BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — The midseason gauntlet continues for the Longwood men's soccer team when it travels to nationally ranked Gardner-Webb Friday at 6 p.m.

The Runnin' Bulldogs, who are receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches top 25, also sit 20th and 23rd overall in the latest College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer polls, respectively.

LAST TIME OUT

• Longwood dropped a 3-0 decision to then-No. 9 High Point Sunday in Farmville.
• The Panthers scored eight minutes into action as a Longwood attempted clearance glanced off of High Point's Alfred Baafi's back and into the net for the early lead.
• Brendan Krueger (17th) and Chris Niblock (53rd minute) also scored for High Point.
• Youssou Ouendeno (five saves) and Max Hinke (six saves) split time in the Longwood goal.
• Ouendeno drew the start, but left the match in the 55th minute due to injury.
• High Point led in shots, 23-4.

SERIES HISTORY

• The all-time series between the Longwood and Gardner-Webb — which began in 1990 — is tied, 9-9-2.
• Gardner-Webb is 3-0-1 in the last four against the Lancers.
• Longwood's last win came Oct. 16, 2021 in Boiling Springs, N.C., by a 1-0 tally.

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB

• Gardner-Webb enters the match 8-1-1 overall and 2-0-0 in the Big South, tied for the lead in the league with both High Point and USC Upstate with six points.
• The Runnin' Bulldogs are coming off of a 2-0 victory at Presbyterian on Sunday.
• Franco Ocana figured into both goals, scoring in the 15th minute and tallying an assist on Samson Kpardeh's 37th-minute goal.
• Ocana was named Big South Freshma of the Week on Monday.
• Gardner-Webb averages 2.2 goals per game while allowing just 0.6 goals.
• Robbie Lyons leads the team with five goals and 14 points. Lyons and Breno Correia are tied for the team lead in assists with four each.
• Goalkeeper Alan Horrocks has seen every minute of action in the Gardner-Webb goal, carrying 0.6 goals-against average, .793 save percentage and seven clean sheets on the season.

PLAYING THE BEST

• The Lancers have played two teams ranked in the United Soccer Coaches top 25 poll this season.
• In addition to West Virginia, which was No. 15 at the time of the match, Longwood also played then-No. 9 High Point. 

FIVE NAMED TO BIG SOUTH MIDSEASON WATCHLIST

• Five Lancers were named to the Big South Midseason Watchlist, the league announced on Sept. 17.
• Representing the Lancers on the list were forwards Brando Bedolla, Syrus Conolly, midfielder Christer Salvesen and defenders Jesus Macaya and Joshua Yoder.

LANCERS PICKED THIRD IN BIG SOUTH POLL

• Longwood was selected to finish third in the Big South preseason coaches poll, announced on Aug. 13
• The team received 41 points in the voting to finish behind just High Point and Gardner-Webb, which earned 62 and 55 points, respectively. Those two schools split the first-place votes with 2024 regular-season champion Panthers garnering six and the Runnin' Bulldogs picking up the remaining two nods for the top spot.
• The third-place tag for Longwood represents a tie for the highest-ever finish in the Big South preseason poll, matching the 2022 squad.

NEXT UP

• Longwood is in Blacksburg, Va., on Tuesday at 5 p.m., to play Virginia Tech on ACC Network Extra.
• Virginia Tech leads the all-time series — which began in 1982 — 8-4-2.
• The Hokies are 6-0-1 in the last seven matches against Longwood.
• The last Lancers' victory in the series came Oct. 5, 2010 at home. Longwood won that night, 1-0, on a 70th-minute goal from Devin Pierce.