#7 Midwestern State at Southern Nazarene
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013 | 7 p.m.
Wanda Rhodes Soccer Complex | Bethany, Okla.
Records: Midwestern State (9-3-1); Southern Nazarene (2-14)
Live Video: None
Live Stats: SNUAthletics.com 
 
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON STORM
Southern Nazarene has dropped its last nine matches since taking a 3-2 win over Southwest Baptist (Mo.) on Oct. 3 in Bolivar. The Crimson Storm is 0-7 on its home pitch this season. Junior midfielder Edgar Pineda leads the SNU attack with nine goals and three assists while junior forward Blake Rodgers adds five goals and eight assists. The Crimson Storm averages 1.50 goals per game and has only suffered one shutout this season -- 7-0 to Point Loma (Calif.) on Sep. 12. Senior goalkeeper Tyler Whythe has played every minute between the posts for Southern Nazarene posting a 3.61 goals against average with a .638 save percentage. The Crimson Storm has let in 59 goals this season.
 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State looks to notch its 10th win for the 15th consecutive season Tuesday night against Southern Nazarene. The Mustangs can also extend their unbeaten streak to 10 matches. MSU has claimed four consecutive wins before taking a scoreless draw at Eastern New Mexico earlier this month before rolling off four more wins coming into Tuesday night's game. The Mustangs have outscored the opposition 19-5 during the streak after allowing seven goals in their first four games. Senior forward Len Smith leads the MSU attack with seven goals and two assists while junior forward Dan Johns has come on strong to tally three goals over the last three games to boost his total to five for the season. Junior midfielder Andrew Power adds four goals and two assists followed by sophomore forward Idrissa Camara (3 goals, 3 assists) and junior defender Chase Robertson (2 goals, 4 assists). Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Petolick leads the MSU defense posting five clean sheets in eight starts with a 0.36 goals against average and .917 save percentage. The Mustangs scored 1.92 goals per game and allow 0.92.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Southern Nazarene meet for the 23rd time on the pitch Tuesday night in Bethany. The Mustangs control an 18-4 edge in the series which dates back to the 1978 season. This will be the first meeting between the programs in Bethany since SNU claimed a 4-3 win on Oct. 15, 1996. The teams played for the first time in 15 seasons in 2012 with the Mustangs taking a 3-1 win on Oct. 5 at the MSU Soccer Field. Overall, Southern Nazarene is 4-3 against the Mustangs in Bethany.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Junior forward Dan Johns converted a penalty kick in the 88th minute to lift No. 7 Midwestern State to a 3-2 win over Texas A&M International Friday night at the MSU Soccer Field. It was Johns' second tally of the match as he also scored the equalizer in the 23rd minute off of a cross from Len Smith. The Mustangs didn't lead until a hand ball in the box resulted in the game winning penalty kick with just over 2 minutes remaining in the game. Sophomore Idrissa Camara notched his third goal of the season heading in a corner kick from Andrew Power in the 14th minute. Junior Nathan Kenyon saved four of the six shots he faced to earn his first win in goal since MSU rolled to a 4-1 victory at Colorado State-Pueblo on Sep. 13.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. SOUTHERN NAZARENE
VcMor Eligwe and Andrew Power tallied goals within 30 seconds in the 64th minute to lift Midwestern State to a 3-1 win over Southern Nazarene on Oct 5, 2012 at the MSU Soccer Field. It was the first meeting between the programs since 1997. Len Smith notched his fifth goal of the season on an unassisted goal in the 30th minute before SNU's Aziz Tapsoba knocked in the equalizer in the 32nd minute. Ray Clark made four stops to earn the win in goal for the Mustangs.
 
MIDWESTERN IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Sophomore Nick Petolick leads the nation in goals against average (0.271) and save percentage (.939) while ranking 75th with 4.43 saves per game. Junior forward Len Smith ranks 66th in total goals (7.0), 67th in goals per game (0.58), 87th in points per game (1.25) and 96th in total points (15.0). Junior defender/midfielder Chase Robertson is 70th in assists per game (0.40) and 94th in total assists (4.0).
 
MUSTANGS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Midwestern State made its return to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top 25 leaping into the poll at No. 7. The Mustangs opened the campaign at No. 22 in the preseason poll before dropping three of their first four matches of the season. It's the eighth consecutive season MSU has received a Top 10 position. The Mustangs earned a national ranking in 71 consecutive eligible periods from Oct. 3, 2006 to Sep. 18, 2012 spending 44 of those weeks in the Top 10.
 
MSU IN THE REGIONAL RANKINGS
Midwestern State opens the 2013 South Central Region Rankings at No. 3 as released by the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Committee earlier this week. The Mustangs trail Colorado Mines and St. Edward's (Texas) and just ahead of West Texas A&M and Metro State (Colo.). The top three teams advance to the NCAA Division II postseason which kicks off the weekend of Nov. 14-16 at campus sites.