THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Thomas continues non-conference play Monday when the Night Hawks host Middle Georgia State at TU Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET.
In addition to live stats, the match will be televised online through Stretch Internet. Updates will also be available on Thomas' official men's soccer Twitter account (@NightHawksMSocc).
Game 6/Middle Georgia State (0-5-1) at RV Thomas (1-4)
Monday, Sept. 18 • 4 p.m. ET
Thomasville, Ga. • TU Soccer Complex
TV: Stretch Internet
Live Stats: Stretch Internet
Twitter Updates: @NightHawksMSocc
ABOUT THOMAS
The Night Hawks are coming off a 3-1 loss at No. 13 Mobile (Ala.) on Friday, just their fourth loss in the last 14 road matches.
After the Rams took a 1-0 edge in the 30th minute, Leo Thompson tied the game n the 35th minute when he beat Ram netminder Guilherme Altoe.
However, Mobile tallied what proved to be the game-winner in the 52nd minute and added an insurance goal in the 66th minute.
Thompson ended with a career-high 10 shots. He and Malcom Frago Mayers recorded three shots on goal apiece.
Night Hawk goalkeeper Lee Howarth made six saves in 90 minutes.
Thomas outshot Mobile, 19-17.
ABOUT MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE
The Knights are coming off a 1-0 loss at home to Bluefield (W. Va.) on Sept. 9.
The Rams scored the only goal in the 28th minute.
Middle Georgia State, a member of the Southern States Athletic Conference, is riding a five-match losing streak, having been outscored 17-1 during the streak and 18-2 overall in 2017. The Knights are 0-7-1 in their last eight games.
The Knights rank 23rd in the NAIA in goals allowed per game (3.0) and 37th in saves (34).
Jack Arra and Mauricio Rodriguez have each scored a goal for Middle Georgia State.
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE KNIGHTS
Thomas defeated Middle Georgia State, 2-1, at TU Soccer Complex on Aug. 19, 2015.
The Night Hawks netted the opening goal in the 17th minute when Lyle Gifford picked up his first of two assists when he charged down the left side of the pitch and crossed the ball from 15 yards out to Juan Figueroa, who side-stepped a Knights' defender and fired a shot into the net.
With just under two minutes remaining in the first half, the Night Hawks increased their lead to 2-0 when Gifford crossed a floater in front of the Middle Georgia State net, and Andres Payne poked a right-footed shot into the back of the net.
The Night Hawks headed into the intermission with the 2-0 lead.
The Knights trimmed their deficit in half in the 51st minute, but Thomas goalkeeper Ben Barnes made seven saves in 90 minutes to preserve the win.
WINNING TIME
Thomas is looking for its fourth-straight win over Middle Georgia State on Monday. The Night Hawks have outscored the Knights, 7-2, during the stretch.
THOMPSON GOES STREAKING
Thompson has scored at least one goal in five-straight matches for the Green and White.
THOMPSON, FRAGO MAYERS POST CAREER DAYS
Thompson recorded a career-high 10 shots Sept. 15 at Mobile.
Thompson and Frago Mayers each recorded three shots on goal. The mark was a career-high for Frago Mayers, while Thompson's feat tied a career-high after reaching the mark against Georgia Gwinnett on Nov. 19, 2016.
THOMAS IN 22ND SEASON
The 2017 campaign marks the 22nd in the history of Thomas men's soccer.
The Night Hawks have reached the NAIA National Championship three times (2013, 2014, 2016) in the last four seasons and are coming off a second round appearance in 2016. Thomas is 1-2-1 all-time in the tournament.
Thomas has been a member of The Sun Conference since 2012 and is 34-11-3 in league play. The Night Hawks won The Sun Conference Tournament championship in 2013 and 2014 and the league's regular-season title in 2016.
ZAMBRANO AT THE HELM
In his 17th season as a collegiate head coach and 13th at the helm of Thomas, Ricky Zambrano is 171-114-20 overall, including 124-84-17 with the Night Hawks. He has the most wins in Thomas history.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Thomas is receiving votes in the latest NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Night Hawks have been ranked in the top 25 in 11 of the last 12 polls and in 36 of the last 41 dating back to 2013.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Thomas is looking to end a three-game losing streak, its longest since a four-game skid (final three games of 2012, season opener of 2013).
NAIA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Thomas ranks 41st in the NAIA in goals allowed per game (2.6).
Thompson is 15th in the NAIA in shots per game (4.8), 19th in goals per game (1.2) and 29th in points per game (2.4). Howarth ranks 32nd in saves per match (5.8).
SUCCESS AGAINST TOP 25
Thomas is unbeaten in six of its last nine regular-season matches against ranked opponents.
HOME SWEET HOME
Zambrano's group is 32-9-2 in Thomasville since 2013.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Night Hawks have won 10 of their last 14 road matches.
DAUNTING SCHEDULE
Seven of Thomas' opponents rank in the latest NAIA top 25 – No. 11 Georgia Gwinnett, No. 13 Mobile, No. 14 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 16 Vanguard (Calif.), No. 17 Bryan (Tenn.), No. 18 Saint Thomas (Fla.) and No. 19 Dalton State. Two others - Johnson & Wales (Fla.) and Keiser (Fla.) - are receiving votes. The Night Hawks are 0-2 against the top 25 this season, having lost to then-No. 11 Bryan and No. 13 Mobile. Thomas is 1-3 against the current top 25, having defeated Vanguard but lost to Bryan, Dalton State and Mobile.
Four of those opponents - Bryan, Georgia Gwinnett, Saint Thomas and Keiser - reached the NAIA National Championship last season, with Keiser advancing to the second round. The Night Hawks' clash with Georgia Gwinnett on Oct. 17 at Columbus State (Ga.) is a rematch of last season's National Championship opening round contest won by Thomas in overtime.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE
Zambrano's group is represented by 16 countries on this year's roster - the United States, England, Sweden, Ireland, Wales, Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Italy, Canada, Spain, El Salvador, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Bolivia and Australia.
