<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1WnsLf_0wBL9M7J00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1WnsLf_0wBL9M7J00" width="1884" height="1060" ><figcaption>Madeline Davis</figcaption></figure>TULSA, Okla. -- Sporting the best defense in the country in goal against average and shutout percentage, the Charlotte 49ers travel to Tulsa, Okla., to play the Golden Hurricane Friday (Oct. 18) evening in American Athletic Conference men's soccer action.Friday night will be a tale of two very different teams as Charlotte (6-1-4, 2-1-1 AAC) leads the AAC with a plus-10 goal differential while the Golden Hurricane (2-7-3, 1-2-1) is last with a minus-12 differential. Against Tulsa, the Niners have a great chance to claim their first victory in three weeks. The game, which is set for an 8 p.m. kickoff, will be broadcast live on ESPN+, HERE, and live statistics will also be available, HERE.THE BASICS- A win on Friday would give Charlotte its first win in three weeks after a pair of draws and a loss, and it would be the Niners' first win on the road against the Golden Hurricane in three tries.- Following its recent three-game stretch, Charlotte dropped to No. 27 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. The 49ers peaked at No. 9 in the polls prior to the loss to Memphis.- The Niners are tied for second in the American Athletic Conference with seven points. Charlotte and FIU trail Memphis (10 points) for first-place.- The 49ers' defense has carried them this season. They lead the country with a .545 goal against average and a .636 shutout percentage.- Charlotte needs to break its scoring drought as the 49ers have not scored a goal over their last three matches. After scoring a season-high four goals versus South Florida, the 49ers have registered just six total shots on-target in the past three games.- The Niners have only one more regular season match remaining at Transamerica. On Sunday, Oct. 27, Charlotte hosts UAB for Senior Night.- Through 900 minutes this season, the Niners have trailed for only 49 minutes.SCOUTING THE GOLDEN HURRICANE- The Golden Hurricane has struggled this season with their 2-7-3 record. However, they perform far better at home (2-2-2) than on the road (0-5-1).- Over the past five games, Tulsa is 1-2-2.- The win came over visiting Florida Atlantic on October 4. A penalty kick goal in the 89th minute was the difference between a tie and a victory.- Most recently, the Golden Hurricane fought for a pair of 1-1 draws against Central Arkansas and UAB.- This year, Tulsa has been outscored, 24-12. The Golden Hurricane has allowed a goal in every game this season, including multiple goals in eight matches. The defense has improved, however, as Tulsa has given up just three goals in the past three games.- Defender Camilo Vargas leads the team with three goals and two assists.- After a 16-2-1 season in 2021 that included an AAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance and another tournament appearance in 2022, Tulsa's Tom McIntosh went 4-8-3 last year.- McIntosh is in his 30th season at the helm of the Golden Hurricane. This is the 43rd year of existence of the Tulsa men's soccer program.SERIES HISTORY- Tulsa and Charlotte have only met four times prior with both teams taking two wins a piece.- Last season, the 49ers won 2-1 at home. Natsuki Ogata scored the opening goal 76 seconds into the match and Ian Pilcher scored the game-winner in the 74th off a corner kick from Matthew Kirk.- The Niners are still seeking their first win over the Golden Hurricane in Oklahoma. Tulsa won the home matchups in 2022 and 2013. In the 2022 matchup, the Golden Hurricane gave the 49ers its first loss of the season after Charlotte started 7-0.- The first-ever meeting between the two schools was a classic. On Oct. 13, 2013, Tulsa stole a 3-2 win in overtime over the 49ers. The Golden Hurricane scored in the 89th and 92nd minutes.RETURNING TO REPEAT- Headlining the list of returners is team captain Ian Pilcher. The man donning No. 22 was named AAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year ahead of his senior campaign. Last year, Pilcher was a second-team All-East Region and All-AAC selection, in addition to being crowned the 2023 Most Outstanding Player of the American Athletic Conference Tournament.- Pilcher was also named to the preseason all-conference team this year, alongside Larsen.- Larsen, who led the team with 15 points and finished 2023 with five goals and five assists, was a second-team All-AAC selection and third-team All-Region pick last year.- Another 2023 All-East Region choice, Riyon Tori returned for his senior year as well, despite being drafted in the third round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City.- Pilcher and Tori were named 2024 Players to Watch by the United Soccer Coaches. 49ERS AND PANTHERS DUEL TO A DRAW AT TRANSAMERICA- 90 minutes were not enough to determine a victor as No. 22 Charlotte and FIU played to a 0-0 draw in American Athletic Conference men's soccer action at Transamerica Field last Saturday (Oct. 12) evening.- While the nation's longest home winning streak was stopped at 11 games, the Niners remain unbeaten at home while also recording their eighth shutout over the past nine matches at Transamerica.- Offensively, the Niners were superior, outshooting the Panthers, 9-5, and owning an 8-2 edge in corner kicks. The Niners also dominated possession with a near 60/40 advantage. Unfortunately, Charlotte was unable to find the back of the net to turn the draw into a win while FIU was seemingly content with the tie.- In the 79th minute, the referees called for a video review to look into awarding a potential penalty kick to Charlotte. Brigham Larsen was taken down in the box, but the referees did not grant the penalty.