Saint Louis and Akron meet Saturday night in a rematch of last year's NCAA Quarterfinal matchup. Game time at Hermann Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
The Billikens enter Saturday's match 2-2-1 overall. Akron comes to town carrying a 3-0-1 overall record and a No. 14 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Earlier this week, the Zips knocked off No. 18 Cornell in Akron.
The Zips and Billikens meet twice last season. In the regular season, Akron got the better of the Billikens, winning 3-0 at FirstEnergy Stadium. The teams met again in the NCAA Quarterfinal in Akron. With a berth to the College Cup on the line, the Billikens rallied in the second half with three answered tallies to claim a 3-2 victory in one of the most thrilling wins in recent SLU men's soccer history.
Here are five additional facts in advance of the match:
1 // Five different players have accounted for SLU's seven goals on the year. Tanner Anderson and Andrew Heckenlaible have tallied twice. Jackson Delkus, Theo Franca and Guilherme Gomes have also scored for the Bills. Heckenlaible added an assist and leads the Billikens with five points (2G, 1A).
2 // Tanner Anderson is the Billikens' active leader in career goals (14) and points (31).
3 // Both of SLU's wins this season have come via the shutout, with two different keepers earning a clean sheet. Lucas McPartlin was between the posts in a 4-0 win over Seattle. Christian Herluf was in goal in the Billikens' 2-0 victory against Green Bay.
4 // SLU head coach Kevin Kalish, a three-time A-10 Coach of the Year, is in his ninth season at SLU and 15th overall as a collegiate head coach. Kalish is 84-36-36 during his time at SLU and 133-82-50 in his career.
5 // The Billikens and Zips are meeting for the 16th time. SLU holds a 9-5-1 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1960. Prior to the Billikens' win in the NCAA quarterfinals last year, Akron had gone unbeaten over the series' previous five matches (4-0-1).
UP NEXT
The Billikens open Atlantic 10 Conference play at Dayton on Saturday, Sept. 19. SLU's next home game at Hermann Stadium is on Saturday, Sept. 26, for Homecoming & Family Weekend against Duquesne. That match, which will feature the traditional halftime fireworks display, begins at 6:30 p.m.
