POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 21, 2016) — The Vassar College men's soccer team (6-1-1) kicks off conference play this weekend, playing at Skidmore College on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m.

Game Details
Opponent: Skidmore College Thoroughbreds (3-3-0, 0-0-0 Liberty League)
Links: (Skidmore Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Saratoga Springs, NY
Facility: Wachenheim Field
Date: September 24, 2016
Time: 2 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Video)
 
Last Time Out: Freshmen players stepped up, as Vassar topped Elmira College 3-0 at Gordon Field on Tuesday.  Mattie Mrlik assisted on the game-winner, scored by fellow freshman Henrik Olsson in the first half, before finding the back of the net himself in the second, thanks to an assist from Desmond Curran. Vassar extended its lead even more with a Jose Novas goal, courtesy of Alex Gonzales. 

A Look At The Brewers (6-1-1):

• As of Sept. 21, Vassar ranks third in the Liberty League, only behind St. Lawrence University (7-0-0) and Union College (5-1-0). The Brewers also stand at No. 7 in the East on the NSCAA NCAA Division III poll.
• Twelve different Brewers have found the back of the net, a testament to the team's depth.
• Freshman Mattie Mrlik paces the team with 12 points (four goals, four assists), which is the second-most points that anyone has collected in the Liberty League, only behind Union's Andrew Fontaine (13 points). 
• With nine points on the season, Tanner Sands has the third-most points in the conference, tied with Bard College's Nick Schenberger and Austin Higgins.
• Mattie Mrlik and Hayden Van Brewer have dished out the second-most assists in the conference with four apiece, only behind Union's Andrew Fontaine (five assists).
• The Brewers have outshot opponents 143-77 overall and 64-33 in shots-on-goal. Of their 21 total goals, 18 have been assisted.
• The Brewers have seemingly been more productive after the break, registering twice as many goals in the second half, 14-7.
• Goalkeeper Matt Marcelino has been solid in the cage, registering 25 saves for a 5-1-1 mark, including two clean sheets. Fellow keeper Will Marment has also spent time in net, starting one game and playing in three for a 1-0-0 record.
• The Brewer defense has been stifling, shutting out five teams so far in Mount Saint Mary College (Sept. 4), William Paterson University (Sept. 10), Elms College (Sept. 11), New Paltz (Sept. 14) and Elmira (Sept. 20).
• The Brewers opened the season undefeated through the first six games for the first time since 1994. Senior captain Noah Bloch is the only Brewer who was born before that season, in which Vassar finished 14-2-1 overall, including an ECAC NY-NJ Metro Region Championship. Bloch was just eight days old when the magical season commenced. ­­

 
A Look At The Thoroughbreds (3-3-0):

• Skidmore sits at seventh in the league ahead of Hobart College (2-3-2) and RPI (2-3-1). The Thoroughbreds will be looking for their second straight win on Saturday, most recently topping Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 1-0 on Sept. 20.
• After starting the 2016 season with a pair of losses, the Thoroughbreds have won three of their four most recent matches. Skidmore is 1-2 at home, 1-0 away and 1-1 at neutral sites.
• Skidmore has posted two shutouts on the season, topping Maritime College 4-0 on Sept. 11 and most recently Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 1-0 on Sept. 20.
• The Thoroughbreds have outshot opponents 138-43 overall and 62-23 in shots-on-goal. Of their nine total goals, seven of them have been assisted.
• Five different Thoroughbreds have scored this season, led by Austin Okoye, who has six points on three goals.  Fellow junior midfielder Kevin Santos has also been helpful on offense, registering a team-leading seven points on two goals and a team-best three assists.
• Derrick Yam is the only keeper to see time in net so far this season. The senior has made 17 saves for a 3-3-0 record, including two shutouts.
• Skidmore lost a senior class of eight from 2015, but welcomed a freshmen class of 10 for this season.
• In 2015, the Thoroughbreds finished 11-6-1 with a trip to the postseason.  About midway through the regular season, Skidmore enjoyed an undefeated streak of seven games.
• In the 2015 Liberty League Championships, Skidmore topped Hobart 1-0 in the first round before falling 3-1 to St. Lawrence University in the second.

 
Against Skidmore All-Time: The Brewers are 12-10-6 versus the Thoroughbreds all-time, dating back to their first meeting in 1988.  Skidmore most recently edged Vassar 1-0 in Poughkeepsie last season.

Next Up: The Brewers continue playing on the road for two more contests, competing at Clarkson University (Friday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m.) and St. Lawrence University (Saturday, Oct. 1 at 2 p.m.), before returning to Poughkeepsie for five games.