No. 16/17 SMU (3-2-0, 3-2-0 AAC) vs. RV USF (4-2-0, 4-2-0 AAC)
Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium - Dallas, Texas
Saturday, March 20, 2021 – 7 p.m. CT
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SMU faces USF for the second time this season on Saturday, March 20 at the Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium in Dallas. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. CT and will be featured on ESPN+. Home matches during the 2020-21 season are closed to the general public.
SERIES HISTORY
SMU and USF have faced off a total of 12 times in program history and every year since 2012. The Mustangs are 1-1-2 when playing in Dallas. The last matchup was earlier this season, when SMU won 7-0 in Tampa. Five different Mustangs scored in the largest shutout win for SMU since 2014.
Papa Ndoye and
Nick Taylor both scored twice and
Gabriel Costa added two assists. SMU and USF have played to double overtime seven times, tying four.
KNOW THE FOE
USF is 4-2 on the season, having won the last four games after falling to the Mustangs in February. The Bulls have defeated UCF, Temple, Tulsa and Memphis. In their last outing, the Bulls won, 3-1, against Memphis in Tennessee. USF scored all three goals in the first half of the game and held the lead until Memphis scored in the 65th minute. Oscar Resano was named the AAC Rookie of the Week. Josue Monge and Marcus Murphy were named to the weekly honor roll after last week's win. The Bulls are led by 11 upperclassmen and added nine freshman to this season's roster.
IN THE POLLS
SMU is ranked No. 16 in the third week of the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Week one's No. 2 ranking was the highest for any team in AAC history. The Mustangs are ranked 17th in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 after starting 3-2-0. College Soccer News has SMU at No. 19 in its weekly Top 30.
THE SEASON'S START
SMU lost its second match of the season versus UCF, 2-0. The Mustangs had eight shots on goal, but weren't able to finish one. The Mustangs dropped their first contest of the season at Temple, losing 2-0. SMU outshot the Owls, 14-10, and had six shots on goal during the match. SMU's first three wins were shutouts, marking the first time since 2006 that the Mustangs have started a season with three consecutive shutouts. SMU defeated Memphis, 5-0, in Dallas for a 2-0 series win this season. All five goals came in the second half with
Papa Ndoye scoring twice for his second multi-goal game and
Noah Hilt adding two assists. The Mustangs earned the largest shutout win since 2014 in their 7-0 win at USF. The seven goals also ties SMU's own AAC record for most in a conference game.
Papa Ndoye and
Nick Taylor both scored twice in the win at USF and
Gabriel Costa was credited with two assists.
Shane Lanson and
Cole Johnson had the combined shutout for SMU's second in as many games. SMU started the 2020-21 season at Memphis with a 2-0 final.
Tobin Shanks and
Thomas Haney notched goals for the Mustangs while
Knut Ahlander picked up a point with an assist.
MUSTANGS IN THE RANKINGS
SMU is No. 3 in the nation in scoring offense, outscoring opponents 14-4 in five games for a goals per game average of 2.80. The Mustangs are leading the conference in shutout percentage (0.600) and are second in GAA (0.800). SMU is No. 10 in goal differential (10) and No. 8 in points per game (7.60).
Noah Hilt is 16th in the NCAA for assists per game (1st AAC) with 0.80.
Papa Ndoye is 3rd in the NCAA in shots per game (T-1st AAC) with 5.25 and is 6th in goals per game (1st AAC) with 1.00.
Shane Lanson leads the conference in GAA (0.544) and is 2nd in save percentage (0.818).
2020-21 HONORS
PRESEASON HONORS
Both
Gabriel Costa and
Papa Ndoye were named to the MAC Hermann Watch List for the upcoming season. SMU was picked to finish at the top of the American Athletic Conference, receiving all but one first place vote. Costa was chosen as the unanimous AAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Costa and
Knut Ahlander were both unanimously named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Costa was picked for the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Best XI First Team and as a College Soccer News Preseason All-American. Costa (9th), Ahlander (48th) and Ndoye (68th) landed spots on the Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Men's National Top 100.
NEW ADDITIONS
The Mustangs have added six freshmen and seven transfers since the 2019 season for a total of 13 new faces on the Hilltop. Among the transfers is
Papa Ndoye, a sophomore forward from Long Island University. Ndoye was one of SMU's two players named to the MAC Hermann Award Watch List. The freshmen made their way to Dallas from California, Arizona and Johannesburg, South Africa, with two from the metroplex area choosing to stay close to home. 2020 midseason transfers consist of
Judson Burns from Clemson, Ndoye from LIU,
Skage Simonsen from St. John's and
Timo Hummrich from Delaware 2021's midseason transfers are
Roman Knox from UNC,
JT D'Emidio from Air Force and
Eben Noverr from Virginia.
SENIOR STANGS
Brandon Terwege,
Noah Hilt,
Luke Thompson,
Nick Taylor are the four seniors highlighting the Mustang roster. Terwege was recently selected by Houston Dynamo FC in the third round of the MLS SuperDraft with the 57th overall pick. He was named to the AAC All-Tournament Team in 2019 after scoring the OT game-winning goal in the tournament semifinal game. The defender had two goals and three assists while helping SMU to 11 total shutouts. Hilt played in 20 games during 2019, scoring two goals and totaling two assists, including one in the NCAA Sweet 16 leading to the game-winning goal. Thompson and Taylor saw multiple games for the Mustangs during the 2019 season, with Taylor recording three assists.
ABOUT ATTENDANCE
Matches at Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium will not be open to the general public this season.
UP NEXT
SMU travels to Tulsa on Saturday, March 27. Action will start at 7 p.m. CT and will be streamed on ESPN+.
