COMING UP: vs. Bushnell, Friday, Noon; vs. Corban, Saturday, Noon.
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION: Both weekend games will be carried live on the Owls Sports Network with Mike Safford calling the action will feature, while Live Stats for both matches will be available via OIT's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
NOTE START TIMES: During the 2023 season, men's games open every Cascade Conference doubleheader – including this weekend, where both games are set for 12 p.m. starts.
 
MULTIMEDIA: All photos from the 2023 season will be posted online via the OIT Men's Soccer Flickr Page, while highlight clips and interviews will be posted online via the new OIT Men's Soccer YouTube Channel.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENT – BUSHNELL: The Hustlin' Owls return home Friday to host a rejuvenated Bushnell program, as the Beacons (4-0-2, 0-0-1 CCC) are off to one of their best starts in program history. BU holds wins against Simpson and a trio of Division III sides, while playing Pacific and Corban to draws – scoring 21 goals in the six matches. The tandem of Alejandro Munoz (4 goals, 2 assists) and Caleb Premo (4 goals, 2 assists) lead the squad in scoring, with both Javier Gutierrez (3 goals, 2 assists) and Francisco Cayolla (1 goal, 3 assists) key playmakers. Keeper Andre Ferreira (1.40 GAA, 17 saves, .708 S%) has played the bulk of the minutes in goal.
 
HISTORY VS. THE BEACONS: OIT has had the upper hand on Bushnell throughout the all-time series, holding a 16-7-1 edge against the Beacons, including 5-straight wins, outscoring BU, 16-1. Friday marks the 13th meeting between the sides in the Basin, with Tech winning all 12 previous meetings on the pitch (one of the victories was subsequently forfeited).
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENT – CORBAN: A new look Corban team is searching for a win for first-year head coach Corbin Bowers, as the Warriors (0-2-3, 0-0-1) have played Willamette, Pacific Union and Bushnell to draws, dropping matches to Evergreen State and Menlo. Coming off of their eighth NAIA national tournament appearance in the last 10 seasons, the Warriors lost 10 of their 11 starters from the 2022 season – returning only midfielder Nate Sherwood (2 goals, 1 assist). Forward Irwin Leon (4 goals, 1 assist) keys the attack, along with Evan Hoover (2 goals) and Gian Gargurevich (3 assists), while keepers Miguel Trujillo (1.87 GAA, 5 saves, .556 S%) and Isaac Pureco (3.15 GAA, 14 saves, .609 S%) anchor the defense.
 
HISTORY VS. THE WARRIORS: The Owls and Corban have met 24 previous times on the pitch, with the Salem school holding a 19-4-1 all-time series lead, including a 7-3 mark in the Basin. However, Tech heads into the weekend on a 3-match unbeaten streak against the Warriors, including a 1-1 draw during the 2022 regular season and a 2-0 victory in last season's Cascade Conference Tournament semifinals.
 
HOME SWEET HOME: OIT returns to campus this weekend, looking to improve a stellar recent home record. Since an artificial surface was installed on the OIT Soccer Field in 2017, the Owls are a combined 32-9-4 on the new surface, while over the past four-plus seasons, Tech is 23-4-3.
 
FIRST SWEEP IN THE ROSE CITY: Tech opened the Cascade Conference schedule with a pair of road wins in Portland – toppling Multnomah, 2-0, followed by a 1-0 win at Warner Pacific. It was the fifth time the Owls have opened the league slate 2-0, but more importantly, marked the first time in the history of the program that OIT completed a weekend sweep in the Rose City. It was the eighth trip over a weekend to Portland, with the Owls losing both ends of the doubleheader in 2009-12, 2014 and 2018, while picking up a win and a draw in 2021.
 
DOWN GOES WARNER: Saturday's win marked the first time in OIT men's soccer history that the Owls earned a victory at Warner Pac. Prior to the 1-0 victory at the Eastside Timbers Complex, Tech was a combined 0-8-2 against WPU in Portland – including a 1-1 draw against the Knights during the 2021 season. The victory also avenged a 3-0 overtime loss to WPU in last season's Cascade Conference Tournament championship game.
 
RIDEOUT TIES GOALS RECORD: Following a handball in the box at WPU, the Owls turned to Brock Rideout from the penalty spot – with the fifth-year senior calmly converting the lone goal of the match. For Rideout, it was his 21st career goal, equaling the mark first established by Trinidad Flores from 2015-18, for the top spot in OIT history.
 
CLEAN SHEET TIMES TWO: Defense was the key in Portland, as the Hustlin' Owls posted back-to-back shutouts for the second time in 2023. Keeper Ryan Solis was busy, making three saves in the win at Multnomah, while stopping six shots at Warner Pacific – including stymieing a penalty kick – lowering his goals against average to 0.50. Between the two matches, OIT faced 30 shot attempts and 15 corner kick chances – without allowing a goal.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Four teams finished the first weekend of conference play with two wins – as OIT and Southern Oregon both swept the Portland tour, College of Idaho won at Evergreen State and Northwest, while Carroll toppled Rocky Mountain and Walla Walla. SOU continues to be the lone team in the circuit to receive votes in the NAIA Top-25 poll – sitting in the others receiving votes category. This week, Corban and Bushnell head to OIT and SOU, Multnomah and Warner Pacific make the trip to Carroll and Providence, Walla Walla and Rocky travel to C of I and Eastern Oregon, with Evergreen State meeting Northwest in Kirkland, Wash.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: As a team, Tech leads the CCC in shutouts (4), ranking No. 2 in goals against average (0.50), No. 5 in assists per game (1.63), No. 8 in goals per game (1.67) and No. 13 in shots per game (9.50). Individually, Ryan Solis leads the league in shutouts (4), ranking No. 2 in save percentage (.909) and No. 3 in goals against average (0.50); both Ryan Pearson and Andrew Pasang rank No. 2 in assists (3), with Rosendo Juarez-Flores No. 8 in goals scored (3).
 
RECORD BOOK: Three players rank among the Top-10 in the career men's soccer record book – led by Brock Rideout, who holds the OIT mark for career points scored (58), goals (21) and game-winning goals (9), ranking No. 2 in assists (16). Andrew Pasang ranks No. 5 in assists (13), No. 9 in points scored (39) and No. 10 in goals (13), with Ryan Pearson ranking No. 9 in assists (10).
 
NEXT WEEK: The Owls hit the road next weekend for road next weekend for dates at Eastern Oregon (Sept. 29) and College of Idaho (Sept. 30).