Westminster at Adams, Home for Fort Lewis
The Westminster men's soccer team has a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games on tap this weekend. The Griffins will begin the week with a trip to Alamosa, Colorado to face Adams State at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. They will then return home to host Fort Lewis on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Both games will be broadcast live on the RMAC Network with the home team providing the production. There will also be live stats during each contest. Links for all live features are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/live.
 
Tickets for Sunday's home game, and all remaining home games, are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.
 
About the Griffins
Westminster starts the week at 1-6 overall and 0-4 in RMAC action. They have dropped five straight games. The team is 0-2 at home this season with an 0-3 mark in road games.
 
The Griffins are currently averaging 1.0 goals per game, having scored seven total goals. They are taking 6.7 shots per game and they put 57.4 percent of those shots on goal. They rank seventh in the RMAC by taking 4.71 corner kicks per contest and they have scored one penalty kick.
 
Cristian Alfaro currently leads the team with five points with two goals and one assist. He has taken a team-best 11 shots and put eight of those chances on goal. Preston McIllece has also scored two goals and ranks second on the team with four points. Hunter Kone has one goal – a game-winner – and one assist for three points.
 
The Griffins have a team goals-against-average of 2.85 and they have posted a .512 save percentage. The team is averaging 3.0 saves per game with opponents taking 15.0 shots per game. The opposition is putting 39.0 percent of those chances on goal and taking 5.0 corners per game.
 
Max Medley has made five starts in goal with a 2.69 GAA and .458 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 then 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 last comeback victory for the Griffins was a 2-1 win over Saint Ambrose on October 13, 2013.
 
No Experience Needed
• Cristian Alfaro leads the team with five points behind his two goals and one assist on the season. Alfaro also leads the team in shots with 11 and shots on goal with eight. Alfaro has attempted at least one shot in every game this season and has a shot on goal in six straight outings.
 
Freshman Jitters?
• Preston McIllece has scored a pair of goals from his defensive position this season. The freshman has attempted five shots with his two goals being is only shots on frame. McIllece leads all Griffins with 631 minutes played.
 
Taking Over in Goal
• Max Medley has assumed the position of starting keeper with five starts in the team's seven games. Medley has made 11 stops with 13 goals allowed in 435 minutes. He ranks 10th in the RMAC by making 2.20 saves per game and with a 2.69 GAA.
 
Match Facts: Adams State
• Westminster leads the all-time series 2-0-1.
• The teams played to a 1-1 draw last October in Salt Lake City.
• Adams State starts the week at 4-4 overall this season and 1-3 in RMAC games.
• The Grizzlies are fourth in the conference by scoring 1.88 goals per game with a 2.18 GAA.
• Symon Fabbricatore leads the team with five goals and 12 points.
 
Match Facts: Fort Lewis
• Westminster has a 3-2-1 lead in the all-time series.
• Fort Lewis defeated the Griffins 3-0 last season in Durango.
• The Skyhawks are 4-4 overall this season with a 3-1 mark in conference play.
• They are scoring 2.0 goals per game with a team GAA of 2.19.
• Churchill Onumonu has scored a team-best four goals.
 
Looking Ahead
• Westminster will play at home next weekend with a pair of RMAC matches on the agenda. They will host Colorado Christian on October 7 at 3 p.m. and they welcome Colorado School of Mines on October 9 at 1 p.m. Tickets for both games are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.