WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University men's soccer squad (2-1) will host the No. 10 and three-time reigning national champion Stanford University Cardinal (0-0-2) on Monday afternoon at Shaw Field in the second game of the squad's home opening weekend for the 2018 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and live stats as well as a webcast featuring alumni Dan Helfrich and Tom Greaser will be available at
www.GUHoyas.com.
The Hoyas are 2-1 on the season and coming off of a 2-0 victory over the Radford University Highlanders in the home opener on Friday at Shaw Field. Sophomore forward
Derek Dodson (Aurora, Ill. / Waubonsie Valley) scored both goals in the victory as the Hoyas dominated the offensive end of the field as well as tallying their second shutout of the year on defense.
Dodson is leading the team in scoring with six points after three goals in the first three games of the season. He is followed by junior forward
Achara (Enugu, Nigeria / Berkshire School [Mass.]) with three points (2G, 1A) and senior captain
Kyle Zajec (Westport, Conn. / Staples) tallying two points on a team-high two assists. Freshman goalkeeper
Giannis Nikopolidis (Athens, Greece / Nea Genia Zirdi) has played every minute in goal so far with two shutouts already to his credit.
On Monday, Nikopolidis was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week in the league's first set of awards for the season. Nikopolidis posted a 1-0 overtime victory in his Georgetown debut at South Carolina on Friday. He managed eight saves in the contest as the Hoyas scored in the 92nd minute for the victory marking his first career shutout. In the 2-1 overtime loss at No. 18 Coastal Carolina on Sunday, Nikopolidis collected six saves.
The Cardinal enter the contest searching for its first goal and win of the 2018 campaign. The squad has played San Jose State and Maryland to scoreless ties to drop from No. 1 to No. 10 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Despite the lack of goals in 2018, the Cardinal come to the Hilltop as the three-time reigning national champions winning in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The Hoyas are an impressive 2-0 all-time against the Cardinal and 1-0 at home. The last meeting was a 2-0 victory in 2013 in California when the Hoyas were ranked No. 3 in the nation. The last meeting at Shaw Field was a 1-0 double-overtime triumph for the Blue & Gray during the 2011 season.
Georgetown Head Coach
Brian Wiese is no stranger to the Cardinal after coaching there under legendary Head Coach Bobby Clark for five years (1996-2001). While at Stanford he also earned his master's degree in product design (mechanical engineering) in 1998.
Links to live stats and a webcast featuring alumni Dan Helfrich and Tom Greaser will be available at www.GUHoyas.com, or follow live updates on Twitter at @GUHoyasMSoccer.
Monday is Hoya Kid's Club Day and all members of the kid's club will receive free pizza. It is also Youth Soccer Day as players wearing a youth soccer jersey will get in free.
