Oct. 18, 2005

BOCA RATON, FL - For the first time since the opening week of the regular season, the Florida Atlantic University men's soccer team will have a pair of home games this week.

Conference play continues, as the end of the regular season draws near. This week, FAU faces Lipscomb (3-7-1, 1-4-0 A-SUN) and Belmont (5-6-1, 2-3-0 A-SUN), two teams who are chasing the Owls for the final three bids to the Atlantic Sun Championship.

Currently, FAU (5-7-0, 2-1-0) sits in a fourth place tie with UNF. This week's games are vitally important for the direction of the Owls' season. Mathematically, they can still finish as high as first, or as low as last in the A-Sun regular season standings. These two games will go a long way in determining which direction they will gravitate.

First up this week is Lipscomb. The game is scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 p.m., as part of a men's and women's soccer double-header. This will be just the third meeting in the two school's history, with each program holding one victory so far.

On Sunday, the Owls welcome Belmont to FAU Field for a 2 p.m. start. The Owls hold a 3-1 advantage all-time against the Bruins, including wins in both games in Boca Raton.

Both teams feature strong keepers in Belmont's Kyle Roelke and Florida Atlantic's Anders Granstad. Granstad leads the A-Sun in shutouts with four, while Roelke has three. Granstad has earned two A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week awards, while Roelke has one.

The game against Belmont is the final scheduled home game of FAU's season.