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Mustang Soccer Once Again Tops in All Four National Polls

Mynor Gonzalez, Jay Needham Earn National Recognition This Week

Sept. 26, 2006

DALLAS (SMU) - With a 10-0-1 record, the SMU men's soccer team sits atop the four national polls for the second time in three weeks. The Mustangs claim the #1 position in this week's adidas/NSCAA poll, the Soccer Times.com Coaches' poll, Soccer America.com, and the College Soccer News.com poll. SMU was ranked either second or third in last week's polls and moved up after posting two solid wins this past weekend.
In other news, Mustang senior Mynor Gonzalez was named to the College Soccer News.com National Team of the week, scoring two goals last weekend while teammate Jay Needham was picked as the National Player of the Week by Top Drawer Soccer.com.

SMU heads out on its fifth consecutive road game with a contest at FIU Friday evening to open Conference USA play. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET. The Mustangs return home for a league battle against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 7.

Pony Tales...
** SMU has outscored its opponents, 30-3, this season.
** SMU totals eight shutout victories (out of 10) - the most ever recorded by an SMU team is 14, which most recently occurred in 2001. The fewest goals allowed by SMU in a single season is 9, set in 1982.
** As a team in this week's national stats, SMU is eighth in scoring offense, second in team GAA, third in save percentage, and second in shutout percentage.
** SMU head coach Schellas Hyndman needs three more wins to eclipse the 350-win mark here at SMU.
** Only five Mustangs have started all 11 games this season,
Jay Needham, Bruno Guarda, Ben Shuleva and Matt Wideman.

This is the true football I love. I just wish I was closer to Dallas so I could go to games.

The Mustangs are truly talented, have great depth and are fun to watch.

You need to get up here some weekend and see these guys play. Not that far from Bee Cave.

mustangbill67 wrote:The Mustangs are truly talented, have great depth and are fun to watch....

Absolutely true. I'm at every home game every year, and of course I root for my alma mater to win them all. I greatly admired last year's team because of its ability to overcome adversity and beat some teams in the playoffs that frankly had more talent (not to mention the home-field advantage). Last year might have been Coach Hyndman's best coaching job.

With that said, mustangbill67 is dead-on with his assessment of this year's crew: the Ponies are loaded with talent and depth -- there are guys who don't always get off the bench who would have started in some other seasons -- and play a fast, physical, highly technical brand of soccer. Even a casual fan will appreciate just how good this year's Ponies are.

Next home game: Oct. 7 against a very good Kentucky team. See you at Westcott!

mustangbill67 wrote:The Mustangs are truly talented, have great depth and are fun to watch.

You need to get up here some weekend and see these guys play. Not that far from Bee Cave.

You have a point to which I have no excuse

It is sad that Mustangs do not come out and support their athletic programs like other universities do. I am from the Chicago area and grew up a cubs fan. It's a great feeling when you support a team through their worst times, only to see them rebuild into a competitive team. You were there for the entire ride. SMU soccer has consistantly proven itself over the past two decades that it belongs in the national spotlight. Go to the games and support your fellow Mustangs!

Well said, ML!

See you at the women's soccer game at 1 PM this afternoon?