Arizona Western soccer at GateWay preview

(11) Arizona Western at GateWay

Time: 4:30 p.m. today, Phoenix

Last game: Matadors lost to Pima 4-3; Geckos lost to Chandler-Gilbert 7-2

Records: AWC (10-3 overall, 10-3 Arizona Community College Athletic Conference); GateWay: (3-10 overall, 3-10 ACCAC)

Players to watch: In the Matadors previous match against the Geckos, Francisco Ramirez had a hat trick in an 8-0 win. Currently, Ramirez is second on the team in points (20) and is tied for second in goals (8) with Mario Soto. ...  While the Geckos are struggling this season, one bright spot has been forward Trevor Cates, who has a team-high seven goals.

The lowdown: The Matadors haven’t lost two straight games so far this season. Following a 3-2 loss to Glendale early in the season, the Matadors responded by beating Pima 3-1. When they lost 4-1 to first-place Yavapai on Sept. 20, Arizona Western came back four days later with a 4-3 win over Chandler-Gilbert. Considering the Geckos have not beaten the Matadors before — and that in the previous meeting this season Arizona Western won 8-0 — odds are there won’t be a two-game losing streak for the Mats.
— Jesse Severson