Midwestern State (16-0-2) vs. Texas A&M International (10-4-3)
Heartland Conference Postseason Tournament Semifinal
Friday, Nov. 3, 2017 | 7 p.m.
Stang Park | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com |
Watch: Mustangs Digital Network
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- Midwestern State aims to keep the momentum rolling in the Heartland Conference semifinals Friday night against Texas A&M International at Stang Park.
- The winner of the MSU/TAMIU match will face the victor of Friday's other semifinal between St. Edward's and St. Mary's (at 4:30 p.m.) in the Heartland Conference Postseason Tournament finals Sunday at 1.
- The Mustangs finished off consecutive Heartland Conference regular season championships with a 12-0-2 league mark in 2017. In two seasons in the Heartland, MSU boasts a 25-1-2 record (.929) but fell in the postseason tournament title game to St. Edward's on its home turf in 2016
- Midwestern are coming off its fourth unbeaten regular season going 16-0-2 this fall. The Mustangs also posted unbeaten regular season ledgers in 2002 (13-0-4), 2010 (16-0-2) and 2015 (16-0-1) – all coming under current head coach Doug Elder.
- MSU's 18-match unbeaten streak is tied for the third longest in program history. The record streak of 26 matches without a loss was split between the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Midwestern won the final eight games of 2001 before starting the 2002 campaign with a 14-0-4 mark. The Mustangs closed the 2006 season going 14-0-2 over the last 16 then claimed victory in the first three the following year to stretch the streak to 19 for the second longest unbeaten run in program history. MSU started the 2015 season with a 17-0-1 run for the other 18-match unbeaten streak.
- Elder claimed his second straight Heartland Conference Coach of the Year honor and rates as one of the winningest coaches in any venue with a career mark of 270-56-32 (.799). The MSU alum and former All-America player piloted 20th-straight winning season and No. 3 national ranking. It's his ninth conference coach of the year award also winning accolades from the Southwest Soccer Conference (2005-08) and Lone Star Conference (2002, 2010-11).
- Senior midfielder Pierre Bocquet (8 goals, 5 assists) became the second consecutive Midwestern State Mustang to earn Heartland Conference Player of the Year honors following Gabriel Cavalcante.
- Carlos Flores (4 goals, 7 assists) garnered Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year accolades joining Bocquet, senior forward Scott Doney (12 goals, 2 assists) and junior defender Patrick Fitzgerald.
- Defenders Jordan Speed and Alex Mullet joined senior goalkeeper Richard Goss on the second team.
- Midwestern State ranks fourth in NCAA Division II in team goals against average (0.431) and is sixth in team shutout percentage (0.611) including 11 clean sheets.
- Goss ranks 10th in NCAA Division II with a 0.557 goals against average and is 19th with a .818 save percentage.
- Redshirt-freshman keeper Taylor Lampe has also been superb allowing two goals in 700 minutes for a 0.26 goals against average with a glistening .920 save percentage in eight starts.
- On the attack, MSU ranks 20th in total goals nationally with 41 and is 33rd in scoring offense scoring 2.28 goals per game.
- Midwestern State claimed a 2-1 win over Texas A&M International earlier this season in Laredo striking for a penalty kick by Patrick Fitzgerald in the second minute of the game and a Sebastian Venegas goal in the 13th.
- The Mustangs are 14-0-2 all-time against TAMIU including eight consecutive wins since settling for a scoreless draw on Sept. 14, 2012. MSU is 8-0-1 against the Dustdevils at Stang Park including a scoreless draw in 2009.
- Texas A&M International brings a 10-4-3 mark into its Heartland Conference semifinal matchup with Midwestern State.
- The Dustdevils advanced past UT Permian Basin 5-4 in penalty after playing to a scoreless draw in the Heartland Conference quarterfinals Tuesday in Laredo.
- Junior goalkeeper Carlos Herrera represented TAMIU's only first-team All-Heartland pick posting seven shutouts this season with a .867 save percentage in 14 starts. He has allowed eight goals.
- TAMIU top scorer Alan Rivera was a second-team All-Heartland selection finishing the campaign with eight goals and two assists including two game winners.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
