Pau Ferrer vs. Lake Erie
Bryce Dolak

Men's Soccer Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Men's Soccer Game Preview: Golden Knights head out on the highways for first time for match at Ashland

No. 7 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS at ASHLAND EAGLES
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 11, 2024 | 6:30 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: Dwight Schar Athletic Complex/Ferguson Field l Ashland, Ohio
LIVE STATS
LIVE VIDEO
 
THE GANNON-ASHLAND SERIES
Gannon leads 13-7-3.
The Golden Knights have won three of the last four meetings with Ashland, and two of the last three at Ashland. 
Last Meeting: Sept. 6, 2023 – Gannon 3, Ashland 1 | RECAP

RECORDS
Gannon:  1-1-0 overall; 0-0-0 PSAC West
Ashland:  1-1-0 overall; 0-0-0 G-MAC
 
ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's soccer team will hit the highways for the first time in 2024 playing at Ashland on Wednesday, September 11. The match gets underway at 6:30 p.m. at Dwight Schar Athletic Complex/Ferguson Field.
 
Both teams are off to 1-1-0 starts. Gannon, ranked seventh in the United Soccer Coaches Division II preseason poll, opened the season with an impressive 5-0 win over Lake Erie. The Storm was also an NCAA Tournament team a year ago and was the preseason favorite in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
 
The Golden Knights returned to the pitch on Saturday on a windy and wet day but came up short against Saginaw Valley State. The Cardinals scored a goal in the 68th minute and held on for a 1-0 win even though Gannon held a 15-3 advantage in shots.
 
Ashland dropped a 4-0 decision to Davis & Elkins in its opener but then surprised defending PSAC champion Millersville on Sunday. The Eagles scored a goal in the 14th minute and made it stand up for a 1-0 upset. Millersville held a 9-3 edge in shots.
 
Following the Ashland match Gannon will play back-to-back matches at home, hosting Wilmington (Del.) on Saturday, September 14 followed by a home match with Adelphi on Tuesday, September 17.
 
will take to the pitch for the first time in 2024 this week, playing twice in a span of three days. The Golden Knights host Lake Erie, also an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, on Thursday, September 5 at 1:00 p.m. at McConnell Family Stadium. Two days later Saginaw Valley State visits the Golden Knights for another 1:00 p.m. match.

Head coach Billy Colton's squad enters the season ranked seventh in the United Soccer Coaches Division II preseason poll and is the preseason favorite in the PSAC Western Division.

Gannon is coming off an unbeaten regular season in 2023 along with a postseason run to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. The Golden Knights finished at 18-2-2, reaching the Division II semifinals before dropping a 1-0 decision to eventual national champion Franklin Pierce.

Lake Erie advanced to the G-MAC title game in 2023 and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament where it suffered a first-round loss to Indianapolis. The Storm finished at 11-7-4, reaching the G-MAC title match. Lake Erie was recently voted the conference preseason favorite for the third consecutive year.

Rosters:  Gannon  Ashland
Schedules:  Gannon  Ashland
Statistics:  Gannon  Ashland
Head Coaches:  Gannon's Billy Colton  Ashland's Nick Roberts

Golden Knights to Watch
MF James Pool (Hastings, England/Claverham) -- after scoring two goals in his first three seasons the native of England exploded for 17 goals, adding six assists for 40 points. The graduate student tied for the PSAC and Gannon lead with 17 goals while tied for fifth in Division II in goals scored and seventh in points. He was named to the D2CCA All-America First Team and the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team, along with landing spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region Second Team and the All-PSAC West First Team. He is looking for his first goal this season.

MF Pau Ferrer (Valencia, Spain/ISES Isabel de Villena) -- the native of Spain was named a D2CCA All-American after being named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year and earning first team All-PSAC West honors for the second time. He was also a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region first team selection and United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region second team honoree. Despite missing the final two playoff games due to an injury, he finished with seven goals and 15 assists for 29 points, leading Division II in assists and ranking third in assists/game. The 15 assists are tied for fourth in a season at Gannon, and he added one against Lake Erie.

D Bautista Corti (Manuel Alberti, Argentina/Adultos 2000) -- a senior, Corti is a defensive standout who is now a three-time All-PSAC West First Team honoree. The 2021 PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, he is also a three-time D2CCA All-Atlantic Region selection after earning first team accolades for the second time. He contributed two assists in 20 matches but his true value comes on defense where he is a stopper on the back end.
 
MF Sverre Orten (Orsta, Norway/Aalesund vgs)-- the native of Norway played in 19 matches with 17 starts, missing the NCAA playoff run due to an injury. The junior earned first team All-PSAC West honors for the second straight year and was also a D2CCA All-Atlantic Region selection for the second year, moving up to the first team. He finished fourth on the team in scoring with 21 points, totaling four goals and 13 assists. Orten ranked fourth in Division II in assists per game and tied for fourth in assists. He scored once in the season opener with Lake Erie.
 
F Per Kristian Lauvstad (Nesoya, Norway/) – the freshman from Norway came off the bench to score a pair of goals in the season-opening win over Lake Erie. He was recognzied as the PSAC West Athlete of the Week on Monday.

Scouting Ashland: After finishing at 7-9-4 a year ago Ashland was picked to place third in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Eagles are off to 1-1-0 start, dropping a 4-0 decision to Davis & Elkins in the season opener at home before surprising Millersville on Sunday by a 1-0 margin. The Marauders are the defending PSAC champions and were picked to finish first in the Eastern Division. Now Ashland seeks to defeat the PSAC West preseason favorite. Sirlem Thullah has scored the lone goal in the two games, assisted by Oliver Whaley. Whaley is a fifth-year player who a second team All-G-MAC selection a year ago.

Next for the Golden Knights:  Sat., Sept. 14 vs. Wilmington (Del.), 12 noon
 
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Players Mentioned

Sverre Orten

#8 Sverre Orten

MF
5' 9"
Junior
Business Administration 
Bautista Corti

#5 Bautista Corti

D
6' 2"
Senior
Pau Ferrer

#4 Pau Ferrer

D
5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Computer Science
James Pool

#6 James Pool

MF
5' 10"
Graduate Student
Per Kristian Lauvstad

#22 Per Kristian Lauvstad

F
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Sverre Orten

#8 Sverre Orten

5' 9"
Junior
Business Administration 
MF
Bautista Corti

#5 Bautista Corti

6' 2"
Senior
D
Pau Ferrer

#4 Pau Ferrer

5' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Computer Science
D
James Pool

#6 James Pool

5' 10"
Graduate Student
MF
Per Kristian Lauvstad

#22 Per Kristian Lauvstad

Freshman
F