Men's Soccer Closes Season with Two Road Games
The Westminster men's soccer team heads to the road this weekend to conclude the 2016 season with a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games on the road. They play at South Dakota Mines on Friday at 6 p.m. to start the weekend. The season finale is slated for Sunday at 11 a.m. at No. 7 Regis.
 
Both of this week's games will be broadcast live on the RMAC Network with the home team producing the content. Live stats will also be available for both games. Links for all live features can be found at WestminsterGriffins.com/live.
 
About the Griffins
Westminster enter the season's final weekend at 3-12 overall and looking to snap a five-game losing streak. The Griffins are 2-10 in RMAC play and sit in ninth position in the conference standings with six points. They have gone 1-5 on the road this season.
 
The Griffins are averaging 0.87 goals per game this season. They enter the week having not scored a goal in the previous 238 minute of action. The team is taking 8.5 shots per game with 55.1 percent of those shots on goal. They have tallied seven assists on the year and taken 47 corner kicks.
 
Cristian Alfaro leads the Griffins in goals, assists, points, shots, and shots on goal. He has scored four goals and has three assists. Alfaro has taken 33 shots and put 18 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 enters the week with a 2.46 goals-against-average. The opposition is averaging 14.3 shots per game and puts 44.7 percent of those attempts on goal. Griffin opponents have taken 71 corner kicks.
 
Max Medley has made 13 starts in goal with a 2.33 GAA and .615 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 five 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 14 straight outings.
 
Taking Over in Goal
• Max Medley has assumed the position of starting keeper and has started the last 10 games and played in 13 games overall this season. Medley has recorded a 2.33 GAA during his 1,159 minutes played. The sophomore makes 3.69 saves per game to rank fourth in the conference while posting a .615 save percentage. He recorded his first career shutout in a 1-0 win at Adams State on September 30.
 
Match Facts: South Dakota Mines
• SD Mines leads the all-time series 1-0.
• The Hardrockers defeated the Griffins 1-0 last season in SLC.
• SDSMT is 2-13 overall this season and 1-4 at home.
• They are tied with the Griffins for ninth in the RMAC with six points.
• Justin Barkow leads the team with four goals and 10 points.
 
Match Facts: No. 7 Regis
• Regis is 13-3-1 all-time against Westminster.
• The Rangers defeated the Griffins 3-0 on September 25 at Dumke Field.
• Regis is 12-2-1 overall and 4-1-1 at home this season.
• They start the week second in the RMAC with 28 points.
• Tom Grimley leads the team with six goals.