Spartans step out of conference to host Longwood on Wednesday
GREENSBORO, N.C.—UNCG takes a break from Southern Conference play when the Spartans host Longwood, 7 p.m., Wednesday, at UNCG Soccer Stadium.
The Spartans (5-6-1 overall) are looking to get back to .500 and build upon a 4-0 win over SoCon foe Wofford last Saturday. Freshman Austin Miller scored a pair of goals and added an assist, and junior goalkeeper Peyton Ford recorded his second straight shutout and fourth of the season against the Terriers.
Longwood enters the match with a 7-6-1 overall record. The Lancers are members of the Atlantic Soccer Conference, a non-automatic NCAA qualifying league, and own an 0-2 mark in league play.
The Lancers are led offensively by Nick Surkamp (8g, 1a, 17pts) and Zach Crandall (6g, 12 pts). Goalkeeper Joel Helmick owns a 1.11 goals-against average.
Longwood tied UNCG 1-1 last year in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Junior Hakan Ilhan leads the Spartans in goals (6), assists (3) and points (15), while Ford ranks second in the SoCon with a 0.79 goals-against average. Ford's four shutouts tie him for third in the conference.
Ford has been especially outstanding of late, having allowed just three goals over his last 579 minutes for a 0.47 goals-against average in that span. In SoCon play Ford has allowed just one goal in 380 minutes (0.24 gaa).
Spartan Storylines
• Head coach Justin Maullin is 17-12-5 (.574) in his second season with the Spartans, including 6-2-3 (.682) in SoCon games
• Wednesday's match is the eighth meeting in the series between the Spartans and the Lancers, with UNCG holding a 6-0-1 advantage in the series. The Spartans and Lancers played to a 1-1 draw last season in the regular-season finale for both squads.
• A win on Wednesday will get the Spartans back to .500 for the first time since Oct. 1 when a 2-0 win over Furman evened UNCG's season record at 4-4-0
• The Spartans are 4-2-1 at home this season
• Junior goalkeeper Peyton Ford earned his 13th career shutout on Saturday at Wofford. He is one away from tying current assistant coach Jay Benfield (2001-05) for second on the school's all-time list.
• Benfield was the last Spartan keeper to post a sub-1.00 goals-against average, finishing the 2005 season at 0.83. Ford is on pace to match the UNCG Division I-era record.
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