BOCA RATON, Fla.Â
– The Florida Atlantic University men's soccer team (3-1-2, 0-1 in Conference USA) will take on No. 10 Kentucky (8-2-1, 0-1 C-USA) tomorrow in the Owls' home conference opener. FAU is looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season last weekend at FIU. The match is set for 2 p.m. at FAU Soccer Stadium. Admission is free, but offered at a first-come, first-serve basis.
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- FAU finished the non-conference slate of the spring season with a 3-0-2 record, but suffered their first loss at FIU, 2-0, in the C-USA opener
- The Owls have gathered three clean sheets, while conceding just four goals this season
- FAU is outscoring opponents 8-4, as well as taking more shots than the opposition, 58-40
- Alonso Coello Camarero and Blake Dean lead the team with five points each. Both players' points come off two goals and an assist
- Dean, Coello Camarero, Fabrizio Cubeddu and Daniel Skistad each have one assist this year
- Coello Camarero has also taken a team's most 12 shots with six of those on goal
- Neil Strauber has started in FAU's five games in net for 580 minutes. He has produced a 0.62 goals against average, a 0.810 save percentage and 17 saves. He has earned three shutouts and has shut down the opposition by allowing just four goals in six matches
- The Owls' backline is led by center back Graeme Pratt, who has played all 580 minutes, while Skistad follows with 568
- FAU was projected to finish in fifth in C-USA, while Ivan Mykhailenko and Coello Camarero earned spots on the All-Conference Preseason Team
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- Kentucky played a fall slate, and finished with a 5-1 record. The Wildcats have gone 3-1-1 in the spring season
- The Wildcats are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss against Charlotte
- Kentucky was picked to finish second in the league after finishing 13-5-3 with a 4-2-1 record in conference last season. The Wildcats made it to the second round of the NCAA Championship, losing to No. 5 Indiana, 3-0
- Macel Meinzer made the C-USA Preseason Team after racking up seven assists last season
- Daniel Evans leads the way with 11 points off four goals and three assists
- Eythor Bjorgolfsson and Robert Screen also have three assists, while Bjorgolfsson leads with 18 shots
- Ryan Troutman has started in eight games in net to tally a 7-1-1 record. He posts a 0.67 goals against average and 13 saves
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- FAU has never beaten Kentucky, trailing 8-0-1 in the series
- Both teams have played consistently every year since the Owls joined C-USA in 2013. The only time the Owls did not lose to the Wildcats came in 2014 after a 0-0 draw
- The Owls played the Wildcats twice last season, including in FAU's first C-USA Tournament appearance. In the second game, FAU got clipped by two late goals scored by Kentucky in the 89th minute
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- The Owls fell at FIU, 2-0
- Coello Camarero had an opportunity to tie the game at one before halftime, but was unable to convert on the penalty kick try
- The Owls fought all day to find the back of the net, outshooting the Panthers 13-9, but could not convert
- Célestin Theodore, Jr. and Mykhailenko led with three shots apiece
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FAU will hit the road to face Old Dominion on Sunday, March 21 at 11 a.m. The Owls will be back at home on Saturday, March 27 in a noon matchup against South Carolina.
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