OKLAHOMA CITY – After picking up a 3-1 season-opening victory last week against Hastings, the No. 9 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team will look to close out its home stand with another win against Friends at Evangel Field on Tuesday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

It will also be a special night for MACU soccer as the field will be dedicated to Mike and Helen Dill, two gracious supporters of the MACU soccer programs. That ceremony will be held 10 minutes prior to the kickoff of the men's game.

MACU SEASON REPORT (2021)

• Record: 1-0
• Last Match: Won vs. Hastings (Neb.) – 3-1 – Aug. 27, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Mason Gonzalez – SR - F
    • 1 Goal (1^st), 1 Assist (1^st), 3 Points (1^st), 2 Shots (2^nd), 2 SOG (2^nd), 1 GWG (1^st)
  • Dante Luz – SR - M
    • 1 Goal (1^st), 2 Points (2^nd), 2 Shots (2^nd), 1 SOG (3^rd)
  • Luan Cesar – SR – M
    • 1 Goal (1^st), 2 Points (2^nd), 1 Shot (4^th), 1 SOG (3^rd)
  • Rodrigo Albuquerque – SR - F
    • 1 Assist (1^st), 1 Point (4^th), 8 Shots (1^st), 3 SOG (1^st)
  • Jeremi Abonnel – FR – GK
    • 1-0 Record, 1.00 GAA (1^st), 1 Save (1^st), .500 SV% (1^st)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian won its fifth straight season-opener on Friday after scoring three second half goals to come away with a 3-1 victory over NAIA powerhouse Hastings (Neb.), a program that had won NAIA National Championships in 2010 and 2016 and getting NAIA National Finalist in 2011 and 2019.
  • In just 30 minutes of action, senior forward Mason Gonzalez made a major impact off the Evangels bench, scoring the game-winning goal in the 76^th minute before getting an assist on Luan Cesar's insurance goal in the 89^th minute.
  • The Evangels defensively stifled a high-powered Broncos team that averaged 2.8 goals on 16 shots per game to just one goal on six shots with only two landing on-target.
  • Hastings was one of five opponents the Evangels will face this season that is either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Coaches' Poll.

PLAYER TO WATCH

• #10 Mason Gonzalez
  • MACU's second-leading scorer a season ago, Mason Gonzalez got off to a stellar start to the 2021 season, scoring the game-winning goal and tallying an assist for three points in the Evangels' 3-1 win over Hastings.
  • It was the third time in his Evangels career that he registered three points in a match. The last came in a 3-1 victory against Science & Arts (Okla.) in the Sooner Athletic Conference Semifinals on Apr. 6, 2021.

SCOUTING REPORT
Friends (Kan.)

• Record: 0-1
• Last Match: Lost vs. No. 21 Briar Cliff – 1-0 (2 OT) – Aug. 28, 2021 – Wichita, Kan.
• Series History – MACU leads 2-0
• Last Match vs. MACU:  MACU won 5-2 – Sept. 20, 2014 – Commerce City, Colo.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Juan Zamora – JR – F
    • 4 Shots (1^st), 1 SOG (1^st)
  • Futa Kubo – SO - M
    • 3 Shots (2^nd)
  • Isaiah Castillo – JR – F
    • 1 Shot (3^rd), 1 SOG (2^nd)
  • Jasper McLeod – SR – GK
    • 0-1 Record, 1.00 GAA (1^st), 3 Saves (1^st), .750 SV% (1^st)
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian will be the second straight ranked opponent that Friends will face to start off the season after dropping a 1-0 match to No. 21 Briar Cliff at home on Saturday.
  • The Falcons battled Briar Cliff closely throughout the 108-minute match as the Chargers held a slim 11-10 margin in shots and a 3-2 edge in shots on-goal.
  • Friends is coming off a stellar 2020-21 campaign, finishing the year with a 12-4-1 record and a 7-3 mark in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play before ending the year with a 6-1 loss to No. 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the KCAC Semifinals on Apr. 14, 2021.
  • MACU will be hosting Friends at home for the first time in program history. The Evangels won the previous two meetings, the last coming on Sept. 20, 2014 in Commerce City, Colo., as Kevin Cabello scored a pair of goals to lead MACU in a 5-2 victory. Mid-America Christian also bested the Falcons on their home field on Sept. 18, 2013, as the Evangels pulled out a 3-0 victory on goals from Peterson Neri, Marcelo Lima and Paul Copeland.