Embry-Riddle at Northwood Match Notes

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Embry-Riddle (5-5-3, 5-4-1) at Northwood (8-4-2, 6-2-2)
DATE: Saturday, Nov. 8, 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: 2-3-0
EMBRY-RIDDLE'S LAST 10 GAMES: 5-4-1

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE ON THE LINE
The Eagles put their 2014 season on the line as they head to Northwood to face the Seahawks in the first round of The Sun Conference Tournament.  The winner advances to the second round of the tournament while the loser will see their season come to an end.

If ERAU wants to earn a berth in the NAIA National Tournament the team has to win the conference tournament by winning three straight games, starting with Saturday's match at Northwood.

Veit Couturier leads the Eagles, and the conference, with 14 goals and 30 points on the season. The senior will be looked to spark an Eagle offense that has scored just one goal in its last three games, as will freshman Daniel Gylfason who has chipped in four goals and leads the team with six assists.

Goalkeeper Nils Carlson has played every minute for the Eagles in 2014.  The senior has put up 4 shutouts while making 63 saves and boasting a .818 save percentage. 

ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS
Northwood, who will automatically qualify for the 2014 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship via the host bid, has 24 goals in 14 matches, led by Mark Hanlon's five scores and four assists. The Seahawks have a .117 shot percentage on 206 shots.

A pair of goalies have seen action for NU as Mark Dawson has 33 saves in ten matches and Vinnie Cainth has 12 saves in four matches.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Nov. 1, 2014 - WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle men's soccer team dropped the 2014 regular season finale, 1-0, on Saturday afternoon to the Northwood Seahawks, setting up a rematch of the two squads next Saturday, Nov. 8 in the first round of The Sun Conference Tournament. ERAU (5-5-3, 5-4-1) was playing in its final Sun Conference regular season game in program history as the Eagles make the transition to NCAA II and the Sunshine State Conference. Northwood (8-4-2, 6-2-2) clinches the No. 4 seed in the eight-team tournament beginning next week and will host the Blue and Gold at Arrigo-Viccelio Field on Saturday.

Windy conditions proved to play a major factor in the match as cross-field gusts of up to 25 mph winds caused havoc on any balls in the air. The Seahawks scored their lone goal of the match in the 28th minute when Christian Costilla received a Mark Hanlon pass and was able to flick the ball over Nils Carlson's head for the game-winner.

Embry-Riddle had the first chance of the day when Daniel Gylfason's long shot was saved by Mark Dawson for the first of his five saves less than two minutes into the match. But the Seahawks quickly fired back when Shoval Failer had his attempt turned aside by Carlson just 20 seconds later, keeping the game level at 0-0.

The Eagle defense did its job in the 14th minute as a pair of NU shots were blocked by ERAU's back line, leading to a Veit Couturier shot on the other end that sailed wide.

Dawson made another save at the 19:57 mark when Moriba Ballah's shot defelcted off a defender towards the net.

Following Costilla's score in the 28th minute, the Eagles had the majority of the possession in the period, with two more shots saved by Dawson, including Ballah's in the 37th minute and Lewis Blackmore's in the 44th minute.

The beginning of the second half belonged to the Eagles as the visitors attacked the NU goal with vigor. The away team's best opportunity came just after the 50th minute had gone by when Couturier dribbled past multiple defenders and hit the post on his shot attempt, keeping Northwood in front by a goal.

Ballah had two tries in the 59th and 60th minutes that were saved by Dawson and the Eagles were unable to get another shot on frame for the remainder of the contest.

Northwood ended the match with a 14-11 shot advantage while the Eagles had a 5-3 lead in shots on target. Carlson made two saves while Dawson recorded five.

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
6,260 - 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 238 victories at ERAU rank 14th on the NAIA's active winningest coaching list, while his .648 winning percentage ranks 10th amongst those coaches.