- Meanwhile, in the 88th minute, FIU had a goal wiped off the board due to an offsides call. It appeared that the Panthers had scored after securing the rebound on a save by Leo Stritter but the FIU forward was ruled offsides before the second shot attempt.- It was a very chippy and physical game as there were a combined 29 fouls and 11 cards.- Chris Dommer made his first start for the Boys in Green.THE NATION'S BEST DEFENSE- The Niners lead the entire country in goal against average (.545) and in shutout percentage (.636). Charlotte has recorded seven shutouts through 11 games. - The vaunted Niner defense is allowing their opponents to average only 7.4 shot attempts and less than three shots on goal per game.- Keeper Leonard Stritter is the only keeper in the conference with a goal against average under 1.00. He currently sits at .545. Although, it helps that he has faced, by far, the fewer shots in the conference and yet, Stritter leads the AAC with his .786 save percentage.- Ian Pilcher has lived up to his preseason billing as AAC Preseason Defender of the Year with three AAC Defensive Player of the Week honors while fellow defenders Daniel Moore and Lasse Laursen have also earned weekly honors from the conference. LET'S DO SOME RPI MATH- Before the season, Coach Langan spoke on the need to improve the 49ers' RPI on the quest for a top-16 seed in the NCAA Tournament. "Last year, our RPI was 14 at the end of the regular season, we still were overlooked for a [top 16] seed..."- A top-16 seed grants a team a first-round bye in the tournament and the right to host the second and third rounds at home.- Despite dropping out the Coaches' Poll, Langan's 49ers are 18th in the NCAA's Adjusted RPI.- A win over Tulsa would keep Charlotte perfect against Quad 3 teams. The 49ers are 4-0 in that quadrant. - In Quads 3/4, the 49ers are a combined 6-0, having outscored their opponents, 14-3.- Charlotte is still looking for its first Quad 1 win after draws on the road against UNCG and Saint Louis.- Currently, only one Quad 1/2 game remains on Charlotte's schedule-- a road matchup against Elon in non-conference action. The Phoenix are currently a Quad 1 team but could drop into the Quad 2 territory before the Niners come to town.- Only Elon remains but Charlotte has survived a non-conference slate that places the 49ers No. 7 in Adjusted Non-Conference RPI. Syracuse was the other tough matchup for the Niners as Charlotte traveled north to New York and left with a 2-2 draw. The Orange are currently a Quad 2 team but could elevate to Quad 1 by season's end.- The Boys in Green debuted at No. 5 in RPI before the Memphis loss dropped them from eighth to 13th.KING OF THE AMERICAN HILL- The loss to Memphis and the draw to FIU means that the 49ers and the Panthers remain tied for second-place while the Tigers still retain pole position in the American Athletic Conference. - With three conference matchups remaining and Memphis owning the tiebreaker, the path to Charlotte hosting the semifinals and championship matches of the 2024 AAC Championship looks something like the 49ers winning out and the Tigers suffering at least one loss and a draw. - After the draw to Temple last week and Tuesday's 1-3 loss to Missouri State, Memphis will have to go on the road and try to right the ship against fourth-place South Florida on Friday. The Tigers' remaining two contests are FAU and FIU. Despite their four points in league play, the Owls are on a two-game win streak, which is best in the AAC. Memphis ends the regular season on the road against FIU on November 1.- Against AAC foes, the 49ers have the second-best goal differential at plus-three. Only three teams (Charlotte, Memphis, and FIU) have a positive goal differential in league play.- The Golden Hurricane (four points) need wins if they wish to qualify for the 2024 AAC Tournament. Only six of the eight teams in the league advance to the conference tournament.DEEPER THAN DEEP- Charlotte is, without a doubt, one of the deepest teams in the nation. Head Coach Kevin Langan can utilize a rotation featuring 23 players when everyone is healthy. 22 different 49ers have started a game this season. Nine different players have combined to score 16 goals through 11 matches. Twelve 49ers have been credited with assists and all told, 17 players have at least one point for Charlotte already.- The return of midfielder Riyon Tori means the 49ers are closer to its peak form. Last season, in his first season in the Green &amp; White, Tori was a first-team all-conference and second-team all-region selection while being the only Charlotte player to start all 18 games. His ability to impact the game does not always show up on the stat sheet (two assists and a goal last season) but there was a good reason Orlando City drafted the Osaka, Japan native in the third round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.- Chris Dommer has gone from playing less than five minutes in the season opener and being a reserve in the first 10 games of the season to being part of the starting eleven against FIU.- Elias Arsvoll is the 49ers' third AAC Freshman of the Week after Jaedon Richardson and Daire McCarthy. Despite missing the first four games to start the year, Arsvoll is third on the team with five points. Richardson is second on the team with seven points, while starting just three matches so far. McCarthy went from playing less than 10 minutes in the opener to starting six straight games and playing more than 60 minutes in each.- Filip Jauk leads the team with four goals despite being 11th on the team in minutes. He's third in the AAC in assists.- Ben Fisher is third in the conference with four assists while starting just five matches this season.