Harding Men's Soccer
Harding (2-5-2, 2-3-1) vs. No. 15 Northeastern State (9-3-0, 7-0-0)
Location: Searcy, Ark. (Stevens Field)
Time: Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m.
Series: Northeastern State leads 14-0
Coaches: Harding – Odie Guzman (12-24-7, 3rd Season); Northeastern State – Rob Czlonka (41-17-10, 3rd Season)
Live Video/Stats: Available through a link on HardingSports.com
Harding
Harding men's soccer will go in search of its first victory in the last five games Thursday when the team hosts No. 15 Northeastern State at Stevens Field.
A victory would also be Harding's first in 15 matchups with Northeastern State.
The Bisons enter the game in fifth place in the MIAA with seven points (two wins, one tie). Harding is two points behind Upper Iowa (9 points) for the fourth and final MIAA Tournament spot.
Harding snapped a three-game skid last Thursday with a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Lindenwood. The Bisons went behind 1-0 on the Lions' goal in the 32nd minute, but Jacob Stevens' fifth goal of the season knotted the score in the 74th minute.
All five of Stevens' goals have come in MIAA games. He is tied for second with seven other MIAA players with five goals. Stevens and Maurizio Costa of Fort Hays State are the only players in the conference with five MIAA goals.
Harding ranks fifth in the seven-team MIAA with 1.56 goals per game. The Bisons are also fifth in goals against average (2.12).
Senior defender Gehrig Haberstock has played 4,903 minutes in his Harding career. With 97 more minutes, Haberstock will become only the fifth Bison to play 5,000 or more minutes. The other four are: Jackson Savage (5,955, 2009-12), Chad Marshall (5,739, 2006-09), Austin Brown (5,606, 2008-11), and Steve Hedeman (5,112, 2006-09).
Stevens is sixth in career minutes played with 4,893.
Northeastern State
Northeastern State enters the game in first place in the MIAA with a perfect 7-0-0 conference record. The RiverHawks have outscored their opponents 19-6 in MIAA games.
The only blemish on Northeastern State's ledger over its last eight games is a 3-2 home loss to Ouachita Baptist on Oct. 8. The RiverHawks are perfect at 4-0-0 on the road this season and have outscored opponents 9-4.
Northeastern State is led by senior midfielder Jordan Schmoker, who leads the team in both goals (5) and assists (10). Schmoker's assist total is tied for the NCAA Division II lead this season.
The RiverHawks are second in the MIAA with 2.33 goals per game, and first with a 1.00 goals against average.
The Series
Northeastern State has won all 14 meetings between the teams, including a 4-0 victory over Harding in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on Sept. 27. Frank Garay, Juan Peralta, Jonathan Guzman, and Trevor Reed scored goals for the RiverHawks.
