Embry-Riddle at Northwood Match Notes

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Embry-Riddle (5-4-3, 5-3-1) at Northwood (7-4-2, 5-2-2)
DATE: Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014
CITY: West Palm Beach, Fla.
SITE: Arrigo-Vecellio Soccer Field
START: 2 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Embry-Riddle Gameday Network
EMBRY-RIDDLE'S LAST 5 GAMES: 3-2-0
EMBRY-RIDDLE'S LAST 10 GAMES: 5-4-1

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE ON THE LINE
Saturday's game against Northwood will be for the right to host the quarterfinal match against the Seahawks on Nov. 8. Standing and fourth and fifth in the conference table, the Seahawks and Eagles are going to play again in a week, the only question is where that game will be played. ERAU needs a win to claim home field next week, while the Seahawks will host with a win or draw.

Veit Couturier upped his season goal total to a conference-high 14 in Saturday's loss to Thomas, and the senior now stands with 30 total points on the year, also best in the league.

Daniel Gylfason has added four goals for ERAU while Moriba Ballah has three scores and both Lewis Blackmore and Viktor Hafsteinsson have chipped in a pair of goals.

Nils Carlson has 61 saves in 12 matches and 1,143 minutes for the Blue and Gold. Carlson has an .824 save percentage and four shutouts in 2014.

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS
Northwood, who will automatically qualify for the 2014 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship via the host bid, has 23 goals in 13 matches, led by Mark Hanlon's five scores and three assists. The Seahawks have a .120 shot percentage on 192 shots.

A pair of goalies have seen action for NU as Mark Dawson has 28 sabes in nine matches and Vinnie Cainth has 12 saves in four matches.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Sept. 25, 2013 - DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle Eagles opened up their 2013 Sun Conference schedule on Wednesday night with a 3-1 win over visiting Northwood at the Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium. The Eagles (3-1, 1-0) overcame a sluggish start after a two week layoff, scoring twice in the second frame to down the Seahawks (3-4, 1-1) who had won two straight.

Viktor Gudnason tallied two goals for the Blue and Gold, doubling his season total, including scoring the game-winner in the 57th minute off a perfect heel flick from freshman Sigurbergur Elisson.

Veit Couturier also scored for the hosts, burying a penalty kick in the right corner of the net in the 85th minute of action, pushing the game out of reach for the Seahawks.

Neither team could establish much of a game plan early on as the first 20 minutes featured just one shot from either squad and much of the play was in the middle of the field. That changed in the 21st minute when Ally MacDonald, making a fantastic run up the left side of the pitch, fed a cross into the near corner of the Seahawks' penalty area where Gudnason was waiting. The senior settled the pass from MacDonald and fired a shot past a diving Patrick O'Neil for the first score of the contest.

The Eagles couldn't keep the momentum from Gudnason's goal as the team managed just one more shot in the first half and saw their lead dissapear in the 36th minute.

A free kick from near the half by Olli Isosalo flicked off the head of an Eagle defender in the box, bouncing off the left post right to the waiting feet of Victor Lindstrom who one-timed the rebound into the goal to knot the score at 1-1.

The two teams traded possession for the remainder of the period, neither team mounting much of a threat, and the halftime break came with a knotted score.

The first 10 minutes of the second frame looked much like the first until Elisson made the spectacular heel pass to Gudnason in the 57th minute, this time in the right side of the box and Gudnason's rocket had no chance to be stopped by O'Neil, pushing the Eagles in front, 2-1.

Embry-Riddle enjoyed the better possession and chances the rest of the contest, including several shots from Elisson, Magnus Magnusson and Nicklas Petersson that missed just wide of the pipes. Petersson's 64th minute shot on frame was cleared off the line by a Seahawk defender after Petersson had beaten the goalie and several defenders in the box.

The nail in the coffin came in the 85th minute when Couturier earned a penalty when he was taken down in the box, and the junior had little trouble with his second PK conversion of the season as the Eagles enjoyed a 3-1 advantage.

Nils Carlson was rarely tested in goal as the Eagle keeper made one save while facing just eight shots (two on goal).

EAGLES RANKED No. 9 IN PRESEASON POLL
Following a succesful 2013 season, the Eagles received preseason recognition from the NAIA Coaches' Poll as Embry-Riddle was slotted ninth in the preseason poll.

ERAU was also chosen to repeat as Sun Conference regular season champions by the league coaches, earning four first-place votes and 93 total points in the poll.

2014 Sun Conference Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. Embry-Riddle - 93 (4)
2. Thomas - 91 (4)
3. Northwood - 77 (2)
4. SCAD Savannah - 76 (1)
5. Florida Memorial - 58
6. St. Thomas - 56
7. Southeastern - 45
8. Webber International - 37
9. Warner - 32
10. Johnson & Wales - 24
11. Ave Maria - 16

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team

NUMBERS TO WATCH
6,170 - Career Minutes played by Nils Carlson, third-most all-time in program history.
238 - Wins in Head Coach Dave Gregson's 20-year tenure at Embry-Riddle.
125 - Veit Couturier's career point total. He trails all-time leader Jasmin Kadric by 11 points.
16 - Points in the league table for ERAU
22 - Wins against the Seahawks all-time
1.3 - Goals per game for Couturier in his senior campaign

GREGSON REMAINS ONE OF NAIA'S ELITE
Dave Gregson will coach his 21st season at Embry-Riddle in 2014, and the Eagles' manager holds distinction amongst his NAIA peers. Gregson's 234 victories at ERAU rank 14th on the NAIA's active winningest coaching list, while his .648 winning percentage ranks 10th amongst those coaches.