Sept. 8, 2003
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Contact: Kevin Zeise
CLEVELAND - The Cleveland State men's soccer team, fresh off a win against Loyola in the Horizon League opener for both teams, returns to the road for a pair of road matches. The Vikings will travel to Niagara on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m., before facing Xavier in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 3 p.m.
About the Vikings
Cleveland State (2-2, 1-0 Horizon) evened its record with road wins against Robert Morris and Loyola last week. The Vikings won both games by a 3-2 score, and moved into first place in the Horizon League with the win on Saturday at Loyola.
CSU 3, Robert Morris 2 - Stephen Ademolu (Windsor, Ont., Can./Herman/UNC-Pembroke) scored a hat-trick for the Vikings, as Cleveland State picked up its first win of the season.
CSU 3, Loyola 2 - Nic Ademolu (Windsor, Ont., Can./Herman/UNC-Pembroke) scored the gamewinner with 25 minutes to play as Cleveland State won its Horizon League opener. Twelve cards (10 yellow, two red) were issued between the two teams, with 11 of them coming in the second half, and nine being issued to the Vikings.
All Alone On Top
With Saturday's win at Loyola, the Horizon League opener for both teams, the Vikings stand all alone in first place in the Horizon League.
Hats Off
Stephen Ademolu's three goals against Robert Morris on Wednesday was the first hat-trick by a Viking since Joachim Walker recorded the feat in a 4-3 win against St. Bonaventure on Sept. 22, 2001. Ademolu came close to recording the hat trick three times last season, scoring a pair of goals against Loyola (10/9), UW-Green Bay (10/17) and UIC (11/15). Jim McMillan holds the CSU mark for most goals in a game with seven against Wright State on Oct. 16, 1971.
Lappin The Competition
Junior Spencer Lappin (Pepper Pike, Ohio/Orange/Indiana) has already exceeded his offensive output of a season ago. Lappin has scored once in three of the four games this season, including the first goal of the match on Saturday against Loyola. He has collected a goal in every game except the Sept. 3 match with Robert Morris. Lappin scored just two goals in 16 appearances off the bench last season, tallying once against Detroit on Oct. 2 and again against Akron on Oct. 20.
Head Coach Pete Curtis
In his fourth season as head coach, Pete Curtis has accumulated a record of 16-41-1 at Cleveland State. He guided the Vikings to a 10-11 mark last season, including a berth in the Horizon League championship game, and was named the Horizon League co-Coach of the Year. Curtis has compiled a career record of 114-129-11 in his 14 seasons as head coach.
Prior to coming to CSU, Curtis spent five years at the University of Charleston, compiling a record of 68-30-7. He also spent five years at Marietta College, guiding that school to a 28-58-3 mark during his tenure. He is assisted by John Harr, in his first season, and Andy Carl, in his sixth season.
About Niagara
Niagara is 0-2 on the season, falling to Quinnipiac and Maine at the Black Bear Challenge in Orono, Maine, on Aug. 30 and Sept. 1. Ewan Henderson and Ricky Fleck lead the Purple Eagles with a goal apiece.
About Xavier
The Musketeers enter the week still looking for their first goal of the season. Xavier is 0-4, with losses to Michigan and Michigan State at the MSU/Radisson Fall Classic, Louisville and Western Kentucky. The Musketeers will play at Wright State on Friday.
Series Notes
Cleveland State holds the edge in the series against both of this week's opponents. The Vikings are 2-0-1 all-time against Niagara, including wins in 2000 and 2001. This will be Cleveland State's first trip to Lewiston to face the Purple Eagles. The Vikings have won all seven matches against Xavier. The two teams last met in 1994, a 1-0 Viking win in Cincinnati.
This Keeper's A Keeper
Junior goalkeeper Amir Kettani (Kirtland, Ohio/Lake Catholic/Ashland) is quietly putting up numbers similar to those he posted a year ago. Kettani has saved 73.1 percent of all shots faced, compared to the 73.2 percent of a year ago. Kettani has a record of 2-1 on the season, nearly equaling his 3-3 mark of a year ago.
Tournament Honors
Spencer Lappin and Stephen Ademolu were each named to the all-tournament team at the Duquesne Classic. Lappin scored a pair of goals in the tournament, while Ademolu collected an assist in the tournament's final match against Duquesne.
Welcome Aboard
Six Vikings made their first appearance in a Cleveland State uniform at the Duquesne Classic on Aug. 29-31, with several players making valuable contributions to the Vikings already this season. Nic Ademolu (Windsor, Ont., Can./Herman/St. Clair College) collected a goal against Duquesne, and has two on the season, while David Prentice (North Curl Curl, Australia/St. Pius X) assisted on Spencer Lappin's goal against the Dukes. Sophomore David Carmichael (Paisley, Scotland/Penilee/Cardonald College) picked up a goal against Loyola on Saturday, while freshmen Brock Elder (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) and David Stewart (Ingleside, Texas/Ingleside/Lamar) have seen valuable minutes in the back for Cleveland State.
50 Years of Soccer
The 2003 campaign marks the 50th season of soccer at Cleveland State University, a milestone that will be commemmorated during the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 20, against UIC. The event includes a full weekend of activities, including an alumni soccer match. In addition, returning alumni will be recognized at halftime of the Viking-Flame matchup.
Up Next
The Vikings will finally get to play at Krenzler Field with a Sept. 20 match against UIC. Before the opener, however, Cleveland State will have its seventh match away from home on Sept. 17 at Cincinnati.
