LA GRANDE, Ore. - Mountaineer Men's Soccer is back in action this week with a pair of non-conference bouts, with both being played on the road. This week Eastern Oregon will head to the Golden State of California as the team still searches for its first win of the season.

OPPONENTS
The Master's Mustangs (0-2)
Hope International Royals (1-0)

WHERE
Reese Field - Santa Clarita, Calif. (The Master's)
Troy HS Field - Fullerton, Calif. (Hope International)

WHEN
Thursday, Sept. 2, 4 p.m. PT - vs. The Master's
Saturday, Sept. 4, 12 p.m. PT - vs. Hope International

Kickoff
• The Mountaineers wrap up non-conference play this weekend against a pair of teams out of the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC).
• For EOU, this trip will be one of its longest of the 2021 season outside of traveling to Montana during conference play.
• The Mountaineers will look to wrap up the non-conference portion of the regular season on a high note as they will begin Cascade Collegiate Conference play on Sept. 17.
• Eastern is coming off a 4-0 season opening loss to NCAA Division III foe Whitworth University. The loss dropped EOU to 0-1-0 to start the 2021 season.

How to Watch/Follow
• Both matches this week will have livestreams available. Fans can access the livestream for each game by going to www.gsacsportsnetwork.com or by clicking the respective link above. Both contests will be free to view for fans.
• Live stats for both games will be available at www.eousports.com/livestats. Fans can also access live stats by clicking the respective link above.

Story Lines
• EOU is on the road for the first time in 2021 and will look to make the most of the trip with a pair of matchups against quality opposition. 
• For the Mountaineers, their two games in California will be their only non-conference road games during the regular season.
• Of the two contests, one will be the first ever between the two programs when EOU takes on Hope International.
• Following the west coast road trip, Eastern will not be back in action until mid-September when the team begins CCC play on Sept. 17.

Quick Hits
Last Time Out
• Eastern Oregon played host to Whitworth inside Community Stadium for its 2021 season opener but was unable to come away with the victory. The Pirates scored a pair of goals in each period to walk away with the 4-0 win.
• For Whitworth, the game against EOU was deemed an exhibition. For the Mounties, the loss dropped their record to 0-1-0 to start the season.
• With the loss, Eastern is now 0-5-1 in home openers in the program's young history. In season openers, EOU is now 3-4-0 all-time.

Previous Against The Master's/Hope International
• Eastern Oregon and The Master's have only squared off against once ahead of Thursday's match. The Mountaineers and Mustangs last met in 2019 in Santa Clarita and battled to a 3-3 tie.
• This Saturday's match between EOU and Hope International will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.

Road Openers
• Entering this week's road trip, the Mountaineers are 4-2-0 all-time in true road openers.
• EOU has only ever fallen on the road in the inaugural 2015 season and in 2020.
• Prior to last season, EOU had won each of its last four road openers.

Mountaineers vs. the West Coast
• All-time, Eastern has fared well against California schools in the program's young history with an overall record of 5-1-1.
• Prior to the 2019 season, the Mountaineers were undefeated at 5-0-0 against California schools.
• EOU's lone loss is against Marymount California, which was a 2-1 loss in double overtime in 2019.
• The lone tie for the Mounties against California schools came against the Master's, 3-3, also in 2019.

Scouting the Competition
The Master's Mustangs
• TMU is still in search of ist first win of the 2021 season. The Mustangs are 0-2-0 going into Thursday's matchup with EOU.
• In the season opener, TMU fell to Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) by a final of 3-1. The Mustangs' other loss came against CCC school Southern Oregon, 2-0.
• Thursday's home contest against the Mountaineers is the third of a 10-game homestand for the Mustangs to start the 2021 season.
• In two games played, TMU has posted 11 shots overall and is averaging 5.5 per game. The team has just one goal on the year and one assist.
• Defensively, the Mustangs have allowed opponents to tally 31 shots so far for an average of 15.5 per contest. TMU has also committed 17 fouls in two games played.
• Cameron Berkwitt has the lone goal scored for TMU this season. He has just one shot taken this year that came on goal. 
• Giorgio Martino has the one assist for the Mustangs. He also has taken one shot early on this season.
• Three players have taken a pair of shots with Corny Miller leading the way. Both of his shot attempts have come on goal. 
• Also with a pair of shot attempts are Jobany Estrada Mata and Aidan Rohde. For Rohde, one of his two shots has come on goal.
• In net Kian Bensend has started the first two matches for TMU. He has nine saves on the year, but has also surrendered five goals in two starts and has a record of 0-2-0.

Hope International
• The Royals have played just one game so far in 2021, but will have faced one more opponent before squaring off against EOU. HIU defeated University of Saint Katherine (Calif.), 2-0, back on Aug. 26 and will face La Sierra (Calif.) on Sept. 1.
• In the season opening win, the Royals put on an offensive barrage with 37 total shots taken with 16 coming on goal. Both goals came in the second period as HIU limited Saint Katherin to just three shots.
• Offensively, HIU is led by Angel Florez through one game. He has scored one goal on the year to tie the team lead. He is the team leader in shots with seven.
• Right behind Florez is John Mejia. He is also tied for the team lead in goals scored with one. He is second in shots attempts with six.
• Sadiki Johnson is third in shots taken with five. Four players are tied at three shots in Joao De Olivera, Pavel Lee, Cory Booth, and Arturo Gutierrez. Gutierrez is also the team leader in assists with one.
• In net, Lewis Blanton started the season opener for HIU and played all 90 minutes to pick up the win and start the year 1-0-0. In his win, he tallied one save to secure the shutout.

Up Next
• Eastern Oregon will have the following week off before stepping back onto the soccer pitch. The Mountaineers next game will be Saturday, Sept. 17 when they open up CCC play at Warner Pacific. Kickoff against the Knights is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT.

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