ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Following a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Landmark Conference contender Susquehanna University, the Elmira College men's soccer team heads to Buffalo, New York, to challenge the Spartans of D'Youville College in non-league action. The contest will serve as Elmira's first road game of the season, which is scheduled for Wednesday, September 6, under the lights at D'Youville's Dobson Field at 7:00 p.m.
SHOW US WHAT YOU GOT
The Elmira faithful will find out a great deal about the resolve of the Soaring Eagles over the next two weeks, as the EC men prepare for five games in an 11-day stretch. Three of the five matches will take place on the road, while two of EC's opponents –No. 13 nationally-ranked SUNY Cortland (Sept. 10) and 2016 E8 runner-up Houghton (Sept. 16) – will travel to face the Purple and Gold on the grass surface at Campus Field. Of the five opponents, three qualified for their respective conference tournaments (Cortland, Houghton and Ithaca), including Cortland, which won the SUNYAC title and reached the third round of the NCAA Division III Tournament a year ago.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
D'Youville enters Wednesday night's contest searching for its first win of 2017, after opening the season with a pair of non-conference setbacks at the Fred Hartrick Classic against Buffalo State and Fredonia. The Spartans were outscored 8-to-1 during those two games, with the lone tally coming from junior defender Josh Hammer. Hammer's goal came in the 22nd minute against Fredonia, a score that leveled the game at 1-1 at the time. On the defensive side of things, Peter Petruzzo has gotten the start in each of the two contests, but has struggled thus far into the season with a underwhelming .533 save percentage in 135:00 minutes of action. Freshman netminder Kyle Dick could get the start, that after allowing just one goal in the final 45 minutes of regulation against the Blue Devils of Fredonia.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Wednesday's non-conference match will serve as the fifth all-time meeting between Elmira and D'Youville. The two programs met annually from 2007-10, with three of the four contests taking place in Buffalo, New York. Elmira enters the matchup with a perfect 4-0-0 record and with a lopsided goal differential during that time as well, 25-2.
LOOKING AHEAD
Elmira will enjoy a few days off until their next contest, a Saturday, September 9, showdown against former E8 affiliate Ithaca College. The opening kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Ithaca, New York. EC returns to the friendly confines of Campus Field on Sunday, September 10, as the Purple and Gold welcome 13th-ranked SUNY Cortland to the Southern Tier for a 3:00 p.m. match.
