OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 7 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team will be aiming for its best start in program history tonight when the Evangels host Sterling (Kan.) for a 7:30 p.m. match at the Mike and Helen Dill Soccer Field.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 5-0
• Last Match: Won vs. No. 22 Lyon (Ark.) – 5-1 – Sept. 11, 2021 – Oklahoma City, Okla. (Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field)
• Stat Leaders:
  • Ricardo Ferreira – FR – F
    • 5 Goals, 2 Assists, 12 Points, 10 Shots, 8 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Rodrigo Albuquerque – SR – F
    • 4 Goals, 3 Assists, 11 Points, 25 Shots, 15 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Mason Gonzalez – SR – F
    • 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 5 Points, 9 Shots, 6 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Cesar Ramirez – SR – M
    • 4 Assists, 4 Points, 14 Shots, 5 SOG
  • Jeremi Abonnel – FR – GK
    • 5-0 Record, 1.19 GAA, 9 Saves, .600 SV%
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian picked up back-to-back wins against ranked opponents with its 5-1 drubbing of No. 22 Lyon on Saturday. The Evangels dominated possession in the first half, but could only muster a 37^th score by Rodrigo Albuquerque. MACU put together a monster second half as the attack clicked on all cylinders, pushing across four goals in the final 45 minutes.
  • The Evangels swept the Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week awards as Albuquerque earned the offensive honor after closing out the week with four goals and an assist for nine points while freshman defender Emanuele Grumo garnered the defensive award after helping lead the MACU defense to hold two national powers to just three goals on 14 shots with just seven shots on-goal.
  • In that win against Lyon, the Evangels matched the 2017 team for the best start to a season in program history as both teams notched 5-0 starts. If MACU can pick up a win against Sterling, it'll be the official best start the team has ever had since its inception.
  • The Evangels continue to rank as one of the best offensive teams in the nation, ranking 17^th in goals per game (3.6), fourth in assists (21), 13^th in shots per game (20.6) and third in corner kicks (52).

SCOUTING REPORT
Sterling (Kan.)

• Record: 1-3
• Last Match: Lost vs. Benedictine (Kan.) – 2-1 – Sept. 11, 2021 – Sterling, Kan.
• Series History: MACU leads 3-2
• Last Match vs. MACU:  MACU won 5-2 – Sept. 7, 2019 – Sterling, Kan.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Jacobo Sanfeliu – FR – F
    • 3 Goal, 6 Points, 9 Shots, 7 SOG, GWG
  • Joao Nascimento – JR - M
    • 1 Goal, 2 Points, 3 Shots, 2 SOG
  • Angel Jimenez-Cortes – SO – D
    • 1 Goal, 2 Points, 5 Shots, 5 SOG
  • Tim Zijdel – FR - GK
    • 0-2 Record, 3.00 GAA, 12 Saves, .667 SV%
• Team Notes:
  • Sterling College has struggled against a tough early season schedule, dropping a 4-1 decision to (RV) Southwestern Christian on Aug. 28 before falling 5-1 to (RV) Hastings on Sept. 8. The Warriors are most recently coming off a 2-1 loss to Benedictine (Kan.) on Sept. 11.
  • The Warriors offensively have only been able to muster five goals in four matches, three of which came in a 3-0 victory over Ecclesia (Ark.) on Aug. 24.
  • The Evangels have scored at a high offensive clip the last two times they've faced the Warriors. In their last meeting on Sept. 7, 2019, MACU scored five goals in a 5-2 victory in Sterling, Kan. The last time the two teams met on the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field, Mid-America Christian dominated to the tune of 7-0 over the Warriors on Sept. 23, 2017.