- From Campbell to Temple, there were five changes in the starting lineup. In the AAC opener versus the Owls, Charlotte was without usual mainstays Ian Pilcher, Natsuki Ogata, and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou. Ogata and Orthodoxou had started all but one of the matches they had appeared this season and for Pilcher, it was only the third missed game in his four-year career. The results were the same, regardless. A 1-0 victory over Campbell, a 1-0 win at Temple.- Abubacarr Fofana stepped up in Pilcher's absence and played all 90 minutes at Temple. He also played 55 minutes versus Campbell, filling in for the injured captain. In the five games prior, Fofana had registered two DNP's and totaled just 24 minutes of game time. It is a tremendous luxury to have an experienced player like Fofana, who started 11 games last season and not even have to play him in every game. LAST TIME ON THE ROAD: NARROW 1-0 DEFEAT TO MEMPHIS GIVES #9 CHARLOTTE ITS FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON- On the road against Memphis, No. 9 Charlotte suffered its first loss of the season in a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Tigers in American Athletic Conference play on October 5.- The loss comes despite Charlotte outshooting Memphis, 10-8, and having a 7-2 edge in corner kicks. Additionally, the 49ers dominated possession, especially in the second half as the Boys in Green were very aggressive on the attack.- After the Tigers' goal in the 51st minute, the Charlotte offense worked frantically to find its potential equalizer. The attack generated multiple great looks but could not find the back of the net. Charlotte took five shots in the final 20 minutes of the match while searching for the game-tying goal.- Defensively, Stritter earned two saves. In the 25th minute, the Frankfurt, Germany native earned a spectacular save. He was positioned perfectly-- far post as the header was sent his direction following a Memphis free kick. Even later in the first half, a low cross found an unmarked Tiger inside the 12-yard box but Stritter did not panic and secured the ball to keep the match tied entering halftime.- After making his season debut in the previous match against Saint Louis, Riyon Tori was announced as a starter for Charlotte in this match. The second-team all-region selection and third-round draft pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft played 56 minutes versus Memphis.NINER NUGGETS- Last season, the Charlotte 49ers won their third conference tournament title in program history when they defeated No. 2 SMU in Dallas, Texas in the American Athletic Conference Championship. - The title earned the Niners their 17th total appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they defeated visiting High Point and advanced to the second round.- To start the 2024 campaign, the 49ers were named the preseason favorites in the American Athletic Conference, as voted on by the league's coaches in August. The Niners claimed six of eight first-place votes in the AAC.- Despite being the favorites to repeat, Coach Langan asserts that the team is not thinking about last season anymore: "It was put to bed in the spring. That group is done, that moment is done. The nature of college soccer, it builds and grows every year. We don't want to talk about a championship anymore, the trophy is put away. It's done. We have to write our own story now. Everything's in front of us, everyone starts at zero. All these cliches but it is 100% true."- The 2024 version of the 49ers features 15 newcomers joining a veteran-laden squad that returns three All-Region performers and seven players who started 10-plus games for Charlotte last season.- With the new rule that now eliminates players from re-entering in the second half, Coach Langan admitted that he would "have to trust the squad perhaps a bit more" this season. - The early goal for the new guys is to "get assimilated more in how we do things here, what is expected of a Charlotte player, the common language we use, the expectations, our style of play."- Teaching the new guys the 49ers' #GoldStandard ways are Laursen, Pilcher, Tori, and Luke Husakiwsky, "those guys are really good at embracing the new guys and letting them know how we do things."-The Niners will have to weather the loss of forward Jonathan Nyandjo, who graduated this spring. Nyandjo was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and a First-Team All-American selection at Charlotte last season.- "You don't replace [Nyandjo]," Coach Langan admitted. "New people step up, new players come in and they play the position, the role in their own way."- "It [the tough non-conference schedule] serves a lot of different purposes. Last year, our RPI was 14 at the end of the regular season, we still were overlooked for a [top 16] seed so rather than 'woe me,' it's if we want to be seeded for the tournament and get a smoother run as you go along, more home games, then the only thing they could throw at us last year was perhaps strength of schedule. But that's it."- "We have an expectation, that is to win every game we play. We don't train to be valiant losers. We don't train as hard as we do to give it our best shot. We train like [this] so we can win."The Niners play their final non-conference game of the regular season when they make the 100-mile trek north to Elon to play the Phoenix on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.</div></body>

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49ers Bring Nation's Top Defense to Tulsa for Friday Night Bout

TULSA, Okla. -- Sporting the best defense in the country in goal against average and shutout percentage, the Charlotte 49ers travel to Tulsa, Okla., to play the Golden Hurricane Friday (Oct. 18) evening in American Athletic Conference men's soccer action. Friday night will be a tale of two very different...