Scouting the Tribe
W&M sits at 1-1-1 on the season following an unbeaten week (1-0-1). The Green and Gold notched its first win of the season in overtime against N.C. State, 3-2, thanks to a goal from sophomore
Julian Ngoh in the 93rd minute. In its most recent contest, the Green and Gold tied Loyola (Md.), 0-0, in a game shortened due to wet field conditions. In the win over N.C. State, seven different Tribe players tallied a goal or an assist, including the winner from Ngoh. Junior
Remi Frost collected a Wolfpack clearance and perfectly placed a cross to the head of Ngoh, who scored his first career game-winner. Junior
Ryder Bell and sophomore
Reeves Trott tallied the other two goals in the Green and Gold's 3-2 victory. Against Loyola, senior goalkeeper
Phil Breno registered the shutout making three saves. W&M outshot the Greyhounds, 17-8, including an 8-3 cushion in attempts on frame.
Scouting George Washington
George Washington enters the match at 1-2 on the year, having played all three of its contests on the road. The Colonials dropped a 4-0 decision at Binghamton to open the season, before posting a 1-0 win over Lehigh. On Friday, GW fell at St. Francis Brooklyn, 3-1. Freshman Brady O'Connor scored game-winner in the victory over Lehigh, while junior Dylan Lightbourn scored the team's lone goal vs. St. Francis. In three games, the Colonials have allowed seven goals after only conceding 12 total in 2016. Junior goalkeeper Thor Arne Hofs, who led the A-10 with 0.60 goals against average and tallied a GW record nine shutouts last year, owns a 2.33 GAA so far this season with nine saves, including five against St. Francis. In the preseason, George Washington was picked sixth in the Atlantic 10.
Series History: W&M vs. George Washington
W&M and George Washington meet for the 18th time on Tuesday in the nation's capital. The Tribe leads the all-time series by a 7-6-4 mark, while GW holds a slim 26-25 goal advantage in the 17 all-time meetings. Last season, the Colonial tallied a 2-1 win in Williamsburg, despite being outshot 16-4.
William Eskay scored the lone Tribe goal in the fifth minute, but GW received goals from Garrett Heine (38th minute) and Dylan Lightbourn (57th minute) to down the Tribe. Thor Arne Hofs made seven saves for George Washington in the victory.
Loyola Recap
- W&M played Loyola (Maryland) to a scoreless draw in a rain-shortened tilt. The Greyhounds entered the game as the Patriot League favorite, ranked No. 1 in the Northeast Region and receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches National Top 25.
- The Tribe finished the match with a 17-8 advantage in shots, including an 8-3 advantage in shots on-goal. W&M outshot the visitors, 9-1, in the opening half.
- The game was called after 90 minutes due to unplayable field conditions after a consistent and heavy rain for most of the match.
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Phil Breno made saves on all three shots that came on target for his first shutout of the season. It was Breno's eighth shutout of his W&M career as well as his 10th collegiate clean sheet.
- The draw was the Tribe's first since a 0-0 tie against James Madison on Sept. 28, 2016. Coincidentally, that match was stopped after 80 minutes because of lightening.
- With the result, the Tribe remains unbeaten (6-0-3) against the Greyhounds since 1999 and continues to lead the all-time series 15-9-5.
On the Road Again
- After back-to-back home matches, the Tribe hits the road for three straight beginning with George Washington. The Green and Gold also travels to Drexel on Saturday and No. 7 North Carolina on Sept. 13.
- It marks the third time in the last five years that the Tribe has embarked on a three-match road trip. In both 2013 and 2015, W&M went 2-1 during its road swings.
- In 2015, the Green and gold posted 3-2 wins at Longwood and Navy, before dropping its CAA opener at Charleston, 3-1.
- In 2013, the Tribe posted back-to-back nationally-ranked wins at Elon, 1-0, and No. 1-ranked North Carolina, 1-0. The third game of the stretch W&M dropped a 2-1 decision at Drexel in its CAA opener.
Overtime Win over N.C. State
- The Tribe's overtime victory over N.C. State on Aug. 28 marked the programs first extra time victory since Sept. 22, 2015 when it knocked off Navy, 3-2, in Annapolis, Md.
- Sophomore
Julian Ngoh scored the game-winner against the Wolfpack just 2:12 into the overtime period. It was the fastest overtime goal for the Tribe since Price Thomas tallied the game-winner at George Mason just 29 seconds into the extra period in 2008.
A Factor of 7
- Seven different Tribe players factored into its three goals in the overtime win over N.C. State. It marked the second time in as many seasons that seven different players tallied at least an assist in a game as the Tribe accomplished the feat in its 7-1 win over Northeastern at home last season.
- Prior to that contest, seven different W&M players had not recorded at least a point in the same game since Sept. 26, 2009 when the Tribe bounced Towson, 4-1. The last time more than seven Tribe players factored into Tribe goals in a game was when nine did it in a 7-0 win over Richmond on Sept. 23, 2009.
- Junior
Ryder Bell along with sophomores
Reeves Trott and
Julian Ngoh tallied goals, while seniors
William Eskay and
Riley Spain as well as juniors
Remi Frost and
Marcel Berry posted assists.
- By comparison, 14 different Tribe players tallied at latest an assist last season.
CAA Favorite
- W&M was selected as the preseason favorite to win the Colonial Athletic Association by vote of the league's nine head coaches.
- The Tribe received five first-place votes and totaled 61 points to outdistanced second-place Hofstra, which tallied three first-place votes and 52 points. The Pride was the 2016 regular season CAA Champion, before falling to the Tribe, 3-1, in the CAA Semifinals.
- UNCW, which received the other first-place vote, was third in the standings followed by Elon and reigning Champion Delaware. Charleston and JMU tied for sixth in the poll, while Northeastern and Drexel rounded out the standings.
- W&M placed five players on the preseason all-conference team led by junior
Antonio Bustamante, who was the preseason player of the year. Juniors
Marcel Berry and
Ryder Bell garnered preseason All-CAA honors, while senior
William Eskay and sophomore
Tanner Shane were named honorable mention.
Preseason Hype for Bustamante
- After a stellar sophomore campaign, junior
Antonio Bustamante was well recognized during the preseason.
- The United Soccer Coaches (USC) named him to the Watch List for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, which is college soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy. He is the second Tribe player and first since Nat Baako in 2010 to be named to the national player of the year watch list.
- The CAA head coaches voted Bustamante as the league's preseason player of the year after he ranked second in the CAA with 24 points and third with 10 goals in 2016.
- Bustamante garnered preseason All-America honors by the
College Soccer News and was selected to
Top Drawer Soccer's Top 100 Players to Watch list. He was second team All-America selection and ranked No. 50 on the Top 100 list.
- Bustamante was a First Team All-CAA and All-Midwest Region selection last season and has 15 goals over his Tribe career.
Up Next
The Tribe continues its three-game road swing when it opens CAA play at Drexel on Saturday, Sept. 9. The contest carries a 7 p.m. start time from Philadelphia. Fans can followed along with live video at CAA.TV and live stats on TribeAthletics.com.
