Get Some MACtion: Panthers Open League Play at Bowling Green Thursday

ATLANTA – Winners of four-straight games, the Georgia State men's soccer team will begin arguably its toughest stretch of the year as the Panthers open Mid-American Conference play at Bowling Green on Thursday night at 7 p.m., at Cochrane Stadium.

Georgia State (7-2-0, 0-0-0 MAC) has gone 5-1 on the road this season, but starts a stretch at Bowling Green (7-2-1, 0-0-0 MAC) facing two straight opponents (Akron on Saturday) on the road which are both receiving votes in the latest United Coaches Soccer Top 25 poll and each of which has been ranked at one point this season.

The Panthers five road wins are tied for the most in the country with eight other schools, including new conference foe Northern Illinois. The four-game winning streak is tied for the 11^th-longest in the country.
In Georgia State's nine matches, the Panthers have scored 20 goals and allowed just 10, a plus-10 goal differential that is tied for the 30^th-best in the country. Of interesting note, five of those 10 goals allowed have come via penalty kicks.

The Panthers are ranked No. 26 in the country with 20 goals scored, averaging 2.22 goals per game which also ranks No. 26 in the NCAA.

Goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg has pitched three shutouts in Georgia State's first nine matches of the year which ranks No. 36 in the country. He has also accumulated 26 saves so far this season, which ranks second in the MAC.

The game will air live on Bowling Green's YouTube Channel for free.

MATCH NOTES

Georgia State continues a stretch of three-straight road games on Thursday night at Bowling Green.
The Panthers will be making their Mid-American Conference (MAC) debut. This will mark the first of six league games leading up to the conference championship in mid-November.
Georgia State and Bowling Green will be meeting for the first time on the pitch.
The Panthers have won four-straight games by a combined score of 11-4, three of which have come on the road.
Georgia State's four-match winning streak is tied for the 11th-longest in the nation.

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 picked up the 500th win in program history.
As of Monday, Georgia State is tied for the most road wins (5) of any team in the country. GSU is tied with New Hampshire, Northern Illinois, Hofstra, LMU (CA), UMass, Northeastern, Binghamton, and Cal Baptist.
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 has now scored in three of the last four games and leads the Panthers with four goals this season.
GSU is 5-1 on the road this season and have outscored their opponents in those matches 13-6.
Georgia State's +10 goal differential is tied for the 30th-best mark in the NCAA.
The Panthers are averaging 2.22 goals per game which ranks 26th 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 scored his first goal of the 2021 season in the 2-1 win at USC Upstate. 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 (117), behind only Scottie O'Neill (143), who coached the team from 1976-86.

WHAT'S NEXT

Georgia State will continue Mid-American Conference play traveling to (rv) Akron on Saturday at 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#1 Gunther Rankenburg: GK; 6' 3"; Junior

#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

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

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

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

#1 Gunther Rankenburg
: 6' 3"; Junior
: GK

#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