THOMASVILLE, Ga. - The Night Hawks seek their fifth-straight win over Saint Thomas (Fla.) in Thomasville when coach Ricky Zambrano's squad hosts the 17th-ranked Bobcats in The Sun Conference (TSC) action. Kickoff on Saturday at TU Soccer Complex is set for Noon ET.
Admission is free.
In addition to live stats, the match will be televised online through Night Hawks Television. Updates will also be available on Thomas' official men's soccer Twitter account (@NightHawksMSocc).
Thomas University Student Life and Campus Activities Board (CAB) will host a free Night Hawk tailgate on Saturday during the prior to and during the men's and women's soccer matches. Complimentary hot dogs, chips, cookies, water and soft drinks will be served on the north end of TU Soccer Complex from 11:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Prizes will be given out on games such as cornhole, jenga and ladder golf.
Game 9/#17 Saint Thomas (4-1, 2-0 TSC) at Thomas (3-4-1, 1-0-1 TSC)
Saturday, Sept. 30 • 12 p.m. ET
Thomasville, Ga. • TU Soccer Complex
Live Video: Night Hawks Television
Live Stats: Night Hawks Television
Twitter Updates: @NightHawksMSocc
ABOUT THOMAS
The Night Hawks are coming off a 2-0 win at Webber International (Fla.) on Wednesday in league play.
Goalkeeper Ben Barnes posted his third-straight and sixth-career clean sheet. The Night Hawks have outscored the Warriors 13-5 in the last four meetings in Babson Park.
Thomas improved to 6-0 all-time against Webber International in league play.
Leo Thompson opened the scoring in the 19th minute when he beat Webber International netminder Randy Chesson on a penalty kick.
Sam Eyes added an insurance goal in the 71st minute with an assist from Gavin Rochford-Smith.
Thompson, Rochford-Smith and Eyes each had one shot on goal.
Barnes stopped two shots in 90 minutes.
ABOUT SAINT THOMAS
The Bobcats are coming off a 6-0 win at home over Warner (Fla.) on Sept. 23 in conference action.
Five different Bobcats earned a spot on the score card.
The first goal came in the 20th minute after Tomas Greco fed a pass to Artur Sharapov.
The second and fourth goals both came off the foot of Pablo Gill during the 25th and 49th minutes. Both goals were assisted by Konstantinos Mylonas. Jon Quintana made the score 3-0 in the 26th minute off an assist from Gill.
Mylonas rocketed a shot past the keeper in the 52nd minute to make the score 5-0. Danny Martinez closed out the scoring with a header following a corner kick from Spiridon Karidis in the 85th minute.
Goalkeeper Robert Barton posted his second clean sheet in a row, as the Bobcats have won their last two games by a combined score of 10-0.
The Bobcats rank sixth in the NAIA in assists per game (3.2), seventh in goals per game (4.4), 12th in shots per game (20.4) and 32nd in shots on goal per game (9.2).
Federico Moronell, who leads the team with seven goals, is sixth in the NAIA in goals per game (1.4), 12th in points per game (2.8) and 39th in shots per game (3.8). Barton ranks 11th in fewest goals against per game (0.6). Greco and Mylonas are tied for 31st in assists per match (0.6). Mylonas is 42nd in points per game (2.2).
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE BOBCATS
No. 6 Thomas topped Saint Thomas, 2-1, in double overtime on Sept. 25, 2016, at TU Soccer Complex.
Billy Jeffery gave the Night Hawks a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute off a corner kick that was redirected by Jack Chambers.
Gill tied the match in the 24th minute on a ball that Moronell played behind the back line of the Thomas defense.
In the 105th minute, a Juan Figueroa corner kick found Chambers, who again redirected the ball into the box, and Jonathan Lopez finished for the game-winner.
Goalkeeper Lee Howarth collected two saves for the Night Hawks.
Thomas outshot Saint Thomas, 15-10, and held an edge in corner kicks, 10-1. The Bobcats were whistled for 28 fouls, while the Night Hawks were called for 18.
WINNING TIME
Thomas is looking for its fifth-straight win over Saint Thomas in Thomasville. The Night Hawks have not lost at home to the Bobcats since 2009.
The Night Hawks are also unbeaten in their last three matches overall.
TOO CLOSE TO CALL
The last three matchups have been decided each time by one goal.
POINT: THOMPSON
Thompson has scored at least one point in seven of eight matches this year.
ACCESS DENIED
Thomas has not allowed a goal in its last 314:47, a span of four games.
Barnes has not surrendered a goal in the last three matches.
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 35-11-4 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, Zambrano is 173-114-21 overall, including 126-84-18 with the Night Hawks. He has the most wins in Thomas history.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The Night Hawks have been ranked in the top 25 in 11 of the last 14 polls and in 36 of the last 43 dating back to 2013.
NAIA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Thomas ranks 30th in the NAIA in shutouts (3).
Barnes is 16th in the NAIA in fewest goals against per game (0.7). Thompson ranks 28th in shots per game (4.1), 43rd in goals (7) and 50th in points (16).
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 33-9-2 in Thomasville since 2013.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Night Hawks have won 11 of their last 16 road matches.
DAUNTING SCHEDULE
Six of Thomas' original opponents rank in the latest NAIA top 25 – No. 8 Mobile (Ala.), No. 10 Georgia Gwinnett, No. 11 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 15 Dalton State, (Ga.), No. 16 Vanguard (Calif.) and No. 17 Saint Thomas (Fla.). One other - Johnson & Wales (Fla.) - is receiving votes. The Night Hawks are 0-2 against the top 25 this season, having lost to then-No. 11 Bryan and then-No. 13 Mobile (the home match against then-No. 23 Lindsey Wilson was suspended in the second half due to lightning with the game tied at two). Thomas is 1-2 against the current top 25, having defeated Vanguard but lost to Dalton State and Mobile.
Two of those opponents - Georgia Gwinnett and Saint Thomas - reached the NAIA National Championship last season. 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.
