Match #3
ART U Urban Knights (0-2) vs. San Francisco State Gators (0-1)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at 7:00 PM
San Francisco, CA – Kezar Stadium

Match #4
ART U Urban Knights (0-2) vs. Northwest Nazarene Crusaders (0-1-1)
Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 12:00 PM
San Francisco, CA – CCSF

ART U RETURNS HOME TO FACE GATORS, CRUSADERS
Celebrating the Academy of Art University Athletics program receiving full membership as part of NCAA Division II, the Urban Knights will host a much anticipated home match against San Francisco State this Wednesday, Sept. 5. The teams will face off under the lights at Kezar Stadium with a 7:00 PM kickoff following a special ceremony introducing the entire ART U Athletics Department. Academy of Art University will be raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well. Shuttle schedule for students and staff here. Find more details below and be sure to RSVP for the Facebook event!


OPENING KICKOFF
The Knights are in action against SF State on Wednesday, Sept. 5 with the aforementioned 7:00 PM kickoff at Kezar Stadium. Buses for Academy of Art University students will be leaving from 620 Sutter every 15 minutes starting at 4:30 PM. Three days later on Saturday, Sept. 8, men's soccer is again in action at home with Northwest Nazarene in town for a 12:00 PM start at City College of San Francisco. Though live stats will not be offered, remember to check the @ARTU_Knights Twitter for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Freshman forward Jesus "Chava" Sanchez had a dynamic debut in the ART U red and black, scoring the squad's first goal of 2012 in the 21st minute against Cal Poly Pomona. Sanchez, who last scored the game-winner in the 2011 AAA Championship match for Lowell High School, received a pass from junior forward Aron Ekberg and put in a shot from the right of the 18 yard box. Urban Knights goalkeeper Ian Sutherland has played each and every one of the first 180 minutes between the pipes, amassing eight saves in that span to further build upon his career record. Already the Urban Knights career goals scored leader with 12, senior forward Grimur Grimsson needs just one point to become the all-time leader in points for his ART U career.

GETTING AFTER THE GATORS
San Francisco State comes into this Wednesday's match having sustained a 3-2 overtime loss in its season opener against Notre Dame de Namur. Despite holding a 2-1 lead with two goals in the second half, SFSU saw the match tied in the 60th minute on a NDNU penalty kick and then just under three minutes into the extra period, the Argos won on a free kick that was flicked to the back post. Senior Edgar Villagrana had a goal and an assist in the contest while sophomore Kevin Johnson added a goal for the Gators. The team returns seven starters from last-year's squad (16 total) for head coach Joe Hunter, including All-CCAA performers Jose Vitela and Sasha Chalak. Mike McNeill, who played the entire first match in goal, returns for his senior season after sitting last year due to an injury. In 2010, McNeill recorded five shutouts and posted a 1.19 goals against average. Wednesday will be the first meeting between ART U and SFSU.

CHALLENGING THE CRUSADERS
Two matches into 2012, Northwest Nazarene has both a tie and a loss to its name. The team picked to finish sixth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) after last season's 6-10-1 overall record, started the season with a 2-1 loss to Cal State Los Angeles before hanging with Cal State San Bernardino through a scoreless 110 minutes. Offensively, the Crusaders' lone goal was scored by Jon Curry while goalkeeper Alfredo Ontiveros has registered 12 saves with two goals allowed in both contests defensively. Head coach Coe Michaelson returns for his fifth season with six starters out of 10 athletes coming back. NNU faces Dominican on Thursday prior to meeting the Knights this Saturday. In four meetings to date (two of which came in 2008), the Crusaders hold a 3-1 lead against Academy of Art University.

THE WEEK THAT WAS
Starting off the 2012 season in southern California, the Urban Knights faced Cal Poly Pomona this past Thursday. Though CPP earned a 3-1 victory, ART U netted its first goal of the year, a nice connection with Ekberg setting up Sanchez in the 21st minute, and hung tough to the final whistle. Two days later in San Diego, Academy of Art University men's soccer found itself in another close battle with the Tritons of UCSD. The teams went back and forth through the first 26 minutes before the Tritons scored on a difficult angle from 22 yards out. In the 57th minute, UC San Diego put in another goal, but ART U was not without opportunities as five different Knights registered shots on frame. UCSD would wind up the 2-0 winner under the lights on its home field on this occasion.

LOOKING AHEAD
With this week complete, Academy of Art University will play its next six matches, all PacWest Conference contests, at home. The first two of that stretch will take place on Thursday, Sept. 13 at Crocker Amazon Park (Azusa Pacific) and then Saturday, Sept. 15 at CCSF (Point Loma).