Furman-UNCG To Add New Chapter To Soccer Rivalry

Oct. 1, 2004

GREENVILLE, S.C. -

The Furman men's soccer team will face SoCon arch-rival UNC Greensboro Saturday night at 7:00 pm at Eugene Stone Soccer Stadium.

The Spartans enter the match ranked No. 2 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll and are in the top ten in all major national soccer polls. UNCG has recored four wins over ACC foes as the Spartans have defeated North Carolina (1-0), Wake Forest (2-1), Clemson (2-0), and Virginia Tech (2-1). UNCG also has impressive wins over UAB and Vanderbilt.

Saturday night's match will mark another chapter in one of the most most intense rivalries in college soccer and will serve as somewhat of a reversal of roles for the two soccer powerhouses. From 1999-2002, the Paladins were nationally ranked virtually every week and the Spartans attempted to play the role of the spoiler each of those seasons, annually serving as one of Furman's toughest competitors.

"We are looking forward to taking our toughest and most important test of the year," said Furman head coach Doug Allison, whose Paladins are winners of three straight. "UNCG is an incredibly strong team and it will take everything we have to beat them. Every year, regardless of the teams strengths, it always seems like this is a great match."

This will be the 13th SoCon meeting between UNCG and Furman since the Spartans joined the Southern Conference in 1997. Furman owns a 9-2-1 record against UNCG in that time span, including a 7-0-1 mark since 1999. Furman's last loss to UNCG came in the 1998 SoCon Tournament Championship match.

The rivalry actually dates back to NCAA play-in match losses by Furman to the Spartans in 1994 and 1996, while UNCG was a member of the Big South. The 1996 loss especially hurt as the second ranked Spartans whipped 16th ranked Furman 7-1 to keep Furman out of the NCAA Tournament, despite the Paladins high national ranking. UNCG then joined the conference a year later, further spurning the annual rivalry.

For two seasons, Furman and UNCG split matches, with one team winning in the regular season and the other claiming the tournament title. Furman's eight match unbeaten streak against the Spartans started in 1999.

Furman and UNCG have met in the SoCon Tournament five of the last seven seasons.

After starting the season 0-3-1, the Paladins have reeled off three straight victories to even their record. The Paladins are led in scoring by freshman Eliot Paschalis' three goals and are regularly starting six freshman in the lineup. Paschalis earned Southern Conference Player-of-the-Week honors after leading Furman to wins over Princeton and Liberty at last weekend's Wofford adidas Invitational.

UNCG is led offensively by Randi Patterson, who has recorded eight goals on the year. The Spartans Jay Benfield has an impressive 0.78 goals against average.

"This is the start of Southern Conference play for us," added Allison. "It is time to see what this young team is made of and we will certainly find out quickly against one of the top teams in college soccer."

October 22, 1997 UNCG 1, Furman 0 Greensboro, N.C.

November 9, 1997 Furman 3, UNCG 1 Greenville, S.C. SoCon Championship

September 16, 1998 Furman 4, UNCG 3 Greenville, S.C.

November 8, 1998 UNCG 1, Furman 0 Davidson, N.C. SoCon Championship

October 17, 1999 Furman 3, UNCG 1 Greensboro, N.C.

November 7, 1999 Furman 3, UNCG 2 Charleston, S.C. SoCon Championship

September 12, 2000 Furman 3, UNCG 1 Greenville, S.C.

November 10, 2001 Furman 3, UNCG 1 Greensboro, N.C.

November 18, 2001 Furman 2, UNCG 1 Charleston, S.C. SoCon Championship

September 21, 2002 Furman 4, UNCG 3 Greenville, S.C.

November 16, 2002 Furman 3, UNCG 0 Charleston, S.C. SoCon Semifinals

October 3, 2003 Furman 1, UNCG 1 Greensboro, N.C.

note: Furman leads the overall series 9-4-1. UNCG was 2-0 against Furman prior to 1997.