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Bob Palermini, www.palermini.com
Photo by Bob Palermini, www.palermini.com

SOU preps for NCU, marquee matchup with No. 18 Corban at Raider Stadium

9/26/2018 11:06:00 PM

**UPDATE: Due to unhealthy air quality, the games have been pushed back to Saturday and Sunday with revised start times.

1:30 p.m. Friday – SOU (7-2, 4-0) vs. Northwest Christian (2-5-1, 1-2-1) – Raider Stadium
1:30 p.m. Saturday – SOU (7-2, 4-0) vs. No. 18 Corban (7-1, 4-0) – Raider Stadium
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ASHLAND – For the last two seasons, the Southern Oregon University men's soccer team has been untouchable at Raider Stadium. If that remains true through the weekend, the Raiders could find themselves in the NAIA Top 25 for the first time in team history.

The Raiders are 7-2 overall and 4-0 in the Cascade Conference, having already knocked off then-No. 9-ranked Rocky Mountain (Mont.) at home, and their case would be undeniable if they can add another upset of No. 18 Corban (7-1, 4-0) in Sunday's game between the CCC's first-place teams. To properly set up that matchup, they first have to go through Northwest Christian (2-5-1, 1-2-1) on Saturday. Both games are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. starts.

ASHLAND SOCCER CLUB DAY: On Saturday, all members of the Ashland Soccer Club and their parents will be celebrated with free admission to both SOU-NCU games. Kids 12-and-under get in free to all SOU home events thanks to Oak Tree Northwest's sponsorship of the Kids Free program.

ADDIE MAKES HISTORY: Sunday's 10-1 win at Walla Walla represented the second-highest scoring output in SOU's four-year history, and freshman forward Noah Addie was at the center of it. The product of Portland's Parkrose High scored three goals with one assist, making him the first Raider ever to record seven points in a game. He was the third Raider to turn in a hat trick this season, joining Brendan Allen and Carlos Magana.

PINNEY VOTED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior forward Mitchell Pinney was voted the CCC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after totaling three goals and two assists on the trip. He tallied twice in Friday's 2-0 win at Eastern Oregon, scoring the go-ahead goal 27 seconds after entering the game in the second half, and added one goal and two assists at Walla Walla. He leads the Raiders with 12 points (4 goals, 4 assists) and his in career owns 14 goals with six of the game-winning variety.

BRIEFLY
  • SOU's active seven-game winning streak is the longest in team history. Dating back to last season, the Raiders haven't trailed in a CCC contest in 11 games.
  • The goal allowed against Walla Walla was the second against the Raiders during their streak. They'd gone 576 total game minutes since allowing their last one. Last year, they had a streak of 627 minutes.
  • Since the start of last year, the Raiders are 9-0 at home, outscoring opponents 27-2 in those games.
  • SOU's overall goals-allowed average of 0.67 is just behind Corban (0.62) and Rocky (0.62) for tops in the conference.

ABOUT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN:
  • The Raiders are 3-0-1 overall against the Beacons and shut them out in both matchups last year, including a 1-0 decision in the CCC tournament. In their only trip to Ashland, in 2016, the Beacons came away with a 2-2 draw.
  • NCU has been outscored 15-5 on the year and 4-3 in conference play. They've gone to overtime twice and lost most recently to Carroll, 2-1, in the 100th minute.
  • Victor Irechukwu (2 goals) is the only Beacon with multiple goals.

ABOUT CORBAN:
  • The Raiders are 0-3 against the Warriors in the regular season but scored their first win in the series last fall in an overtime CCC tournament championship match, 2-1. Corban won a double-overtime matchup in its only game at Raider Stadium in 2016.
  • Corban's only loss was a 3-1 decision at No. 23 Westmont. In conference play, they've accumulated a 10-1 goals advantage. They avoided a loss against Northwest (Wash.) by scoring in the 88th minute and winning, 2-1, in double-overtime.
  • Freshman Kohl Hurtado (6 goals) and senior Alex Segovia (3 goals, 2 assists), an All-CCC selection last year, lead the team in points.
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