No. 2 SMU (3-0-0, 3-0-0 AAC) at Temple (1-3-0, 1-3-0 AAC)
Temple Sports Complex - Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, March 6, 2021 – 6 p.m. CT
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SMU Game Notes (PDF) | Temple | American
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No. 2 SMU heads to Philadelphia to take on Temple this Saturday, March 6 starting 6 p.m. CT. The match will be played at the Temple Sports Complex and will be streamed on ESPN+.

SERIES HISTORY 
SMU and Temple have faced off a total of 8 times in program history and every year since 2013. The Mustangs are 2-0 when playing in Philadelphia. The two last played in 2019's regular season finale when SMU won 2-1 in double overtime. Knut Ahlander scored for the Mustangs in the 68th minute and Garrett McLaughlin scored in the game-winner.

KNOW THE FOE 
Temple has started the season 1-3-0, defeating USF in Tampa before losing home matches to UCF, Memphis and USF. In their last matchup, the Owls scored first in minute 22, but the Bulls scored two in the first half for the win. Temple outshot USF 8-6 and made two saves. Amir Cohen was named to the AAC Honor Roll after scoring Temple's lone goal. The team is led by 14 upperclassmen and added seven freshmen to this season's roster.

IN THE POLLS
SMU is ranked No. 2 in the first week of the United Soccer Coaches Poll, the highest for any team in AAC history. The Mustangs are ranked 6th in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 after starting 3-0-0. College Soccer News has SMU at No. 5 in its weekly Top 30.

THE SEASON'S START
SMU has started 3-0-0 with all three wins being shutouts. This marks 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. 1 in the nation in scoring offense, outscoring opponents 14-0 in three games for a goals per game average of 4.67. The Mustangs are tied with 16 teams for No. 1 in shutout percentage (1.000), save percentage (1.000) and GAA (0.000). SMU is No. 2 in goal differential (14) and points per game (12.67). Noah Hilt is 3rd in the NCAA for assists per game (1st AAC) with 1.33. Papa Ndoye is 3rd in the NCAA in shots per game (1st AAC) with 5.67 and is 9th in goals per game (2nd AAC) with 1.33. Shane Lanson leads the conference in GAA and save percentage and is tied for 1st in the NCAA for both with 21 players.

2019-20 HONORS

• Thomas Haney - AAC Defensive Player of the Week (Feb. 8), TDS/CSN Team of the Week (Feb. 9)
• Noah Hilt - AAC Defensive Player of the Week (March 1), TDS Team of the Week (March 1)
• Shane Lanson - 3x AAC Honor Roll (Feb. 8, Feb. 15, March 1)
• Papa Ndoye - AAC Offensive Player of the Week (Feb. 15), AAC Honor Roll (March 1), TDS/CSN Team of the Week (Feb. 16)
• Jose Ortiz - TDS Freshman to Watch
• Tobin Shanks - AAC Honor Roll (Feb. 8)
• Nick Taylor - AAC Honor Roll (Feb. 15), TDS Honorable Mention (Feb. 16)

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 is back at home on Saturday, March 13 to host UCF at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+ at the Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.