WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University men's soccer team returns home Sunday afternoon looking to get back in the win column when the Hilltoppers welcome unbeaten Davis & Elkins to the West Family Athletic Complex for a Mountain East Conference matchup.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

West Liberty enters the contest at 4-1 overall and 2-1 in MEC play after seeing its four-game winning streak come to an end Wednesday night with a 3-0 setback at Frostburg State. The Hilltoppers remain in the thick of the North Division race with six conference points.

Davis & Elkins brings a 4-0-1 overall record and 2-0-1 MEC mark to West Liberty. The Senators are riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Wheeling, 2-1, Wednesday night at Nuttall Field.

The matchup features two of the conference's more productive attacking teams. Through five matches, both West Liberty and Davis & Elkins have scored 10 goals, but the Senators have done so while allowing just five goals. The Hilltoppers have scored 10 times while surrendering eight.

Davis & Elkins has also been active in the attacking third, entering Sunday with 86 shots and 49 shots on goal through five matches. The Senators are averaging 17.2 shots per game and have generated 32 corner kicks. West Liberty has produced 82 shots, 39 shots on goal and 26 corner kicks.

Senior forward Leyton Collier has been a major catalyst for the Hilltoppers. Collier has three goals and an assist for seven points while leading the team with 17 shots. His nine shots on goal also rank among the MEC's individual leaders.

Brian Russell has added two goals, while Jasper Newton, Alec Aceves, Wilson Hanna and Brody Wall have each found the back of the net once. Newton has contributed a goal and an assist, while Tresz McLeod leads the team with two assists.

In goal, Shai'ya Fitzgerald has played all 450 minutes for the Hilltoppers, recording 24 saves with a .750 save percentage and a 1.60 goals-against average.

Davis & Elkins counters with a balanced attack led by Hugo Fauli, who has one goal and four assists for six points. Johan Magana has two goals and an assist for five points, while Benjamin Luengo has two goals and Francisco Lopez Kreik has a goal and an assist. Lopez Kreik also leads the Senators with 17 shots.

Charlie Phillips has started all five matches in goal for the Senators, allowing five goals with five saves and a 1.04 goals-against average.

Both teams have already faced Frostburg State this season. Davis & Elkins battled the Bobcats to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 6, while West Liberty suffered a 3-0 loss at Frostburg on Wednesday. The Hilltoppers held a 14-6 advantage in shots during the second half against the Bobcats but were unable to find the net.

West Liberty's loss at Frostburg snapped a four-game winning streak that included victories over Daemen, Chestnut Hill, Point Park and Wheeling. The Hilltoppers opened the season with three consecutive road wins before defeating Point Park, 3-2, at the West Family Athletic Complex and then edging Wheeling, 2-1, in the Battle for Wheeling.

Sunday's match begins a stretch of three consecutive conference matches for West Liberty. Following the Davis & Elkins contest, the Hilltoppers travel to Charleston on Wednesday before returning home Sept. 27 to host Shawnee State.

The two teams will meet again Oct. 18 at Nuttall Field in Elkins.


West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.