Trojans Set for Crossroads League Quarterfinals Matchup at SAU

Trojans Set for Crossroads League Quarterfinals Matchup at SAU

UPLAND, Ind. – The eighth-seeded Taylor men’s soccer team will look to knock off the top-seeded and 21st-ranked Cougars in the opening round of the Crossroads League Tournament on Wednesday at 8:00 pm at Spring Arbor.

TU enters Wednesday’s matchup with a 2-6-1 mark in league play, while Spring Arbor took home its first-ever regular season title, with a record of 8-1 in CL play.

The two sides previously met at Spring Arbor on September 30 in the league-opener for both teams, and the host Cougars netted two goals in the second half to down the Trojans, 2-0.

Spring Arbor’s only blemish during its Crossroads League slate was a 2-1 loss at Goshen on October 14, and SAU comes into Wednesday’s game riding a four-game win streak.

The SAU attack ranks 14th in the NAIA in total assists (44) and 19th in total goals (52) on the year, and Jacob Crull’s 12 assists are the sixth-most in the nation, while his 16 points on the year rank third on the team. Morris Kamara boasts the highest point (34) and goal (15) totals in the Crossroads League, and Lewis Jones provides eight goals and eight assists for the Cougars.

In the net, Spring Arbor relies on Isiah Handspike, who leads the Crossroads League with a 0.97 goals-against average and has notched 66 saves and posted seven shutouts.

Taylor got off to an 0-4 start in league play, before going 2-2-1 in its final five contests to earn the eighth seed. The Trojans earned wins over Marian and Saint Francis, while finishing in a 1-1 draw at Goshen.

Zoltan Suranyi’s seven goals and four assists are tops on the Trojan squad, while his 18 points rank seventh in the Crossroads League. TU also leans on Lewis Nisbet’s six goals and one assist, while Sam Hardy has notched two goals and two assists. Taylor’s attack has been diverse in 2017, as 11 different players have record a goal or an assist.

Drew Sezonov has anchored the net for the Trojans, posting the second-best goals-against average (0.98) in the Crossroads League, along with 52 saves and the first four shutouts of his career.

The contest will kick off at 8:00 pm at Spring Arbor on Wednesday. The winner will advance to take on the winner of the match between No. 4 seed Huntington and No. 5 seed Bethel. TU lost to both Huntington and Bethel by a score of 2-0 on the road during the regular season.