Griffins Host Final Two Home Games
The Westminster men's soccer team will play at home for the final time this season as they host a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games at Dumke Field this weekend. The Griffins open the weekend against University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Friday at 3 p.m. They will then welcome MSU Denver to town on Sunday at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.
 
Tickets for both remaining games are now available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.
 
Westminster will broadcast both games live on the RMAC Network with David Winkworth calling the action. There will also be live stats available during the action. Links for all live features can be found at WestminsterGriffins.com/live.
 
About the Griffins
Westminster enter the season's final homestand at 3-10 overall after dropping two road games last week. They are 2-8 in RMAC play and sit in a tie for eighth-place with six points. The Griffins have gone 1-4 at Dumke Field this season.
 
The Griffins are scoring 1.00 goals per game to rank ninth in the conference. They have scored a goal in nine of their games this season and have scored multiple goals three times. Westminster is attempting 8.69 shots per game and they out 52.2 percent of those attempts on goal. The Griffins have taken 45 corner kicks and scored on 2 of 3 penalty kicks.
 
Cristian Alfaro leads the Griffins in goals, assists, points, shots, and shots on goal. He has scored four goals and has three assists. He is tied for 10th in the RMAC by averaging 0.85 points per game. Alfaro has taken 30 shots and put 16 of those on goal. Jaden Olsen is second on the team with five points – two goals and one assist – while Connor Thompson and Preston McIllece have two goals each.
 
Westminster ranks 10th in the RMAC with a team goals-against-average of 2.53. They have tallied one shutout during the year and allowed multiple goals 10 times. The opposition is taking 15.5 shots per game with 44.3 percent on goal. The Griffins have surrendered 63 corner kicks.
 
Max Medley has made 11 starts in goal with a 2.39 GAA and .634 save percentage. Sean Lyne has made two starts with a 3.50 GAA and .462 save percentage. Sean Speirs made three saves without allowing a goal in his one appearance.
 
New Era for Westminster Men's Soccer
• The Griffins will embark on a new path this season as Josh Pittman takes over as head coach. Pittman was named the new coach in March after Chris Dorich retired after 32 years as the team's only head coach. He has 13 years of collegiate coaching experience, all of which were at the NCAA Division II level, and over 20 years of soccer experience as a coach and player.
 
Two on the Board
• With two goals against Hawaii Hilo, Westminster snapped a span of 14 straight games without scoring multiple goals. The team was just 1-12-1 during the stretch and they were shutout six times. The Griffins scored a season-high three goals in a 3-2 overtime victory against Colorado Christian on October 7. They also scored two goals in a 3-2 loss against Colorado Mesa on September 23.
 
Rally for Victory
• The come-from-behind win against Hawaii Hilo was also the first time in 42 contests a Westminster team won a game in which they trailed. The team then secured a second come-from-behind win this season when they scored twice in a 14-minute window to beat Colorado Christian, 3-2, on October 7. Entering the season, the last comeback victory for the Griffins was a 2-1 win over Saint Ambrose on October 13, 2013.
 
Overtime Success
• The Griffins have had success this season when extending a game into overtime. They are 2-0 in games that were tied after regulation, scoring the game-winning in the first four minutes each time. The team is now 4-0-2 in its last six overtime games dating back to the 2014 season.
 
Halftime Adjustments
• The Griffins have scored 10 of their 13 total goals in the second half or overtime this season. They hadn't scored a first-half goal all season until Connor Thompson scored in the seventh minute against Colorado Christian on October 7. The other two first-half goals have come in the past three outings.
 
No Experience Needed
• Cristian Alfaro is having a strong freshman campaign as he currently leads the Griffins in goals, assists, points, shots, and shots on goal. Alfaro has scored four times on the year and notched the overtime winner against CCU on October 7. He has attempted at least one shot in every game this season and has a shot on goal in 12 straight outings. His 11 points rank tied for ninth in the RMAC while he is tied for 10th at 0.85 points per game.
 
Taking Over in Goal
• Max Medley has assumed the position of starting keeper and has started the last eight games and 11 games overall this season. Medley has recorded a 2.39 GAA during his 979 minutes played. The sophomore makes 4.09 saves per game to rank fifth in the conference while posting a .634 save percentage. He recorded his first career shutout in a 1-0 win at Adams State on September 30.
 
Match Facts: UCCS
• UCCS leads the all-time series 10-6.
• The Mountain Lions picked up a 3-0 win on September 16 in Colorado Springs.
• UCCS comes to town at 8-5-1 overall and 7-3 in the RMAC.
• They are currently third in the conference with 21 points.
• Jake McAllister leads the team with 10 points and 37 shots.
 
Match Facts: MSU Denver
• MSU Denver is 14-3-1 all-time in the series.
• The Roadrunners beat the Griffins 3-1 on September 18 in Denver.
• MSUD is 8-5-1 overall and 6-3-1 in conference games.
• They start the week tied for fifth in the conference standings with 19 points.
• Josh Belfrage is second in the RMAC in goals (9) and points (20).
 
Looking Ahead
• Westminster will close the 2016 season with two RMAC road games next weekend. They play at South Dakota Mines on October 28 before the season finale at Regis on October 30. Both of those games can be seen on the RMAC Network.