This Week In WAC Men's Soccer - Oct. 5
This Week In WAC Men's Soccer - Oct. 5
AIR FORCE TAKES THE CONFERENCE LEAD AFTER ONE WEEK OF LEAGUE PLAY
Air Force picked up wins in its first two conference starts to kick off WAC play, downing UNLV 2-1 on Sept. 30 and Utah Tech 3-0 on Oct. 2. San José State and Houston Christian were both 1-0-1 with four points, while Utah Tech and Seattle U each earned a win to register three points in the first conference week of 2022.
FALCONS ON A THREE-MATCH WINNING STREAK OVERALL
As part of its ascendance to the top of the conference standings following the opening weekend of league matches, Air Force has been the hottest team overall in the WAC with wins in its last three starts and results in four of its last five outings overall. The Falcons tied No. 4 Washington 1-1 on Sept. 11 and earned one-goal victories against San Francisco (1-0, Sept. 25) and UNLV (2-1 on Sept. 30) before racing past Utah Tech 3-0 on Oct. 2.
FARKARLUN STILL IN THE TOP 10 NATIONALLY IN SCORING
WAC leading scorer Bryant Farkarlun from Houston Christian checked in seventh nationally in total points in the latest NCAA Division I statistics report from Oct. 4. Farkarlun’s 19 points trailed the 22 points of Lipscomb’s Jelldrik Dallmann. Farkarlun found his conference-high seventh goal of the season in a 2-0 win for Houston Christian on the road at Seattle U on Oct. 2.
THREE WAC TEAMS HAVE PLAYED TOP-25 SCHEDULES
As of Oct. 5, three different WAC members owned strength of schedule rankings within the top 25 nationally based on the NCAA RPI formula. Seattle U has played the sixth-toughest slate in the country, with top-10 matches played against Kentucky (No. 1 RPI), Washington (No. 8 RPI) and Louisville (No. 10 RPI). Utah Valley’s schedule was rated 21st and Air Force’s schedule to date ranked 23rd.
AITKEN RACKS UP THE SAVES FOR HCU
Reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Week Alex Aitken from Houston Christian has been one of the most effective goalkeepers in the conference this season, recording the most saves (47) and highest save percentage (.797) in the WAC as of Oct. 5. Aitken is the only WAC goalkeeper with seven or more saves in two different matches thus far in 2022, notching seven against San José State on Sept. 30 and 11 versus Oral Roberts on Sept. 9.