ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's soccer team returns to its home pitch at Campus Field to host the Pacers of Marywood University on Tuesday, September 27th. The mid-week non-conference matchup will kick off at 4:00 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: Elmira suffered its first Empire 8 Conference loss of the 2016 season, as the Soaring Eagles dropped a 3-0 decision on the road to Houghton College. EC played the Highlanders even throughout the major­ity of the first half, but the Houghton's Ben Dicrasto would break the stale­mate in the 44th minute on a bicycle kick to give the home squad a 1-0 lead at the halftime break. Houghton's Ben Lawrence cushioned the lead with a pair of tallies in the 68th and 80th minutes of the second stanza to give the Highlanders their second conference win of the year.

CAREER HIGH FOR OKAMOTO: In the loss to Houghton, EC's starting net­minder, Haruka Okamoto '18, was tested quite frequently throughout the match. The native of Kameyama, Japan, turned away a career-high 10 shots in the contest, including a six-save first-half effort. Okamoto's 10 saves are the most an Elmira keeper has made since the 2014 season, when recent EC graduate Austin Mansell '16 made 11 saves at Campus Field against Nazareth College.
Home Unbeaten Streak: Although Elmira has dropped its past two con­tests, the Soaring Eagles should feel confident heading into today's bout with Marywood. Elmira is 1-0-1 at Campus Field this season and unbeaten on its home pitch in the team's last nine games. During EC's nine-game unbeaten streak, the Soaring Eagles have posted a 6-0-3 record and have outscored their opponents, 23-9.
 
SCOUTING THE PACERS: Marywood split its first four games of the 2016 sea­son (2-2-0) but has struggled to find wins recently, as the Pacers have dropped three straight contests entering this evening's matchup with El­mira. Marywood is also still searching for its first road win of the year, af­ter falling in its only two away contests to Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham and Ursinus College. Offensively, the Pacers have leaned on Marc-Dani Mon­tinard and Daniel Gallagher, who share the team-lead in points (6), goals (2) and assists (2). All six of Montinard's points came in a 9-2 blowout of Berkeley (N.Y.), while five of Gallagher's were registered in that same contest. Defensively, Patrick Brogan has seen the most minutes between the posts. Brogan has started in five of six appearances and has made 27 saves en route to a 1-4-0 record.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Elmira and Marywood have faced each other eight times in their respective histories. The Soaring Eagles own a 6-2-0 all-time re­cord against the Pacers and boast the most recent victory in the series, a 3-2 road win in 2015.
 
UP NEXT: Following this evening's contest with the Pacers, Elmira resumes its E8 schedule with a trip to Hoboken, New Jersey, on Saturday, October 1st, to face the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks. Saturday's E8 bout is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.