MORAGA, Calif. – Saint Mary's Men's Soccer returns to WCC action this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. when they host the USF Don's in Saint Mary's Stadium.
 
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's (5-6-2) vs USF (7-3-2)
Saturday, October 22 at 3:00 pm
Saint Mary's Stadium  – Moraga, Calif.
Watch Live | Live Stats |Tickets
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Gaels ended up on the short end of a 2-0 score to No. 5 Stanford after a handball was called in the box on Saint Mary's late in the match.
 
With exactly 71 minutes elapsed on the score board, a hand ball was called on the Gaels in the penalty area. Valentin Kurz turned his back to block a shot and keep his arms from getting struck, but the ball still managed to find the back of his arm which led to the penalty shot. Stanford's Cam Cilly put the PK into the left side of the net for a 1-0 lead.
 
Just 44 seconds later, Boyd Curry - who was everywhere for the Gaels - thought he had drawn a foul, but instead one was called on the SMC captain and Stanford would get a penalty shot just to the left of the box. The cross was headed home to make it 2-1, and the Gaels great effort against the Cardinal was quickly erased on two penalties.
 
ABOUT USF
The Dons are led by former SMC Associate Head Coach Chris Brown, who is in his second season with USF.
 
They returned 18 letter winners from last year's team, including their top three assist leaders in Gabriel Bracken Serra, Ferdy Ghafury, and Dominic Valdivia. They swept the WCC Player of the Week Awards for October 17, when junior Max Hamelink was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week while junior Easton Harryman was selected as the conference's Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Hamelink's honor was the first time this season in which a Don has been named WCC Offensive Player of the Week while USF also joins Loyola Marymount and Portland as the third school in the conference to sweep the weekly awards. Hamelink had a hat trick for the Dons on Saturday, Oct. 15 as USF took down Bay Area rival Cal Berkeley for the first time since 2007 with a 5-1 road win. He leads USF with six total goals on the year, which is also tied for second in the WCC. Additionally, he also ranks tied for second in the conference in total points (14) while also being tied for eighth in total shots (22).
 
Goalkeeper Eric Waltz came came over from San Jose State after starting in six of his seven matches he appeared in for the Spartans last season. Overall, Waltz logged 22 saves and .710 save percentage for SJSU in 2021, which included two shutouts- most notably a seven-save performance at Stanford in a double overtime tie. This season he has a 0.91 GAA and a .792 save percentage.
 
Both teams are looking for their first WCC win of the season, with each having a loss to No. 6 Portland. The Gaels are 19-29-6 all time against USF, after a 2-2 tie in San Francisco last season.
 
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