Men’s Soccer’s Heads to GNAC Leader Saint Joseph’s Wednesday

BOSTON – The Suffolk men's soccer team makes the trek to unbeaten Saint Joseph's (Maine) Wednesday for a 3:30 p.m. tilt at Yarmouth High School.     

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LAST TIME OUT
A three-goal second-half by the Pride powered #24 Springfield past the Suffolk men's soccer team, 6-2, in non-conference action at Brock-Affleck Field Monday night.  

MORE READING: #24 Springfield's Second-Half Stifles Men's Soccer, 6-2

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk slipped at a Division III powerhouse, Springfield, who ranked 24th in the latest NSCAA poll, to even its overall ledger at 7-7. Against conference competition, the Rams are 5-2 on the season, good for third place.  Currently, Suffolk has won back-to-back games against GNAC opponents. 

Suffolk has netted 36 goals this season powered behind Alberto Bittan's 14, a league best, while he also sits atop the conference in points with 32.  Jarrett Davis, meanwhile, has dished out a conference-high eight assists to go along with three goals for a 14-point collegiate debut effort through 13 games. Aaron Haggas is second on the team in goals with five with a trio off penalty kicks. 

Jon Brodeur has been the Rams' go-to goalie as of late. The freshman keeper sports a 5-4 record with three shutouts thanks to a 2.21 goals-against average and a .703 save percentage. 

MONKS MENTIONABLES
Saint Joseph's is one of two teams that have been unbeaten this season in GNAC play as the Monks hold down the top spot at 6-0-1. Overall, SJC is 11-1-4 with its lone loss of the season coming opening weekend versus New England Sept. 4 (2-0). 

The Monks way of winning comes through their defense as they have limited their opponents to just six scores and have 10 shutouts. Blake Mullen is the backbone to the defense as the keeper has started every contest for SJC and boasts a .886 save percentage and only five goals allowed (0.30 goals-against average). 

Brett Mattos is the lone Monk in double figures when it comes to point. He has a team-leading five goals and three assists on his stat line. Mitchell Duncan has also notched three handouts to go along with one score.  

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk and Saint Joseph's have meet each year since the Monks joined the GNAC in 2007. The Rams trail the all-time series 4-5-1, and lost in a 1-0 overtime defeat one year ago.             

EYES ON THE GAME

OVERTIME
Suffolk played in its second overtime game of 2016 Oct. 10, but for the first time since 2014, the Rams came out on the winning side when the blue and gold defeated Emmanuel 1-0. The last time Suffolk won an overtime contest was a 2-1 double overtime win against Regis Sept. 17,2 014. 

SHUTOUT
The Rams shutout over Albertus Magnus Sept. 10 was the first time Suffolk kept an opponent scoreless since a 2-0 win versus Johnson & Wales Sept. 27, 2014. On Oct. 10, Suffolk recorded its fourth cleansheet of the season; the most for the Rams since blanking match that number in 2012.  

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
After a career day, freshman Jarrett Davis of the Suffolk men's soccer team has beennamed the GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced Oct. 10

MORE READING: Davis Picks Up GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week 

BACK-TO-BACK
Suffolk notched back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2013 when it blanked Anna Maria (4-0, Sept. 21) and Eastern Nazarene (3-0, Sept. 25). 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK, AGAIN, AND AGAIN
For the third time this season, Alberto Bittan has been recognized by the conference as the senior grabbed Co-GNAC Corvias Player of the Week honor, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Bittan shares the weekly accolade with Norwich's Jacob Zimmerman. 

MORE READING: Bittan Grabs Co-GNAC Player of the Week Accolade

HATS OFF
Alberto Bittan knocked in three goals against UMass Dartmouth Sept. 4, becoming the first Ram to register a hat trick since Djibril Niang did so against the Corsairs Oct. 28, 2014. He repeated a three-goal game performance against Regis Sept. 17, becoming the first Suffolk player to net two hat tricks in one season since Danny Lloyd scored a pair in 2010. 

GOALIE OF THE WEEK
For the second straight week a member of the Suffolk men's soccer team was honored by the conference as sophomore keeper Kyle Van Cleef was named GNAC Corvias Goalie of the Week following a shutout performance in the Rams' league opener.

CONFERENCE OPENER
Suffolk won its conference opener for the first time since defeating Anna Maria in the first league game of the 2012 season, 9-0. 

SCORING FRENZY
Suffolk's five goals in the 6-5 setback to UMass Dartmouth Sept. 4 are the most for the Rams since Suffolk matched that number versus Anna Maria Oct. 13, 2014. 

SUFFOLK FREE RADIO
Suffolk Athletics has teamed up with Suffolk Free Radio to bring Ram Nation 17 live broadcasts of Suffolk soccer games this season. 

The pre-game shows are set to launch 15 minutes prior to kick-off of all contests and fans can follow along at mixlr.com/suffolkfreeradio/.  

COMING UP
Suffolk wraps up its home slate Saturday, Oct. 22 when it welcomes Rivier to James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park. Prior to the 1 p.m. kick-off, the Rams will honor the playing career of its five graduating student-athletes.