This Week in Rattlers Soccer
Wednesday, Oct. 30 • #16 St. Mary's (11-2-2, 7-0-0) at DBU (4-3-7, 3-1-3) • 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 1 • West Texas A&M (4-6-4, 2-2-3) at #16 St. Mary's • 5 p.m.
Goal In Sight: With only three matches remaining on the regular season schedule, the St. Mary's Men's Soccer game is one win shy of clinching the Lone Star Conference title. The Rattlers have a tough challenge remaining with games at DBU on Wednesday, hosting West Texas A&M for Senior Night on Saturday and closing out the slate at Midwestern State on Nov. 6.
Lucky Number 13: St. Mary's climbed three more spots to No. 13 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the 8th poll, released on Oct. 29. The Rattlers are now the only Lone Star Conference team ranked in the top-25 as Midwestern State dropped out of this week. It is the highest ranking for StMU since week one of the 2023 season when the team was No. 3.
All-Time with DBU: The Rattlers hold a 29-7-1 lead in the all-time series against DBU with the lone tie coming last season. This is the fifth-straight year the Rattlers have played in Dallas, with the last match at Sigma Beta Chi coming back in 2021. StMU is 14-4-1 at Patriot Soccer Field and is unbeaten there since 2013 (8-0-1). The series started in 1991.
All-Time with West Texas A&M: The Buffs hold a 21-5-5 lead in the series that dates back to 1991, though the Rattlers are unbeaten in the last six meetings (3-0-3). St. Mary's is 2-11-2 at home against WT and 2-1-1 at Sigma Beta Chi since joining the Lone Star Conference.
Shutting Them Down: St. Mary's has recorded three-straight shutouts this season and now ranks eighth in the nation in shutout percentage (.533) and third in goals against average (.533). The Rattlers also rank fifth nationally in save percentage (.830).
A Good Head on his Shoulders: Senior defender Bradley Greene used his head to score both game winning goals on corner kicks last week and earn Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. On both scores, he flicked the ball with his head to the opposite corner of net, scoring in the 16th minute against SRSU and the 10th against OC. Greene and company held their opponents to five shots on goal. He is the fourth Rattlers' defender to earn the award this season, joining Pau Mateu Deya (Sept. 24), Gianluca Fiorini (Oct. 8) and Luke Mulkey (Oct. 15). Johnny Thurbin has also been named goalkeeper of the week (Oct. 15).
A Goal a Dozen: Twelve different Rattlers have scored a goal this season, as both senior Sofian Maghouz and junior Enzo Jaques scored for the first time at Texas A&M International on Oct. 19. The 12 players is tied for the second-most in the Johnny Clifford era at St. Mary's, tied with the 2019 team. In 2022, 16 Rattlers found the back of the net.
You Get a Point! You Get a Point!: There are also 15 players on the roster with at least one point this season. Sophomore Gael Gallegos leads the club with 20 points (8 G, 4 A), while Sofian Maghouz is second with eight points (2 G, 4 A).
What A Guy-ellgos: Sophomore forward Gael Gallegos scored the 14th goal of his career at Oklahoma Christian on Saturday. He scored six goals as a freshman and has eight this season. Gallegos ranks third in the Lone Star with 0.53 goals per game, second with 1.33 points per game and fifth with 2.40 shots per game.
Getting the Jump: St. Mary's is 11-0-0 this season when scoring first and 0-2-1 when the opposition finds the back of the net first. The Rattlers are 68-3-4 all-time under Head Coach Johnny Clifford when taking the initial lead.
JT in Top 10: Junior Johnny Thurbin ranks fifth in the nation in goalie minutes played (1350), fourth in goals against average (.533), ninth in save percentage (.826) and third in shutouts (8). In all four categories he also leads the Lone Star Conference.
