Match #6
ART U Urban Knights (0-4-1, 0-0-0 PacWest) vs. Biola Eagles (4-3-0, 0-0-0 PacWest)
Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021 at 7 p.m.
La Mirada, Calif. – Al Barbour Field
Live Stats | Live Video
Match #7
ART U Urban Knights (0-4-1, 0-0-0 PacWest) vs. PLNU Sea Lions (3-2-1, 1-0-0 PacWest)
Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021 at 2 p.m.
San Diego – PLNU Soccer Stadium
Live Stats and Live Video
LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING
Pacific West Conference play is finally here for Academy of Art men's soccer, as the Urban Knights will travel down to Southern California for the first time in over a calendar year to take on the combination of Biola and Point Loma.
KICKOFF
Thursday's PacWest opener against Biola will kickoff from Al Barbour Field at 7 p.m., while Saturday's showdown with the Sea Lions will be an afternoon matinee beginning at 2 p.m. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (
Apple App Store,
Google Play Store) and on
Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the
Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.
KNIGHT WATCH
Entering as ART U's top scorer is senior forward
Adrian Cekala, who leads the Urban Knights with a total of five points on the season, coming in the form of two goals and an assist. Both goals have come via the penalty kick, as Cekala has converted four consecutive opportunities dating back to last season. The goals mark the 15th and 16th of Cekala's career, tying him with
Grimur Grimsson atop the ART U career goals list. Meanwhile, Cekala's now boasts 37 points in his career, this time tying him with
Kristof Urbanyi for most in ART U program history. Chipping in a pair of points is junior forward
Fannar Omarsson, who struck for the first goal of the ART U season just seven minutes into the season opener that was assisted by Cekala. Leading the team in shots is Cekala with a total of 15, while sophomore midfielder
Gilly Miller trails shortly behind with 12, including twice ringing the goalposts in the last match against HNU.
In his first collegiate start of his career, freshman goalkeeper
Omer Tal posted the ninth-most saves in a single match in ART U history with nine, keeping a clean sheet through 110 minutes of game time to be named the
PacWest Defender of the Week. He is the second freshman keeper in ART U history to receive the award (third Urban Knight overall), making the nine stops on a total of 16 shots faced in the scoreless draw. Having started four matches in goal for ART U is junior goalkeeper
Davis King, who has posted 15 saves on 64 shots faced and has a 2.92 goals against average.
EAGLE-EYED
Biola enters the battle at 4-3-0 after having won its last time out on the pitch over Concordia 2-1, snapping a three-match skid with losses coming against Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Los Angeles and No. 7 Azusa Pacific in non-conference action. The slide came on the heels of opening the season on a three-match winning streak, with a pair of 1-0 victories over Cal State San Marcos and Cal Poly Pomona, with a 2-0 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in between. Ten different players have registered a point for the Eagles, led by five points from Daniel Simonis thanks to a pair of goals and an assist, while Oscar Rubalcava has netted a pair of goals of his own to sit just behind with four points. It has been a platoon between the posts for Biola, as two goalkeepers have split time nearly down the middle so far in the seven matches. Luis Rodriguez has made four starts, stopping nine chances on 32 shots faced for a .750 save percentage with two shutouts. Meanwhile, JD Gunn has made three starts of his own, making seven saves on 40 shots faced with a .583 save percentage. The Eagles lead the Knights in the all-time series, 3-0-1.
SLOWING DOWN THE SEA LIONS
On a three-match winning streak is Point Loma, snatching a pair of wins over Cal State San Marcos and Westmont before opening PacWest action with a 3-0 win over Fresno Pacific to rise to 3-2-1 on the season. Prior to meeting with the Urban Knights, the Sea Lions will have one more non-conference battle, coming against PacWest foe Concordia. Pacing the team in goals and points is Parker Scaizo, netting four goals for a total of eight points on 13 shots (nine on goal). Starting in five of the six matches in goal for Point Loma is Seth Ketterer, making 24 saves on 77 shots faced for a .800 save percentage and a 1.15 goals against average. Leading the all-time matchup between the two teams is the Sea Lions at 7-0-1.
OFFENSES CHALLENGE, BUT KNIGHTS END SCORELESS WITH HAWKS
There was no lack of chances during the non-conference match between Academy of Art men's soccer and Holy Names on Sept. 22, but neither side would find a goal despite a combined 26 shots as the contest ended in a scoreless draw after two periods of overtime.
LOOKING AHEAD
It's the continuation of PacWest play as the Knights will return home to begin a three-match home stand, starting with a pair of matches against UH Hilo and Holy Names on Oct. 8 and 10.
