Bree Hicken

Men's Soccer 10/5/2020 3:41:00 PM

Men's Soccer Concludes Homestand Hosting Mercer Tuesday

Panthers Looking to Match Best Start in Program History

ATLANTA – Coming off back-to-back shutouts to open a three-match homestand, Georgia State will look to continue the trend and close out the stretch of matches at home hosting Mercer on Tuesday night at 7 p.m., at the GSU Soccer Complex.

Georgia State (4-0) is off to its best start since the 2003 season and will look to sweep Mercer (1-1) following a 2-1 win over the Bears last month. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 11-2 to start the season as sophomore Gunther Rankenburg has pitched shutouts in each of the last two matches.

The Panthers are coming off a 2-0 win over in-state rival Georgia Southern on Sunday.

Senior forward Aris Briggs leads the Sun Belt Conference with nine points and is tied for the league lead in both goals (3) and assists (3). He is tied with Matthew Fearnley who also has three goals and is tied with George Proctor with three assists.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans will be required to wear masks and are encouraged to bring their own seating to help with social distancing to the GSU Soccer Complex. Admission and parking at the GSU Soccer Complex is free of charge.

THE MATCHUP

Georgia State concludes a three-match homestand hosting Mercer in the second match of a home-and-home series with the Bears this season.
The Panthers knocked off the Bears 2-1 in Macon last month in the opening match of the season as senior Aris Briggs recorded a pair of goals in the win.
The Panthers lead the all-time series with Mercer 37-18-3, including a 21-4-2 mark in Atlanta.
Mercer is playing a limited fall schedule. The Bears topped Georgia Southern 3-0 in their only other match this fall.

THE LATEST

Georgia State scored a 2-0 win over Georgia Southern on Sunday afternoon to improve to 4-0 on the season. The Panthers are undefeated through four games for the first time since 2003.
A win on Tuesday would match the best start in program history for Georgia State. The Panthers have twice opened the year 5-0 (2003 and 1975).
In Georgia State's first four matches, seven different players have scored goals. Aris Briggs and Matthew Fearnley each have three goals, while Jeryn Hodge, Simon Carlson, Logan Luque, Justin Guest, and Max Wilkins have each scored once.
For a second-straight week, Georgia State has swept Sun Belt Conference weekly honors. Matthew Fearnley (Offensive) and George Proctor (Defensive) garnered recognition last Wednesday.
Georgia State was named the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Team of the Week on Sept. 21, following the Panthers 2-1 season opening win over Mercer.
Senior forward Aris Briggs took home a trophy case of hardware in Week 1 earning three awards. He scored two goals against Mercer including a header in the 81st minute that proved to be the game winner. For his efforts, he earned the following awards.
- Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week
- United Soccer Coaches Players of the Week
- TopDrawerSoccer.com Player of the Week
Georgia State is undefeated through four matches for a second-straight year. The Panthers started last season unbeaten in their first nine matches - a school record. The previous school record of seven games with a loss to start the season was set in 1967.

QUICK HITS

Senior forward Aris Briggs leads the Sun Belt Conference with nine points and is tied for the league lead in both goals (3) and assists (3). He is tied with Matthew Fearnley who also has three goals and is tied with George Proctor with three assists.
Last year Aris Briggs finished with 16 goals and one assist for 33 total points. His 16 goals ranked seventh among all players in Division I men's soccer and ranked tied for ninth in the GSU record book for goals scored in a single season. He led the Sun Belt in total points (33), points per game (1.65), goals (16), goals per game (0.80).
Georgia State has appeared in five-straight Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship Games, last earning the title in 2018 before appearing in the NCAA Tournament.

SUN BELT WEEKLY HONORS

Georgia State seniors Aris Briggs and Paul Tyson earned Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors on Sept. 23, following a 2-1 win over Mercer to start the season. Briggs finished with two goals, while Tyson made seven saves keeping the Bears off the scoreboard in the first half. It marked the second time that Briggs was honored in his career and the fourth time that Tyson was recognized.
Matthew Fearnley and George Proctor swept the Week 2 awards. Fearnley scored the first goal of Georgia State's 3-1 win over South Carolina, while Proctor impressed on the backline that allowed just one late Gamecock goal.

FOUR PANTHERS GARNER PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE ACCOLADES

Georgia State had four players named to the 2020 All-Sun Belt Preseason recognition, including Aris Briggs, Matthew Fernley, Ross Finnie, and Paul Tyson. Briggs was named the league's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He and Tyson have earned preseason recognition in each of the last two seasons.

TYSON NAMED TOP 10 GOALKEEPER BY TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM

Georgia State senior goalkeeper Paul Tyson has been named one of the top 10 goalkeepers in the country entering the 2020 season by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Tyson, a native of Liverpool, England, earned 2019 Sun Belt All-Tournament Team honors last year after guiding the Panthers to a fifth-straight Sun Belt Conference Championship Game appearance.

REACHING TRIPLE DIGITS

GSU head coach Brett Surrency reached the 100-win plateau in the regular season finale last year. He has led GSU to 11 or more wins in three consecutive seasons and is the only coach in GSU history to take the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament.
Surrency is currently the second-winningest head coach in GSU men's soccer history (105), behind only Scottie O'Neill (143), who coached the team from 1976-86.

Following Tuesday night's match, Georgia State will start a stretch of four-straight games away from home at Coastal Carolina on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Paul Tyson: GK; 6' 7"; Senior

#10 Matthew Fearnley: M; 5' 10"; Junior

#4 Ross Finnie: M; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#15 Justin Guest: M; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#16 George Proctor: D; 6' 1"; Senior

#19 Max Wilkins: F; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#23 Logan Luque: M; 5' 11"; Junior

#31 Aris Briggs: F; 6' 4"; Senior

#33 Gunther Rankenburg: GK; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#12 Simon Carlson: MF; 5' 6"; Freshman

#27 Jeryn Hodge: F; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Paul Tyson
: 6' 7"; Senior
: GK

#10 Matthew Fearnley
: 5' 10"; Junior
: M

#4 Ross Finnie
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: M

#15 Justin Guest
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: M

#16 George Proctor
: 6' 1"; Senior
: D

#19 Max Wilkins
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: F

#23 Logan Luque
: 5' 11"; Junior
: M

#31 Aris Briggs
: 6' 4"; Senior
: F

#33 Gunther Rankenburg
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: GK

#12 Simon Carlson
: 5' 6"; Freshman
: MF

#27 Jeryn Hodge
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: F