PITTSBURGH -- Point Park men's soccer is set to continue its homestand on Wednesday when it hosts West Virginia Wesleyan at F.N.B. Stadium. Opening kick is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
Point Park (5-4-2, 4-3-0 MEC) picked up its first road win of the season on Sunday with a 2-0 victory over Shawnee State in Portsmouth, Ohio.
Joel Gomez opened the scoring in the fourth minute with an unassisted goal to give the Pioneers an early lead. Hector Moreno added an insurance goal in the 89th minute with an assist from Louis Guffroy.
Moreno's goal was his fifth of the season and moved him to a team-high 10 points. Gomez now has three goals and 7 points on the season.
The Pioneers controlled the game from start to finish, out-shooting Shawnee State 21-2 and putting 12 shots on target. Point Park also held a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks. Anthony Fusay and the Pioneer defense kept Shawnee State without an on-target shot, recording the team's third shutout of the season.
SCOUTING THE BOBCATS
West Virginia Wesleyan (0-8-2, 0-6-1 MEC) enters Wednesday's matchup looking for its first win of the season. The Bobcats most recently played to a 0-0 draw at Frostburg State on Sunday.
West Virginia Wesleyan has scored six goals through 10 games this season while allowing 31. Axel Chilet and Jake Hotka lead the Bobcats with two goals apiece. Hotka has also converted both of his penalty-kick attempts this season.
The Bobcats have recorded one shutout this season, coming from goalkeeper Lucas Fry. Fry has played six games and made 21 saves while posting a .618 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average.
Point Park and West Virginia Wesleyan have faced eight common opponents this season. The Pioneers have earned wins over Shawnee State, Wheeling, Frostburg State and Salem, while West Virginia Wesleyan has dropped decisions against Shawnee State, Wheeling and Salem and played Frostburg State to a scoreless draw. Both teams also tied California (PA) and lost to Concord, Seton Hill and Davis & Elkins.
FORT FUSAY
Goalkeeper Anthony Fusay has continued to provide a strong presence for the Pioneers throughout the season. The junior has started all 11 games for Point Park, recording 33 saves and a .702 save percentage.
Fusay owns a 1.30 goals-against average and has recorded three shutouts on the season. His latest clean sheet came Sunday against Shawnee State, when the Pioneer defense held the Bears without a shot on goal.
MORENO'S ON FIRE
Senior Hector Moreno continues to lead the Pioneers offensively with five goals and 10 points through nine games played. His 19 shots also lead the team, while his eight shots on goal are tied for the team lead with Gomez.
Moreno has scored in two of Point Park's last three games, including Sunday's 89th-minute insurance goal against Shawnee State. His five goals account for more than one-third of the Pioneers' 14 goals this season.
HOME COOKING
Point Park enters Wednesday's matchup with a 4-2-2 record at home this season, including a 3-1 mark in Mountain East Conference play.
The Pioneers have scored eight of their 14 goals at home and have allowed eight goals across their eight home contests. Point Park will look to carry its recent momentum back to F.N.B. Stadium after winning its last two games against Salem and Shawnee State.
PRESEASON PRAISE
Point Park was picked to finish second in the Mountain East Conference North Division in the MEC Men's Soccer Preseason Poll. The Pioneers received four of the 10 first-place votes.
The Pioneers will look to build on their conference start Wednesday night when they welcome the Bobcats to F.N.B. Stadium
