DATE: Sep. 19, 2015

Stats at a Glance PC NCW Record 1-2-2 1-4-1 Goals/GM 0.8 1.3 Goals Allowed/GM 1.29 2.07 Shots/GM 9.8 11.8 Shot on Goal % .082 .113 Shutouts 1 0

TIME: 4:30 pm ET
LOCATION: Demorest, GA
FACILITY: Walker Ath. Complex, cap. 600
LAST MEETING: NCW 3-2, 2OT (10/10/14 @ NCW)
BROADCAST: Watch Here
LIVE STATS: Follow Here
TWITTER: @PiedmontLions | @PiedmontMSOC
TEXT ALERTS: Sign up Here

STORYLINES
--The last three meetings in the series have gone to overtime
--Piedmont is 1-1-1 in USA South openers
--NC Wesleyan has taken over USA South's Instagram account this weekend.

MATCH FACTS
Saturday afternoon is likely to have a thrill or two in store for this series featuring a pair of teams who have gone to overtime in each of their last three meetings.  North Carolina Wesleyan College comes to Demorest today for a 4:30 pm kickoff at Walker Athletic Complex.  The match is the conference opener for both teams.

THE COACH'S CORNER 
Piedmont Head Men's Soccer Coach Jimmy Stephens offers his take leading up to kickoff with NC Wesleyan: "With this being the opening conference weekend, it's tough to get an idea of the matchup.  I think everyone is a bit nervous and excited about the challenge.  NC Wesleyan is always a technical and talented team, and I hope our guys can build on their performance from earlier in the week against Truett-McConnell.  At this point, we're taking it game-by-game and staying focused on the task in front of us."
 
SCOUTING NC WESLEYAN
The Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan College enter on a losing streak having dropped their last two contests to Marymount and Mary Washington. The lone win of the season came against Bridgewater in the season opener on the road in Virginia. The leading goal scorer for the Battling Bishops is freshman Olafur Einarsson who has tallied three goals while Julius Oskarsson has added a pair of goals. 

SERIES RECORDS
Piedmont's only three meetings with NC Wesleyan in the NCAA Era have come in the last three seasons during the regular season.  The Battling Bishops were a USA South member when Piedmont joined the league in 2012 and all three meetings have come in league play with Piedmont going 1-1-1 against the foe.

COOLING OFF 
The Lions have struggled after a season opening win over local rival Toccoa Falls. The team did face tough competition in Hendrix and Rhodes in tournament action in Memphis, Tennessee before tying Truett-McConnell College in their last outing in perhaps one of their best performances so far.

SEASON LEADERS 
CHASE KANE leads the Lions with two goals so far this season while CHRIS KELLER and CULLEN COPLAND both have earned one each. Kane also has the most shots on goal for the team with 10 this season.

USA SOUTH SEASON OPENER 
Today marks the first USA South contest of the season for the Lions who ended the season 4-6 in conference play a year ago. The Lions were picked to finish seventh in the USA South preseason coaches poll while the Battling Bishops were picked tied for third overall. 

GOALKEEPING RECORDS
For NC Wesleyan: Jesper Olsson, 1-4...Alex Magner, 0-0-1
For Piedmont: KENNETH HEARN, 1-2-2

LAST TIME OUT: TRUETT-MCCONNELL COLLEGE
Taking on a team that was a winner of four straight, the Piedmont College men's soccer team was able to hold serve and force a scoreless draw on the road with local foe Truett-McConnell College on Wednesday evening. 

The home-standing Bears forced Piedmont keeper KENNETH HEARN to make six saves in the opening 45 minutes, but the Lions turned the tables in the second half with Truett's Cade Minton having to come up with five saves of his own to keep the scoreboard level at 0's. 

Both teams had chances in the extra period to win it including CHRIS BIBLE's effort in the closing seconds of the first overtime, but Minton was up to the task again making the save.  Hearn also made a pair of saves in OT including one as time expired. 

Though neither team could find the back of the net, the two combined for a good bit of offense on the night with a third showing of double-digit shots by Piedmont in the first five games of the season.  The scoreless draw is the first in 12 seasons for the Piedmont men's soccer program.

NEXT UP FOR PIEDMONT
Traveling up to Carolina for a matchup with William Peace University on Friday, September 25 before the Lions will head up to Virginia to play Danville on September 26.  Piedmont defeated William Peace 5-1 in the two's first-ever meeting, the Pacers began men's soccer just a few seasons ago with last year being their first year on the USA South regular season schedule.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE LIONS
To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont College Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, Snapchat: @PiedmontLions and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.