GAME DAY INFORMATION DATE: Sept 17, 2022 LOCATION: Kathy Zolad Stadium, West Haven, Conn. GAME DAY LINKS LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

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THE LEAD
The New Haven men's soccer team will briefly return home for one game against American International after traveling to New Hampshire for their first NE10 game. The Chargers look to pick up their first win of the season and climb the conference standings with a win over the Yellow Jackets at Kathy Zolad Stadium, with the action set to start at 7:00 P.M. on Saturday, Sept. 17.

SERIES HISTORY VS AMERICAN INT'L
This will be the 30th time these two NE10 programs will face each other as New Haven trails slightly in the series with a 12-15-2 all-time record against the Yellow Jackets. The two last met on Nov. 6, 2021 in 3-2 loss for the Chargers. The series dates back to Nov. 6, 1984 when New Haven won in dominant fashion, 18-0, in the inaugural game. When hosting the Yellow Jackets, New Haven holds a 6-8-1 record.

SCOUTING THE CHARGERS (0-4-1)
2022 has been anything but smooth sailing for the Chargers as the enter the matchup still in search of a win. Their last time on the pitch was against the Saint Anselm Hawks on Saturday for New Haven's first conference opponent. 

Despite their record, the Chargers have found themselves on the short end of many tightly contested battles, having lost by no more than a goal in any of their games so far this season. 

Over the span of five games, the defense has only allowed six goals for a 1.20 average goals against, which ranks eighth in the conference.

The two goals on the season have been scored by Tyler Pereira (Fairhaven, Mass./Fairhaven), in the home opener against Bridgeport, and Guillem Barnils (Barcelona, Spain/Escola Pia Nostrasenyora), in the loss to Dominican. Only one assist has been registered on the year, credited to Dante Polletta (Prospect, Conn./Woodland Regional) on Pereira's goal.

Up to now, the Chargers have outshot opponents, 59-52. However, they trail in shots on goal, 24-28, while achieving more corner kicks, 28-22.

Sophomore goalkeeper Themis Kastoris (Gothenburg, Sweden/Kitas Gymnasiet) has racked up 21 saves and a .778 save percentage to start the year, fifth and tied-ninth in the NE10, respectively. 

Out of all 16 Chargers who have attempted one or more shots, Barnils holds the lead for shots taken with ten while Polletta and Vincenzo Lombardo (Vairano Patenora, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Statele Leonardo Da Vinci) trail with seven.

New Haven was voted seventh in the 2022 NE10 preseason coaches' poll with 59 points.

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS (1-3-2)
American International looks to follow an incredible 2021 season in which the team went 15-5-1 (12-3-1 in the regular season). The Yellow Jackets not only made a run to the NE10 finals, falling to Franklin Pierce 2-1, but they advanced to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Division ll men's soccer tournament after defeating Molloy 4-0.

Fast forward to today and American International is off to a much different start than their 9-0-1 start to begin the season a year ago. After dropping their season opener in a 1-0 loss to the Post Eagles, The Yellow Jackets picked up their first and only win against the Bridgeport Purple Knights on August 31. The Yellow Jackets are entering the matchup following a 4-2 loss against the Assumption Greyhounds in their first conference match of the season.

Despite trailing by two goals at halftime, American International played until the final whistle, scoring two goals in the closing half. The first goal came from Dirk Doppen at the 61:21 minute mark while the second goal came from Christian Amaral with less than a minute left of action.

Doppen leads the team with two goals on the year while Amaral, Simba Pelletier and Gianfranco Lopreciato have also recorded a goal. Lopreciato, as well as Leonard Riby-Williams, Sean Menacho and Samir Regragui all have been credited with an assist this season.

Sophomore goalkeeper Lucas Morales-Fernandez has started five of the team's six games between the posts for the Yellow Jackets, where he has allowed nine goals while racking up 24 saves. Morales-Fernnandez's 24 saves currently rank tied-second in the NE10 among all goalkeepers. His .727 save percentage ranks 11th in the conference. The Yellow Jackets ranked eighth in goals (7), seventh in assists (5) and 5th in points (19) while their 1.17 goals on average ranks ninth.

The head coaches from the 12 competing schools picked American International as the runner ups with 102 points and one vote for first place. The Yellow Jackets, who were projected second in the 2022 NE10 preseason coaches' poll, are currently tenth in the conference standings.

UP NEXT
New Haven will hit the road for a two game road trip, starting with the Assumption Greyhounds on Tuesday, Sept. 20. Kickoff for the team's third conference matchup of the year is scheduled for 7:00 P.M. at Arnold J. Abdow Field.