Men's Soccer – The Week Ahead….
 
THE SCHEDULE…
 
CLARKE UNIVERSITY at UPPER IOWA – WEDNESDAY – 10/17/12
Pattison Field – Fayette, Iowa – 3 p.m.
Live Stats
Video Webcast

THE SERIES… This will be the fourteenth meeting between the Clarke University Crusaders and Upper Iowa over the past fifteen years. The Peacocks have won the last four meetings between the teams and overall, they own a 8-3-2 record in the series. UIU last lost to the Crusaders back in 2005.

THE MATCHUP… Clarke University enters Wednesday's matchup with the Peacocks with a 8-4-1 record, including a 3-1 mark in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. The Crusaders have totaled 27 goals this season, 13 of which have come from freshman forward Aaron Calkins (7) and senior forward Dino Ramic (6). Clarke is 5-1 at home this season, but only 2-2-1 on the road. The Crusaders last defeated William Penn University on October 14 at home, 2-1. In goal for Clarke is Luke Van Meveren, who has started all 13 matches and has accumulated 53 saves, while giving up only 16 goals.
 
RIGHT ON THE CUSP … Upper Iowa coach Brian Bahl told his team last week was 'a fresh start' and they responded with back-to-back victories, before falling to the number 17 team in the nation by only one goal. UIU handed visiting NIACC a 3-0 loss on Sunday before defeating Southern Nazarene, 1-0, in a MIAA conference match at home on Thursday. UIU dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker to Fort Hays State on Friday, but played well throughout the match. UIU seems to be right on the cusp of having an above .500 season as they host three more opponents at home this week. 
  
DON’T STICK A FORK IN THEM YET… Don’t count the Peacocks out of the playoff race in the MIAA just yet. Sitting at 2-5 is not idealistic, but with a little optimism, UIU is still in the postseason hunt. Midway through their longest home stretch of the year, the Peacocks have three conference matches left, and if they win them all they will most likely make the four-team conference tournament at the end of the year. The Peacocks will face a non-conference opponent in Clarke this Wednesday before  hosting MIAA-foe Southwest Baptist University - a team they already defeated this year on the road. They will finish home play against another conference foe in Lindenwood University on the 21st of October. The Peacocks will finish the year on the road against Truman State (Oct. 26) in a match that could determine if UIU will make the postseason. UIU will need to finish the season very strong and will need a little luck, but don’t count the Peacocks out just yet.

FIERCE FRESHMEN… UIU has its veteran leaders, but the Peacocks have received a tremendous amount of help from their freshman class in 2012. It's not a big surprise UIU is leaning on its underclassmen after graduating ten seniors from last year's squad, but a few candidates have really stepped up for the Peacocks recently. Elgin, Illinois native Jason Bishop   f f  and Sao Paulo, Brazil native Rafael Pedroso have both recorded three goals this season for UIU, and are tied for the lead in that category. This past week, another freshman was counted on in crunch time. Jared Newman has shined in practice for UIU, but has just started to see playing time on the field. His impact was felt immediately as he scored the game-winning goal over Southern Nazarene on Thursday and added his second goal of the season in the 11th minute of the Peaocks match against Fort Hays State. It should be interesting to see how these freshmen can mature and grow and produce for the Peacocks in 2013.

GETTING YOUR BELL RUNG… Peacock goalkeeper Jordan Bell has had his highs and lows for the 2012 season, but when at his best, Bell has proven he can be impenetrable.  At 6-foot-1, Bell's length has helped him earn a total of 93 saves this year. Bell, who posted his third shutout of 2012 this past week, is second in the MIAA with a 6.44 saves per match average and is third with a .753 save percentage. Those numbers become more impressive when you factor in an all-freshman backline for the Peacocks. 
 
COACH'S CORNER... Head coach Brian Bahl earned his 45th victory at helm of the Upper Iowa men’s soccer team last Thursday against Southern Nazarene University. Bahl, who was hired before the 2007 season, has a 3-0 record against the Crusaders, including a 1-0 victory at home last season.
 
HOME STRETCH… UIU is in its home stretch for the 2012 season. The Peacocks will entertain Clarke University in a mid-week showdown at home, before hosting Southwest Baptist and Lindenwood University on Friday and Sunday, respectively. UIU will end the regular season on the road as they battle the Bulldogs of Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri.

DON'T FORGET... Tune in on Wednesday to catch the action live against Clarke University. The match will be available to watch and listen live online by clicking here. The Peacock Pregame show will begin roughly 10 minutes before the contest is scheduled to start.