaels' penultimate home match of the season.
Links to live stats and a live stream can be found on the Gaels' schedule page. Tickets for the match can be purchased by clicking HERE, calling the Ticket Office at (925) 631-GoTx, or at the entrance of the stadium.
The Gaels (13-0-0, 2-0 WCC) remain as the country's only perfect team after they scorched San Francisco for eight goals last week in an 8-0 home win to extend their flawless streak. Saint Mary's has now won 14 straight matches dating back to last season and is undefeated in their last 17.
On Tuesday, the Gaels jumped two more spots in the national polls to the No. 4 slot behind only Wake Forest, Indiana, and Kentucky, respectively. With the new ranking, the men's soccer team became the highest-ranked team ever in Saint Mary's athletics history, beating the No. 5 spot held by the women's soccer program in 2001. On Monday, both Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News listed the Gaels as the second best team in the nation in their respective polls.
For the second straight week, Jake Rudel earned WCC Player of the Week and it was the third time this season that the junior has received the award. Rudel is tied for fifth in the country in goals scored (12) and sits alone at fifth in total points (27) while also leading the WCC in both categories. Anders Engebretsen sits just behind Rudel at third in the conference in goals and points as well.
As a team, the Gaels have dominated both sides of the ball and ranks first in the nation in scoring offense (3.15) and goals-against average (.300). Saint Mary's has shutout their opposition in 11 of a possible 13 matches this season and is outscoring their competition, 41-4. In addition, the Gaels have outscored WCC opponents 12-0 thus far.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
Santa Clara currently holds a 4-7-1 record and are 0-2 in conference play this year and are coming off a 3-2 loss in double-overtime against Pacific. The Broncos have gone into overtime in half of their matches so far this season and are 1-4-1 in those matches.
Santa Clara's offense is led by Javier Ruiz Duran who has the team-best in goals (5), shots (30), assists (4) and points (14). In goal, Senior Dakota Havlick has tallied 25 saves in six games played and recorded one of the two shutouts for the Broncos.
SCU ranks third in the conference in shots taken this season with 154 attempts, trailing only Saint Mary's (223) and No. 8 Portland (180). The Broncos are tied for third in the WCC in goals scored per game at 1.52 but are also surrendering nearly two goals per match (1.92).
Santa Clara holds the all-time record against Saint Mary's at 7-37-6, but the Gaels defeated the Broncos in a 1-0 shutout most recently in 2016. The teams have been more evenly matched in recent years as SMC has gone 6-7-1 against Santa Clara since 2009.
