SMU (5-2-1; 1-1-0 AAC) vs. Temple (2-4-2; 0-2-0 AAC)
Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium - Dallas, Texas
Friday, Sep. 30, 2022, 7 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch: ESPN+
Match Notes (PDF)
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DALLAS (SMU) – SMU men's soccer team continues conference play against Temple Friday at 7 p.m. in Dallas. 

SERIES HISTORY 

• SMU and Temple have faced off 12 times. 
• The Mustangs are 8-3-1 all-time against the Owls. 
• SMU has won the last two meetings against Temple. 
• Friday's matchup marks the 13th match between the programs.

KNOW THE FOE 

• Temple is 2-4-2 on the season and enters the SMU match after dropping its first two AAC contests 4-0 to UCF and 2-1 against USF. 
• In nonconference, Temple picked up a pair of victories against Leheigh and Saint Peters and dropped two matches against Georgetown and Lafayette. 
• The Owls battled Penn and Seton Hall to draws.
• Temple was picked to finish ninth in the AAC Preseason Poll.

UP TO THIS POINT

• The Mustangs are 5-2-1 in 2022 and continue conference play after taking down FIU 6-4 in their AAC home opener. 
• SMU ranks in the top 10 in the country in total goals scored (23), scoring offense (2.88 per game) and points per game (8.62).
• Additionally, the Mustangs rank in the top 25 nationally in goal differential.
• Graduate Midfielder Knut Ahlander leads the nation and AAC in goals scored with eight.
• Freshman Alexander Petraeus' five assists rank third in the conference.
• SMU started off the year taking down Oral Roberts 4-0, followed by a setback at Stanford. The Mustangs bounced back by rattling off three straight victories, including two clean sheets against UCA and Saint Louis and an offensive explosion in a 7-2 win over UTRGV. The Mustangs battled then-No. 23 UNCG to a 0-0 draw to close out nonconference play. SMU opened conference play with a 1-0 setback at Memphis. 

LAST TIME OUT

• An impressive offensive performance propelled SMU to a 6-4 victory over Florida International Friday night.
• SMU earned its first American Athletic Conference victory of the season after finding the back of the net four times in the first half
• Alexander Petraeus put the Mustangs on the board first in the fourth minute, scoring in the left side of the net on an impressive shot. The AAC's assist leader added his second score of the season.
• FIU answered SMU's early goal when David Garcia scored in the 17th minute.
• The Mustangs would answer with three-straight goals, starting with Knut Ahlander finding the back of the net in the 22nd minute, scoring on the left side of the goal off a Nikola Djordjevic assist. Djordjevic had two assists on the night.
• Jose Ortiz scored back-to-back goals for SMU, striking in the 24th minute on a shot set up by Bailey Sparks and Nikola Djordjevic. In the 35th minute, facing the opposite direction of the goal, Ortiz scored his seventh goal of the season, cashing in on an impressive bicycle kick to extend the SMU advantage. 
• FIU scored a pair of goals following the halftime break. Andrew Bennett scored in the 57th minute and Paulo Alves made it a one-score game in the 63rd minute.
• With the Panthers threatening, Fredrik Skilberg found the back of the net for the second time this season in transition on an impressive shot that landed in the top right corner of the net. 
• Knut Ahlander put the finishing touches on the match with a shot from the midfield line over the FIU keeper playing up in the box, to earn the AAC's leading goal scorer his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

FAST START FOR JOSE ORTIZ

• Jose Ortiz is having a career season for the Mustangs. The junior from Arlington, Texas, has three multigoal performances on the season. 
• Ortiz propelled the Mustangs to a 4-0 victory after scoring a career and team-high three goals in the season opener. Following the hat track, Ortiz has tallied two more multigoal outings against UTRGV and FIU this season.
• Ortiz is second in goals scored in the AAC behind fellow Mustang Knut Ahlander.
• Ortiz started four games in 2021, scoring three goals across consecutive matches, totaling 25 shots and 11 shots on goal. The Mustangs will look for Ortiz to continue to produce as a scoring threat this season.

