GAME #3
ART U Urban Knights (0-2) vs. Menlo College Oaks (1-1)
Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010 at 4:00 PM
Atherton, CA – Wunderlich Field
Game Notes
ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD:
Despite strong defense, the Academy of Art University men’s soccer team sustained a pair of tough losses this past week to open its 2010 season. A one-goal overtime thriller came against William Jessup and, two days later, ART U continued to play hard but fell to Bethany. Another stop at a Cal Pac Conference school, Menlo College, comes this Thursday.
OPENING KICKOFF:
The Urban Knights make one final stop before their first home match of 2010. ART U goes up against Menlo College at 4:00 PM this Thursday. Both teams will be set to take the Wunderlich Field in Atherton, CA for the afternoon start.
KNIGHT WATCH:
With two matches complete, a pair of Urban Knights are currently tied for the team-lead in shots. Freshman midfielder Andrew Durano and junior forward Andrew "Boomer" Cruz each have five shots and both have combined for five shots on goal out of the 10 total. Junior goalkeeper Daniel Waller has also made a solid contribution for Academy of Art University thus far. The Biggin Hill, England native helped keep William Jessup scoreless through 90 minutes to start the season and notched five saves.
SCOUTING THE OAKS:
Similar to Bethany, ART U’s opponent this past Saturday, Menlo College won five games overall last year. The Oaks finished in the middle of the 2009 Cal Pac standings and lost several of that team’s top players. Returning for his junior season will be defender Carlos Ramirez who netted three goals for Menlo last year, but the two leading goal scorers as well as the pair of goalkeepers from 2009 move on. Leading the team in points after two matches is forward Ian Craig. Craig has notched a goal and an assist through a 2-2 overtime tie versus UC Santa Cruz and a 4-0 loss the Oaks had against Hope International. Menlo plays CSU San Francisco on Monday afternoon.
THE WEEK THAT WAS:
The Knights played three overtime matches last year and promptly began 2010 with yet another one. In Roseville, CA on Sept. 2, Academy of Art University encountered a William Jessup Warriors squad who, after 90 scoreless minutes, managed to score a game-winning goal. Both teams were extremely stingy on defense and ART U even out-shot the Warriors 12-9 in the match. On Saturday, the Urban Knights took to the road for a meeting with Bethany University and, following another tough defensive battle, the Bruins prevailed 2-0.
MOVING FORWARD:
In Academy of Art University’s highly anticipated return home next Thursday, ART U will be holding Welcome Weekend festivities for its match versus Dixie State College. Both teams will open up Pacific West Conference play in the Sept. 16 game at Boxer Stadium. For the Knights, this contest marks the first of a three-match homestand that concludes Sept. 22 against Hawaii-Hilo.