GAME PREVIEW: Dallas at Concordia University (9/6)

THE LEAD

The University of Dallas men's soccer team plays its first away game this year at Concordia University on Sunday, September 6. Start time is slated for 3 p.m. Note the match will be hosted at St. Stephens Episcopal School.

Dallas is 1-1 on through the first pair of contests, splitting the two at home earlier this week. On Thursday, the most recent time out, the Crusaders claimed their first victory in a 2-1 result over Whitman College.

IMPACT PLAYERS

Three players have scored for the Crusaders in two matches. Included in this trio are: senior Colton Allen (Roanoke, Texas), and juniors Barton Holdridge (Fort Worth, Texas) and Ben Mannings (Bath, England).

Allen is the team's leading scorer from last season, posting eight goals overall. The forward also was named to the All-Conference First Team and NSCAA Men's Soccer All-West Region Second Team.

Holdridge paces the squad with the highest amount of shot totals with eight. He has produced team-highs in the first two opportunities on the pitch, including five on the season-opener. His goal on Thursday occurred 1:42 minutes into the match.

Mannings was credited with the game-winning goal against Whitman, as the opponent's penalty kick in the closing seconds of the game nipped the Crusaders' advantage to one. He has four career goals now and two shots this year.

Other players getting points on assists are sophomores Luke Schwarz (Tucson, Ariz.) and A.J. Zaugg (Dallas, Texas) with one each on the scoring plays Thursday. Junior Tino Gamueda (Lubbock, Texas) has played two complete games in the goalkeeper role and notched seven saves.

SCOUTING CONCORDIA

The tornados are undefeated with a 2-0 mark on the first week of the season. Concordia picked up wins against fellow Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) foes, Southwestern University (3-2 overtime) and Centenary College of Louisiana (3-1). Concordia picked up its most recent win versus Centenary at home, with UD the second of a four-game home stretch happening for Concordia.

Leading the offense for the Tornados is Carl Linn with two goals – one in each of the matchups. Fabian Billings is second in points with three, as he pounded the game winner on last Tuesday's opener for the golden goal at Southwestern. He added an assist on Thursday in the most recent match. Alejandro Labastida has managed to garner assists in both contests.

HISTORY

The University of Dallas men's soccer team is 9-1 all-time versus Concordia, and has claimed both victories by a final tally of 1-0 in its last two meetings that have occurred in the previous five years.

In 2014, the latest match these two met on the field, the Crusaders took the shutout in Irving, Texas, to open the season with a victory. Allen boasted the lone goal at the 16:05 mark, as Holdridge and Schwarz set the sequence up with the assists. UD claimed a 15-10 shot advantage, and Gamueda worked a scoreless second half without facing a shot on goal.

The last time Dallas played in Austin, Texas, versus the Tornados was 2012.

UP NEXT

Dallas will continue its three-game road stint next week on Friday, Sept. 11 at Colorado College. The kickoff is at 4 p.m. (CT) and the match will be the first conference one of the fall campaign.

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