DAYTON - The 19th-ranked University of Dayton men's soccer team remains at home to host George Mason University, Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at Baujan Field in Atlantic 10 action.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Dayton returns to conference play with a 7-0-1 record overall and a 1-0-1 league mark. The Flyers have won two in a row and are 3-0-1 at home this season.

Head coach Dennis Currier is in his 18th season in charge of the Flyers and was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year for the 2020 season.

As a team, the Flyers are averaging 3.13 goals per game and holding opponents to just 0.63 goals for the second best goal differential in the country. UD also leads the nation in shots and shots on goal per game.

UD is led by seniors Forster Ajago, with five goals and two assists, Andy Sanchez, with four goals and three assists, and A-10 Offensive Player of the Week Manny Day with four goals and one assist. Goalkeeper Dario Caetano is the reigning A-10 Defensive Player of the Week and has four shutouts.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
GEORGE MASON
George Mason comes to Dayton with a 2-6 record overall and is 1-1 in conference play. The Patriots are winless on the road this season. The team rattled off back-to-back wins against Radford and St. Bonaventure earlier this year.

Head coach Rich Costanzo is in his first season with the Patriots. Costanzo was an assistant coach at Pittsburgh for five seasons. He helped guide the program to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2019-2021) and a College Cup appearance.  

The Patriots are being outscored by over a goal a game. George Mason averages a goal a game and allows opponents to score 2.38 goals a game. They shoot .116 this season.

Noah Raphael leads the Patriots with two goals in eight games. Six players are tied with one assist each. Jake Langley has logged a majority of George Mason's minutes in goal with a .596 save percentage.

LAST OUTING
Dayton earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over West Virginia Tuesday night at home. The Flyers scored two goals in a 31-second span in the first half from Forster Ajago and Basit Umar.

George Mason suffered a 3-0 defeat to William & Mary on the road Tuesday.  The hosts scored just seven minutes into the game and added two more in the second half.

SERIES HISTORY
Dayton and George Mason have met five times previously with the Patriots holding a 2-1-2 advantage. They have not squared off since 2019 when GMU came out on top 3-2 in double overtime at home. Four of the five games so far have gone into double OT.

ATTACK MINDED
The Flyers are one of the most dangerous offenses in the country as they lead the nation in shots per game, shots on goal per game, and rank second in goal differential. UD is also Top 10 in scoring offense, goals, and points.

FLYERS RANKED 19TH IN USC POLL
In the latest United Soccer Coaches national rankings, Dayton moved up to 19th in the country after being No. 24 last week. The Flyers have been as high as 17 this year, and it's the fourth season in which they have been in the Top 25 (19th in 2013, 21st in 2009, 22nd in 2008).

DAY, CAETANO EARN A-10 ACCOLADES
Dayton senior Manny Day earned A-10 Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 26 after scoring the game-winning goal at Rhode Island. Teammate Dario Caetano was named A-10 Defensive Player of the Week in the same release after recording his fourth shutout.

CURRIER AMONG ALL-TIME BEST
Dayton head coach Dennis Currier ranks in the Top 50 all-time in career victories . Among active coaches, he is Top 25 in winning percentage and 10th in career wins.

UP NEXT
The Flyers will head back on the road next Wednesday to take on St. Bonaventure at 4 p.m.