PREVIEW: Catawba faces road tilt against PBC favorite Clayton St. to open 2023 campaign

Morrow, Ga. —- The Catawba College men's soccer team opens their 2023 campaign on the road Thursday, traveling to Clayton State University to take on the host Lakers at 7 p.m. 

The Matchup: Catawba (0-0-0) at Clayton State (0-0-0)

Location: Laker Field / Morrow, Ga.

Live Video: https://pbcsportsnetwork.com/claytonstate/ 

Live Stats: https://claytonstatesports.com/sidearmstats/msoc/summary 

SERIES HISTORY VS. CLAYTON STATE

All-Time: 1-3-0 (.250)

Current Streak: L3

In Morrow: 0-1-0 (.000)

Under Hassler: First meeting

First Meeting: 10/9/99 (W, 1-0)

Last Meeting: 9/22/03 (L, 2-1)

Last 5: 1-3 | WLLL

Last 10: 1-3 | WLLL

Notes: Clayton State was ranked 14th in their 4-0 win in 2001 … The Lakers were one of just five Catawba losses in the Catawba Indians' 2003 SAC Tournament championship season

GAME NOTES

- Catawba was ranked fourth in the South Atlantic Conference preseason coaches' poll

- Marks the highest ranking for the team in the poll since the 2007 season

- Catawba had a league-high five selections to the Preseason All-Conference team

- Sebastia Cerda-Tous was the team's lone First Team selection, followed by Joe Allerton, Salano Birch and Jacopo Suagher on the Second Team and Zak Stiffler on the Third Team

- Catawba won all three of its preseason exhibitions, highlighted by a 3-2 win over Division I Denver at Frock Field

- Juan Pablo Nicoletti had a great preseason, scoring four goals in the three preseason games, while Cerda-Tous added three scores

- Clayton State was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Peach Belt by the league's coaches

-  The Lakers finished 10-5-4 in 2022 with a ranked win at North Georgia and a ranked draw at Lander

- The PBC coaches picked the Lakers to finish ahead of No. 24 Lander, who was the conference's lone team ranked in the United Soccer Coaches' preseason poll

- CSU's Geo Rios ranked second in the nation in assists per game last season, totaling 15 for the year

2023 Schedule

August

Thu. 31 at Clayton State 7 p.m.

September

Sat. 2 vs. Emmanuel^ 5 p.m.

Sat. 9 Newberry* 1 p.m.

Tue. 12 Mount Olive 7 p.m.

Wed. 20 at Wingate* 5 p.m.

Sat. 23 Tusculum* 7:30 p.m.

Wed. 27 at Coker* 4:30 p.m.

Sat. 30 at Mars Hill* 1 p.m.

October

Wed. 4 at Shaw 7 p.m.

Sat. 7 Lincoln Memorial* 1 p.m.

Wed. 18 at Limestone* 7:30 p.m.

Sat. 14 at Carson-Newman* 5 p.m.

Wed. 18 Davis & Elkins 2 p.m.

Sat. 21 Anderson* 7:30 p.m.

Sat. 28 at Emory & Henry* 5 p.m.

November

Wed. 1 Lenoir-Rhyne* 5 p.m.

*South Atlantic Conference game

^ at Morrow, Ga. (Clayton State)