1 p.m. Friday – SOU at Northwest (Wash.) – Live Stream | Live Stats
1 p.m. Saturday – SOU at The Evergreen State (Wash.) – Live Stats

ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon University men's soccer team will know a lot more about where it stands after a tough weekend trip up the interstate to Washington.

At 7-6 overall and 7-1 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, the Raiders find themselves in first place in terms of points. But they've played one more game than sixth-ranked Corban (10-0-2, 6-0-1) and 10th-ranked Rocky Mountain (10-1, 6-1), the second- and third-place teams, who will beat up on each other this Friday. And they'll have to go through the fourth- and fifth-place teams, Northwest (7-3-1, 5-1-1) and Evergreen (5-3-2, 4-2-1), on Friday and Saturday.

All of that to say: the situation is fluid. The Raiders, though, have been the best road team in the conference over the last two seasons. Before their loss at Corban on Sept. 30, they'd won 10 consecutive CCC road games.

Last Week in Review: Southern Oregon's dominance in possession was on display again last week at Raider Stadium in wins by scores of 1-0 against Eastern Oregon and 3-0 against Warner Pacific. In total, the Raiders allowed three shots on goal and a combined 31-16 advantage in total shots. Logan Guler, a senior defender, tallied his first career goal in the 55th minute against EOU on a header of Kelly Gieber's well-place corner kick. Against WPC, Esteban Castaneda converted a penalty kick in the 32nd minute to put SOU ahead, and later Sean McManamon assisted a Carlos Magana header and deposited a goal of his own via Brendan Allen's assist.

Briefly:
– With five regular-season games remaining, the Raiders are already up to six shutouts in CCC play. In their first two years of conference play combined, they had seven shutouts. They've allowed three total goals in eight games, which leads the CCC; Northwest, at No. 2 on the list, has allowed four in seven.
– With four goals apiece in circuit play, Travis Hopkins and Carlos Magana rank fourth in the CCC. Kelly Gieber's four assists put him in a four-way tie atop that CCC list.
– In non-conference play, keeper Wyatt Zabinksi faced 31 shots on goal in seven games, and in conference play he's face 15 shots on goal in eight games with a save percentage of .800.
– In their seven wins, the Raiders have allowed four second-half shots on goal combined.

About Northwest:
– After being picked seventh in the CCC preseason poll, the Eagles have inserted themselves into the title conversation – entering the weekend with four straight shutout road victories by a combined score of 16-0. Their only CCC loss was a 2-1 decision against Corban.
– SOU won last year's matchup in Ashland, 1-0, after Carlos Magana scored on an Ahmon Afenegus assist in the 89th minute. The Eagles took the 2015 meeting in Kirkland, 3-0.
– Seven different Eagles have registered at least seven points, led by Obi Esonu's 10 (2 goals, 6 assists). Keeper Daniel Christenson has tallied 59 saves, helping them outscore opponents 28-14.

About Evergreen:
– Picked sixth in the conference after going 8-1-4 last season, the Geoducks come into the weekend having won four of their last five games. They've lost only against Corban and Northwest.
– SOU and Evergreen walked away with a draw last year in Ashland, after both teams made second-half penalty kicks for a 1-1 final. Evergreen defeated the Raiders during the 2015 season in Olympia, 2-0.
– Angel Trejo-Delgado is one of the top scorers in the conference with seven goals and one assist. He's put 20 shots on goal; no other Geoducks has more than six. Collectively, they've outscored opponents 18-11.