RADFORD & JMU MEET INSIDE CUPP FOR FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS

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MATCH INFORMATION

Date: September 20, 2017
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Cupp Stadium (Radford, Va.)
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Live Stats

SETTING THE STAGE

Radford will play its first Commonwealth opponent of the season, hosting James Madison for a 7 p.m. tilt on Wednesday night.
Despite meeting in 2009 and 2012 exhibition matches inside Cupp Stadium, the two in-state teams have not met in the regular season at Radford since 2002. The Dukes were victorious 3-2 on Oct. 17.
The Highlanders collected a 3-1 victory over the Dukes a season ago in Harrisonburg, Va.
James Madison holds a slight 5-4-3 advantage in the all-time series.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 3-2-1
Radford moved back above .500 on the season with a 2-0 win against Howard on Sept. 16.
The shutout marked the 11th shutout inside Cupp Stadium over the last four years.
Combing for nine of Radford's 10 goals on the season, Sivert Daehlie and Kieran Roberts provided the goals in the win.
The Daehlie goal came in the 32^nd minute off a deflection from a Max Edwards attempt, his fourth on the season, ranking 35^th in the country.
Tallying his 22^nd career goal, Daehlie moves into a two-way tie with Patrick Colas for 10^th in program history. The junior could move as high as seventh all-time this season, needing only six more goals to achieve the feat.
Daehlie is three points away from joining Colas for 10^th all-time in career points.
Roberts now ranks 13^th in the country with five goals as the redshirt-junior was successful on a penalty kick in the 53^rd minute, his second on the season.
The Highlanders outshot the Bison 13-5 in the match and have outshot opponents 81-52 on the season, ranking 54^th nationally with a 13.50 shots per game clip.
Of the 81 attempts, 31 have come on frame for an average of 5.17 per contest, ranking third in the Big South.
Roberts ranks second in the country with 5.67 shots per game and third with 2.83 shots on goal per game.
Defensively, Radford has only conceded five goals in six matches, leading the Big South and ranking 44^th nationally with a 0.80 goals against average.
Nicolas Mertzokat earned his first career Big South Defensive Player of the Week award on Monday after facing 16 shots in 200 minutes of action last week, yielding one goal. Mertzokat collected his second career save against Howard.
Mertzokat has tallied 12 saves, maintaining a .706 save percentage, ranking fifth in the league. Nationally, Mertzokat ranks 47^th with a .804 goals against average.
Joining Mertzokat as a weekly award winner, Noy Daabul was named the Big South's Freshman of the Week. Daabul stepped up on the backline, limiting opponents to only four shots on frame, while holding Howard to a mere five shots.
Through the first six matches, eight different Highlanders have played over 400 minutes as Myles Yorke leads all non-goalkeepers with 550 minutes.

SCOUTING JAMES MADISON

Record: 3-2-1
The Dukes enter the contest having played only one true road matchup in 2017 coming in a 3-1 loss at Navy on Sept. 9. James Madison opened the season with two neural site matchups in Columbus, Ohio against Florida International and Pittsburgh.
James Madison is coming off a 3-0 win over Niagara on Sept. 15 in which the Dukes' defense limited the Purple Eagles to only one shot.
The shutout marked the third on the season by the Dukes.
On the season, James Madison has outshot opponents 85-49 with over half of its shots coming on frame with 45.
Four different Dukes have taken six-plus shots on frame through the first six matches.
The Dukes rank 12^th in the country with 7.50 shots on goal per game and 34^th with 14.2 shots per game.
Of the nine goals scored on the season, five have come in the first half. However, opponents have tallied five of their six goals in the second half.
Ben Dao leads the team with three goals, while Niclas Mohr follows with two goals and two assists.
All nine goals have been assisted on as Joe Vyner ranks 13^th nationally with four assists.
Between the pipes, TJ Bush has started five of the six matches, registering 19 saves. All six goals have been scored on Bush.

UP NEXT

Radford opens up Big South play on the road for the third straight season, traveling to Buies Creek, N.C., for a 7 p.m. matchup against Campbell.
A season ago, Radford shutout the Fighting Camels with a 3-0 Senior Day victory.
The Highlanders lead the all-time series 15-14-3, taking a four-match winning streak over Campbell into the match.
Since the Fighting Camels rejoined the Big South in 2011, Radford is 6-0-1 in the meetings.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Sivert Daehlie: F; 6' 0"; Junior

#1 Nicolas Mertzokat: GK; 6' 3"; Senior

#7 Kieran Roberts: F; 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior

#26 Myles Yorke: D; 6' 1"; Senior

#2 Max Edwards: D; 6' 1"; Freshman

#4 Noy Daabul: D; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#10 Sivert Daehlie
: 6' 0"; Junior
: F

#1 Nicolas Mertzokat
: 6' 3"; Senior
: GK

#7 Kieran Roberts
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#26 Myles Yorke
: 6' 1"; Senior
: D

#2 Max Edwards
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: D

#4 Noy Daabul
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: D