Men's Soccer 8/20/2021 10:48:00 AM

Men's Soccer Hosts No. 6 Clemson Saturday Night

ATLANTA – The Georgia State men's soccer team will close out the exhibition portion of the scheduling hosting No. 6 Clemson on Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the new GSU Soccer Complex.

It will conclude a busy eight-day stretch for the Panthers that included three exhibition matches leading up to the regular season opener against UNF next Thursday night.

Georgia State is coming off a 2-1 exhibition win at Presbyterian College on Wednesday night as a pair of newcomers, Iolo Jones and Ethan Sassine, each found the back of the net for the Panthers.

Clemson enters play coming off a 5-0 exhibition win over Wofford last Sunday. The Tigers advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament last spring before falling to eventual national champion Marshall in penalty kicks.

Georgia State returns an experienced group that includes nine seniors coming off a 9-2-2 season, while receiving votes in the top 25 poll.

Admission and parking are free at the new GSU Soccer Complex which is located at 188 MLK Jr. Dr. SE, just a block from the State Capitol.

MATCH NOTES
? Georgia State closes out the exhibition portion of the scheduling hosting No. 6 Clemson.
? Although Clemson leads the all-time series 20-1, the one time the Panthers knocked off the Tigers in the regular season was when Clemson was No. 6 in the country on Sept. 5, 2001. The Panthers also have an exhibition win over a top 25 ranked Clemson team in 2007.
? Georgia State's last win over a ranked opponent was just two years ago topping No. 10 Charlotte 2-0 on Oct. 15, 2019.
? The Panthers have seven wins all-time during the regular season against ranked opponents.

NEW HOMES
? Georgia State has a pair of new homes this season. The Panthers opened the new GSU Soccer Complex at 188 MLK Jr. Drive SE earlier this summer. The location previously housed the Georgia State Football team for 10 years.
? The Panthers second new home this year is the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Panthers along with in-state rival Georgia Southern joined the league earlier this summer. In fitting fashion, the two schools will face off in the final match of the regular season.

QUICK HITS
? Georgia State finished the 2020 shortened season going 9-2-2 and received votes in multiple top 25 polls throughout the season.
? The Panthers played in a sixth-straight conference tournament championship game before falling to Coastal Carolina for the league title in penalty kicks last November.
? Georgia State returns senior George Proctor who earned both Sun Belt Player of the Year and Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. He led a backline that statistically was one of the best in the nation.
? Senior Matthew Fearnley became the first CoSIDA Academic All-American in program history last spring, while both he and fellow senior Logan Luque earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. Fearnley shared the team lead with five goals scored.
? Although Georgia State returns a great deal of its production from last year, there will be two big missing pieces this season. Senior Aris Briggs was drafted by Real Salt Lake in the third round of the MLS Draft and fellow senior goalkeeper Paul Tyson graduated and elected to turn pro. Briggs shared the team lead with five goals, while Tyson went 7-1-2 in goal and pitched five shutouts.

THE LATEST
? Georgia State has opened exhibition play with a 0-0 draw against Clayton State in which all 22 available players, including all three goalies, played, along with a 2-1 win over Presbyterian College on Wednesday night.
? In the win against the Blue Hose, it was a pair of newcomers getting the goals. Graduate transfer Iolo Jones got the Panthers on the board in the first half, and it was freshman Ethan Sassine who proved to have the game winning goal in the second half.

WHAT'S NEXT
? Georgia State opens the regular season on Aug. 26, hosting UNF at the new GSU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#10 Matthew Fearnley: M; 5' 11"; Senior

#23 Logan Luque: M; 5' 10"; Senior

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

#19 Ethan Sassine: F; 5' 10"; Freshman

#3 Iolo Jones: MF; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

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

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

#10 Matthew Fearnley
: 5' 11"; Senior
: M

#23 Logan Luque
: 5' 10"; Senior
: M

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

#19 Ethan Sassine
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: F

#3 Iolo Jones
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: MF