Week Six Notes: GWU to Host N.C. State on Tuesday Night and then Hit the Road for a Big South Showdown at Radford on Saturday Night
September 30, 2013 | Men's Soccer
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Runnin' Bulldogs will not only look to snap a current two-match skid, but the 2013 team will make history this week as Gardner-Webb will host the first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent in the N.C. State Wolfpack on Tuesday night, October 1st, at 7 p.m. at Greene-Harbison Field before hitting the road for a key Big South Conference match with the Radford Highlanders on Saturday night, October 5th, at 6 p.m. in Radford, Va.
Tuesday night's home bout versus the N.C. State Wolfpack will be the first time in the program's history that the Runnin' Bulldogs have hosted a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) on the pitch in regular season action.
GWU will be hosting a "White Out" for the historical match and encourage all fans and spectators to wear white to the match as they cheer on their Runnin' Bulldogs.
GWU did host Virginia Tech in 2000; however, the Hokies were then still a member of the Big East Conference. Gardner-Webb has also hosted North Carolina out of the ACC, but only in an exhibition contest.
The Runnin' Bulldogs, who are 2-0 at home thus far this season, will have a tough task ahead of them if they intend to stay unbeaten at Greene-Harbison Field, as GWU is only 1-21-0 all-time versus the ACC with the lone win coming over Clemson, 1-0, back in 2009.
Gardner-Webb is 4-4-0 on the season overall and 1-1-0 in Big South play having defeated Liberty (1-0) and fallen at #12 Coastal Carolina (1-0).
While GWU is perfect at home, the Runnin' Bulldogs have struggled on the road so far this season, as GWU is only 1-4 in true road matches on the year.
Gardner-Webb, who played a program record high five nationally ranked opponents last season, have loss each of its last seven contests versus nationally ranked top-25 teams with its two losses last week to #17 Furman and #12 Coastal Carolina.
In GWU's four wins on the season, the Runnin' Bulldogs have outscored its opponents 10-5 overall. In stark contrast, the Runnin' Bulldogs have been outscored 7-1 in its four losses in 2013.
The N.C. State Wolfpack are 4-2-1 overall on the season and is coming off a 2-1 loss at home versus Boston College last Friday night.
N.C. State is 1-0 versus the Big South Conference this season with a 2-0 win over Campbell back on August 30th and is 0-1 versus foes that they have in common with GWU so far this season having suffered a 1-0 loss at home to #9 Clemson.
The Wolfpack, who are 2-0-1 in true road contests this season, are led by Nick Surkamp who has a team-best four goals on the season and Clement Simonin who has tallied three goals and two assists on the year.
The Radford Highlanders are 3-3-2 overall so far this season and has yet to play a Big South Conference match.
Radford is coming off a scoreless double overtime draw with ETSU on Sunday night and has gone winless over its last two contests after posting back-to-back wins over Georgia Southern and Howard.
Radford posted a 2-1 win over Georgia Southern, a team that defeated GWU 2-1 earlier in the season, and is led by Joe Mayer and his team-high five goals on the season.
Gardner-Webb is a combined 5-10-1 against its two foes this week in N.C. State (0-6-0) and Radford (5-4-1) with its last win over the Highlanders coming back at home in 2010.
Live stats for Tuesday night's contest at home versus N.C. State at 7 p.m. will be available at www.gwusports.com, while the live video stream will be available for free at the Big South Network presented by State Farm.
On Saturday night in the Big South Conference match at Radford at 6 p.m., live stats will be available at www.ruhighlanders.com.
Links to all live media outlets can be found on the men's soccer schedule page at www.gwusports.com.
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| Week Six Match Notes: vs. N.C. State (10/1) & at Radford (10/5) |
| White Out versus N.C. State Flyer |
