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University of Central Arkansas Athletics

University of Central Arkansas
Central Arkansas during the Memphis vs. Central Arkansas Menâ??s Soccer game on 09202022.
Matthew A. Smith

Men's Soccer Ryan Thiele

Bears Remain on Road for ASUN Match Against Hatters

CONWAY, Ark. – Still on the road for a third-straight game, the Central Arkansas men's soccer team heads to the Sunshine State for an ASUN matchup against Stetson on Saturday. Kickoff against the Hatters is set for 6 p.m. CT in DeLand, Fla.
 
Currently sitting with a 3-3-1 overall record and a 2-0 slate in conference, the Bears have a tough challenge in front of them this weekend against the Hatters. That being said, after Saturday's match, Central Arkansas will play three of its last five conference matches at home, where the Bears are 2-0 on the year. The Bears are also one of three teams still unbeaten in ASUN play, along with Stetson and Lipscomb.
 
Last time out for Central Arkansas, the team ended up on the wrong end of a shootout with Memphis, falling 6-4 on Tuesday. Despite leading at the half, the Bears gave up a comeback to the Tigers in the second frame, dropping the nonconference midweek late in the match. The Bears' four goals were scored by four different players, with Bernard Assibey-Rhule getting the fun started in the 11th minute. Rubyn Singh Gill curled in a corner kick to record the second goal of the game three minutes later, followed by Karim Diao's first goal of the season in the 20th minute. To round out the first half, Jerry Gutierrez tacked on the fourth with 43 seconds left in the period.
 
With the offense-heavy game on Tuesday, the Bears list of scorers grew, as Diao became the eighth Bear to score this year, while the other three found their second goals of the season. The four goals also represented a season-high, eclipsing the previous season-high of three goals against Air Force.
 
Despite not being an overwhelming offense this season, Central Arkansas has had one of the more accurate offenses in the country this season. Putting nearly 50 percent of their shots on goal, the Bears rank 35th in the nation in shot accuracy, leading them to the 53rd most potent offense.
 
Across the pitch, Stetson enters the weekend with a 3-1-3 record, also having a 2-0 ASUN record. So far this year, the Hatters have taken conference wins over Queens an North Florida, with the latter happening this past weekend.
 
Against the Ospreys, Stetson midfielder Gio Rodriguez put home both goals, tallying one in each half, to down the instate rival. Rodriguez now leads the team with three goals on the season, with all three coming in the last two outings.
 
Like Central Arkansas, the offense has come from a number of sources for Stetson, as the Hatters also have eight scorers on the year.
 
In the net for Stetson, Owen Jack has been a wall, leading his team to the best save percentage in the conference, stopping 83 percent of shots on goal this year. Individually, his save percentage puts him with the 21st-highest save rate in the country, while his 25 saves are first in the conference.
 
Saturday's match against the Hatters is set for 6 p.m. CT, kicking off from Stetson's Athletic Training Center. The match will be streamed on YouTube, with live stats available here.
 
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Players Mentioned

Karim Diao

#7 Karim Diao

MID
5' 8"
Senior
Jerry Gutierrez

#5 Jerry Gutierrez

MID
5' 10"
Junior
Rubyn Singh Gill

#6 Rubyn Singh Gill

MID
5' 11"
Junior
Bernard Assibey-Rhule

#19 Bernard Assibey-Rhule

MID
6' 0"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Karim Diao

#7 Karim Diao

5' 8"
Senior
MID
Jerry Gutierrez

#5 Jerry Gutierrez

5' 10"
Junior
MID
Rubyn Singh Gill

#6 Rubyn Singh Gill

5' 11"
Junior
MID
Bernard Assibey-Rhule

#19 Bernard Assibey-Rhule

6' 0"
Graduate Student
MID

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