Match 3 – No. 9 Midwestern State (2-0-0) vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) (0-2-0)
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 | 7 p.m.
MSU Soccer Field | Wichita Falls, Texas                                                                                                            
Live Stats: Midwestern.Statbroadcast.com
Live Video: MSUMustangs.tv
 

FOR STARTERS
The Mustangs opened the season Friday by posting a 3-1 victory over Fort Lewis at MSU Soccer Field, snapping a two-game losing skid to the Skyhawks.

Midwestern followed Sunday with a highly-anticipated matchup with the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa, a team that eliminated MSU from the NCAA Tournament a season ago. The 20th-ranked Mustangs evened the score with CMU with a 4-1 win over the visitors after netting three second half goals.
 
Senior forward Albert Rodriguez led MSU with three goals and one assist on the weekend, recording both game winners for the Mustangs.
 
MUSTANGS CRACK TOP 10 IN FIRST NSCAA POLL
- Midwestern climbed 11 spots from its preseason ranking to No. 9 nationally in the first National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division II poll
- The Mustangs rank first in the South Central Region ahead of No. 12 Colorado State-Pueblo and No. 22 St. Edward's (Texas)
 
ELDER LOOKING FOR MILESTONE WIN
- It will be a historic day for the men's soccer program if they can pull out a win over Southern Nazarene on Thursday
- Sitting at 221 career wins at Midwestern, head coach Doug Elder could surpass his former coach Howard Patterson to become the all-time winningest men's soccer coach in program history
- Elder has compiled a 221-51-28 record and is currently the winningest active coach in all of NCAA Division II with a .783 winning percentage
 
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON STORM
- Southern Nazarene comes into Thursday's matchup with a 0-2-0 record after falling to Spring Hill (Ala.) (2-1) and West Florida (2-0)
- Sophomore forward Alan Armstrong netted the lone goal of the season for SNU in the Crimson Storm's loss to Spring Hill
- The Crimson Storm were picked to finish fourth in their first Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after joining the league from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in men's soccer
- Senior defender Matthew Lawrence returns for SNU after earning All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors in 2014
- SNU is led by eight-year head coach George Schroeder, who has a 42-79-5 career record
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
- Midwestern first faced the Crimson Storm back in 1978 and leads the all-time series 19-4
- The Mustangs last took on SNU back in 2013, recording a 5-0 road win
- Midwestern has won the last three contests with SNU last defeating the Mustangs in 1996 with a 4-3 win at home
 
WINNING SEASONS
- Entering 2015, the Mustangs have posted 17-straight winning seasons and an impressive 40 winning seasons in the program's 43 years
- The Mustangs hold an all-time record of 606-205-62 (.730)
- Current head coach Doug Elder has seen a winning season in each of his 15 campaigns at Midwestern
 
LOOKING AHEAD
- Midwestern will travel to Dallas to take on Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) in a neutral site match Sunday at 3 p.m. at Richland College
- The Mustangs return to MSU Soccer Field the following weekend to take on Texas A&M International (Friday, Sept. 18) and Newman (Kan.) (Sunday, Sept. 20)