Men's Soccer Returns Home to Face ETSU Tuesday

ATLANTA – Coming off a win over a ranked opponent and receiving College Soccer News Top 30 votes for the first time this season, the Georgia State men's soccer team will return home to host ETSU on Tuesday night at 7 p.m., at the new GSU Soccer Complex.

Georgia State (8-3-0, 1-1-0 MAC) topped No. 13 Akron 3-1 on Saturday night and is now one of five (of seven) MAC teams either ranked or receiving votes in the latest poll. ETSU (3-4-3, 0-1-2 SoCon) comes to Atlanta for the first time as the two programs met for just the first time in Johnson City, Tenn., two years ago. This will mark the Panthers final non-conference game of the season.

In Georgia State's 10 matches, the Panthers have scored 25 goals and allowed just 14, a plus-11 goal differential that is tied for the 28^th-best in the country. Of interesting note, five of those 14 goals allowed have come via penalty kicks.

The Panthers are ranked No. 22 in the country with 25 goals scored, averaging 2.27 goals per game which ranks No. 22 in the NCAA.

Graduate student Salar Faryar and freshman Ethan Sassine lead the Panthers with four goals each, while Justin Guest and Matthew Fearnley have each scored three goals this year for GSU.

MATCH NOTES

Georgia State returns home to start a stretch of three-straight home games hosting ETSU.
For the first time this year the Panthers are receiving votes in the College Soccer News Top 30 Poll. Five teams in the MAC are either in the top 30 or receiving votes.
The Panthers and Bucs will be meeting for just the second time after the two teams tied in 2019.
This will mark Georgia State's last non-conference game of the season before returning to MAC play.
The Panthers are 2-1 at home this season having outscored their opponents 7-4 in those games.
Georgia State has won five of its last six matches outscoring their opponents 16-8 in those games.

NEW HOMES

Georgia State has a pair of new homes this season. The Panthers opened the new GSU Soccer Complex at 188 MLK Jr. Drive SE earlier this summer. The location previously housed the Georgia State Football team for 10 years.
The Panthers second new home this year is the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Panthers along with in-state rival Georgia Southern joined the league earlier this summer. In fitting fashion, the two schools will face off in the final match of the regular season.

QUICK HITS

Last time out, Georgia State earned a 3-1 win over No. 13 Akron. It gave the Panthers their first MAC win and was the seventh time in program history defeating a ranked opponent.
In Georgia State's win at UAB, the Panthers picked up the 500th win in program history.
As of Monday, Georgia State is tied for the most road wins (6) of any team in the country. GSU is tied with New Hampshire and LMU (CA) for the most.
Graduate student Salar Faryar scored twice against Akron and now shares the team lead with four goals while leading the Panthers with 10 points (4 goals, 2 assists).
Freshman Ethan Sassine apparently likes to wait late in games to do his damage. He recorded the game-winner against Wofford with just 89 seconds to play. He scored an open net goal with four seconds to play in a 2-0 win over Davidson. He shares the team lead with four goals this year.
Georgia State's +11 goal differential is tied for the 28th-best mark in the NCAA.
The Panthers are averaging 2.27 goals per game which ranks 22nd in the nation.
Senior defender George Proctor has found the back of the net twice this year with both goals coming via penalty kick. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year has made two of his three attempts this year.
Senior Matthew Fearnley became the first CoSIDA Academic All-American in program history last spring, while both he and fellow senior Logan Luque earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. Fearnley shared the team lead with five goals scored. He has three goals this year which is tied for second on the team. He is now one of 30 nominees for the Senior CLASS Award.
Despite 17 upperclassmen on the team this year, freshmen have already been making an impact. Sassine leads the Panthers with four goals, Jordan Beam and Bryan Silva have both scored their first collegiate goals this year.

EXHIBITION PLAY

Georgia State finished exhibition play with a 1-0-2 record with a 2-1 win at Presbyterian College, along with 0-0 draws against No. 6 Clemson (now No. 2) and Clayton State.
In the win against the Blue Hose, it was a pair of newcomers getting the goals. Graduate transfer Iolo Jones got the Panthers on the board in the first half, and it was freshman Ethan Sassine who proved to have the game winning goal in the second half.

IT'S NOT HOW YOU START, BUT HOW YOU FINISH

Georgia State enters the Mid-American Conference as one of the newbies along with Georgia Southern. Despite playing in six-straight conference tournament championship games and making an appearance in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, the Panthers were selected sixth in the annual MAC Preseason Poll as selected by the coaches.

2021 MAC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. West Virginia - 40 (3)
2. Akron - 39 (1)
3. Bowling Green - 38 (2)
4. Western Michigan - 30 (1)
5. NIU - 22
6. Georgia State - 17
7. Georgia Southern - 10
(*) First Place Votes
MAC Champion: WVU (3), BGSU (2), WMU (1) Akron (1)

REACHING TRIPLE DIGITS

GSU head coach Brett Surrency reached the 100-win plateau in the regular season finale of the 2019 season. He had led GSU to 11 or more wins in three consecutive seasons for last season where the Panthers played only 13 matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the only coach in GSU history to take the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament.
Surrency is currently the second-winningest head coach in GSU history (118), behind only Scottie O'Neill (143), who coached the team from 1976-86.

WHAT'S NEXT

Georgia State will remain a home and return to MAC play hosting Western Michigan on Oct. 21, at the GSU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Salar Faryar: F; 5' 8"; Graduate Student

#10 Matthew Fearnley: M; 5' 11"; Senior

#15 Justin Guest: M; 5' 9"; Junior

#23 Logan Luque: M; 5' 10"; Senior

#16 George Proctor: D; 6' 1"; Senior

#14 Bryan Silva: MF; 5' 8"; Freshman

#19 Ethan Sassine: F; 5' 10"; Freshman

#28 Jordan Beam: MF; 5' 7"; Freshman

#3 Iolo Jones: MF; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#7 Salar Faryar
: 5' 8"; Graduate Student
: F

#10 Matthew Fearnley
: 5' 11"; Senior
: M

#15 Justin Guest
: 5' 9"; Junior
: M

#23 Logan Luque
: 5' 10"; Senior
: M

#16 George Proctor
: 6' 1"; Senior
: D

#14 Bryan Silva
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: MF

#19 Ethan Sassine
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: F

#28 Jordan Beam
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: MF

#3 Iolo Jones
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: MF