Saturday, November 12
Santa Clara, CA
7:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
at
Santa Clara
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
MSOC | Season Finale in Santa Clara Awaits Gaels
11/11/2022 1:38:00 PM | Men's Soccer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Saint Mary's Men's Soccer will wrap up their regular season on the road to take on the Santa Clara Broncos on Saturday night.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's (7-6-4, 2-1-3) vs Santa Clara (4-4-5, 1-2-3)
Saturday, November 12 at 7:00 pm
Stevens Stadium-Buck Shaw Field – Santa Clara, Calif.
Watch Live | Live Stats |
LAST TIME OUT
The Gaels honored their seniors before their 2022 home finale and sent the fans home happy with a 1-0 win over LMU. Wade Muttitt again struck quickly after a corner kick in the third minute, that Riley Lynch drove into the box off his left foot. Muttitt charged in and put his right foot on the ball to flick it into the back-right corner of net from the corner of the six-yard box for a 1-0 lead.
It was Muttitt's fifth goal of the season to extend his team lead, and Lynch's team-leading fifth assist. For the rest of the first half the Gaels defense was smothering, not even allowing an opportunity for the Lions to get a shot on goal that would require a save from keeper Kash Oladapo.
But in the second half LMU cranked up their pressure and Oladapo was ready. The junior keeper made two saves at point blank range that stunned the Lions and thrilled the SMC supporters on his way to the WCC Defensive Player of the Week Award.
ABOUT SANTA CLARA
Santa Clara is coming off a 4-0 loss against Portland on the road last Saturday and currently sit in sixth-place in the WCC standings with six points (1-2-3 WCC record). The Gaels are third with nine points (2-1-3 WCC), trailing league leader San Diego (16 points, 5-0-1) and Portland (15 points, 5-1).
Santa Clara finished last season 12-2-4 overall and 5-0-2 in West Coast Conference to win the WCC Championship for the 13th time and made their 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos return 16 players from last season's squad that advanced to the second round the NCAA Tournament where they lost 2-0 to Kentucky.
Four returnees garnered All-WCC honors in 2021: Oladayo Thomas (first team), Alejandro Barajas (second team), Joshua Dabora (second team) and Tyrone Kirunda (all-freshman). Thomas led the WCC in points (26), goals (nine) and shots (52) while finishing second in assists (eight). He and junior defender Damani Osei were named preseason All-WCC.
The Broncos opened the 2022 season ranked No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches poll but fell from the rankings after a loss to UC San Diego. SCU lost 12 players from the 2021 squad, including five-time All-WCC selection and three-time co-captain Javier Ruiz Duran, as well as Julian Bravo who was drafted in the second round by the Portland Timbers in the MLS Super Draft. Nine of the 16 returnees to this year's team tallied at least a point in 2021.
First year assistant coach Riley Hanley played for the Gaels from 2011-14. SMC is 11-38-6 all time against SCU, and would like to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Broncos last October 27 in what was a battle for first place in the WCC at the time.
Saint Mary's had won four straight matches and six of the last eight against Santa Clara before the loss last season.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's (7-6-4, 2-1-3) vs Santa Clara (4-4-5, 1-2-3)
Saturday, November 12 at 7:00 pm
Stevens Stadium-Buck Shaw Field – Santa Clara, Calif.
Watch Live | Live Stats |
LAST TIME OUT
The Gaels honored their seniors before their 2022 home finale and sent the fans home happy with a 1-0 win over LMU. Wade Muttitt again struck quickly after a corner kick in the third minute, that Riley Lynch drove into the box off his left foot. Muttitt charged in and put his right foot on the ball to flick it into the back-right corner of net from the corner of the six-yard box for a 1-0 lead.
It was Muttitt's fifth goal of the season to extend his team lead, and Lynch's team-leading fifth assist. For the rest of the first half the Gaels defense was smothering, not even allowing an opportunity for the Lions to get a shot on goal that would require a save from keeper Kash Oladapo.
But in the second half LMU cranked up their pressure and Oladapo was ready. The junior keeper made two saves at point blank range that stunned the Lions and thrilled the SMC supporters on his way to the WCC Defensive Player of the Week Award.
ABOUT SANTA CLARA
Santa Clara is coming off a 4-0 loss against Portland on the road last Saturday and currently sit in sixth-place in the WCC standings with six points (1-2-3 WCC record). The Gaels are third with nine points (2-1-3 WCC), trailing league leader San Diego (16 points, 5-0-1) and Portland (15 points, 5-1).
Santa Clara finished last season 12-2-4 overall and 5-0-2 in West Coast Conference to win the WCC Championship for the 13th time and made their 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos return 16 players from last season's squad that advanced to the second round the NCAA Tournament where they lost 2-0 to Kentucky.
Four returnees garnered All-WCC honors in 2021: Oladayo Thomas (first team), Alejandro Barajas (second team), Joshua Dabora (second team) and Tyrone Kirunda (all-freshman). Thomas led the WCC in points (26), goals (nine) and shots (52) while finishing second in assists (eight). He and junior defender Damani Osei were named preseason All-WCC.
The Broncos opened the 2022 season ranked No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches poll but fell from the rankings after a loss to UC San Diego. SCU lost 12 players from the 2021 squad, including five-time All-WCC selection and three-time co-captain Javier Ruiz Duran, as well as Julian Bravo who was drafted in the second round by the Portland Timbers in the MLS Super Draft. Nine of the 16 returnees to this year's team tallied at least a point in 2021.
First year assistant coach Riley Hanley played for the Gaels from 2011-14. SMC is 11-38-6 all time against SCU, and would like to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Broncos last October 27 in what was a battle for first place in the WCC at the time.
Saint Mary's had won four straight matches and six of the last eight against Santa Clara before the loss last season.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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Monday, October 20
MSOC | Game Highlights vs. Santa Clara
Thursday, October 16
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Saturday, September 27
MSOC | Saint Mary's vs. UC Davis Game Highlights
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