HEARTBEAT OF THE MUSTANGS

• SMU Midfielder Knut Ahlander has started off the season strong. 
• Ahlander's eight goals land him atop the nation and AAC for goals scored. 
• Ahlander enters Friday's matchup having scored at least one goal in five out of the Mustangs last seven matches.
• Ahlander has three multigoal performances on the season.

MUSTANGS IN THE RANKINGS

• The Mustangs checked in at No. 25  in the 2022 Top Drawer Soccer poll.

2022 WEEKLY CONFERENCE HONORS
Jose Ortiz- Offensive Player of the Week (Aug. 29)
Elton Hedstrom- Rookie of the Week (Aug. 29)
Knut Ahlander- AAC Honor Roll (Sept. 6)
Knut Ahlander- Top Drawer Soccer Men's Team of the Week (Sept. 6)
Knut Ahlander- AAC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 12)
Alexander Petraeus- AAC Rookie of the Week (Sept. 12)
Cole Johnson- AAC Goalkeeper of the Week (Sept. 12)
Knut Ahlander- College Soccer News Team of the Week (Sept. 11)
Knut Ahlander- AAC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 26)
Nikola Djordjevic- AAC Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 26)

MOMENTUM FOR JOHNSON

• SMU keeper Cole Johnson is off to a fast start in 2022, tallying 21 saves in seven starts, including three clean sheets this season.
• Johnson's four saves on a total of 27 shots and a clean sheet earned him AAC Goalkeeper of the Week honors Sept. 12.
• Johnson recorded 44 saves in 2021, which was the most in the AAC. Johnson totaled a career-high 10 saves versus UCF on Oct. 16 while the team added two for a total of 12. 
• Johnson's double-digit saves was the highest total for the Mustangs since Oct. 6, 2019 when Grant Makela saved 10 versus then-No. 11 UCF in Dallas. 

YOUTH MOVEMENT

• SMU's freshmen have played a large role in the Mustangs' season success.
• Alexander Petraeus leads the team in assists with five on the year. Additionally, Petraeus scored a pair of goals in 2022. 
• Elton Hedstrom has scored two goals this season.
• Fredrik Skilberg has added two goals and an assist to start his career.
• Nikola Djordjevic is second on the team in assists with four. 

2022 PRESEASON HONORS

• Mustang Midfielder Knut Ahlander was named to the Preseason All-AAC Team. In addition, the two time first team all-conference selection was named a United Soccer Coaches Player to watch for the 2022 season.
• SMU was picked fifth in the AAC 2022 Preseason Coaches Poll.
• SMU checked in at No. 12 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll.

NEW ADDITIONS

• The Mustangs have added a 15-player 2022 recruiting class, one of the largest classes in program history. 
• This group of newcomers ranks among the top 25 in the nation by TopDrawer Soccer. In addition, this marks SMU's fourth consecutive ranked recruiting class.
• Bram Kaarsgaren, Henry Howell and JP Fernandez bring additional experience to the Hilltop as transfers.
• The remaining 12 new faces are highly-touted incoming freshmen who make their way to Dallas from California, Connecticut, New Mexico, Florida, Oklahoma, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. Two hail from the metroplex as they choose to embrace Dallas' college as their new home.

SENIOR STANGS

• SMU's roster includes four seniors and two graduate students. 
• This year's senior class includes Judson Burns, Roman Knox, along with transfers Jon Paul Fernandez and Bram Kaarsgaren. 
• Two-time all-AAC first team member and SMU 2021 assist leader Knut Ahlander returns to the Hilltop for another season. Joining Ahlander as a graduate student is transfer Henry Howell, who arrives in Dallas after starting all eight games at Davidson in 2021, adding experience to the roster. 

UP NEXT

• SMU continues its conference slate Wednesday night at UCF at 6. 

ESPN+ COVERAGE

• This season, all of SMU's home games will be featured on ESPN+ along with a select few away games. Stay up-to-date on coverage information on SMUMustangs.com.