September 28, 2000
GREENVILLE -- The ninth ranked Furman men's soccer team will face its toughest test of the 2000 season this weekend in the Clemson/Nike Invitational with matches against national powers Cal. State Fullerton and Brown.
The Paladins are 7-1 on the year and have won three straight matches. Furman is in first place in the Southern Conference race with a 3-0 league mark. Furman leading scorer and All American John Barry Nusum will return to the lineup after missing one match due to injuries. Nusum has tallied seven goals and five assists in six matches this season. Nusum leads the conference in every offensive statistical category (shots, goals, assists, and points). He is sixth in the nation in points per match, 17th in goals per match, and 16th in assists per match. Only a junior, Nusum is now fourth in career goals (34), fifth in career assists (25), and fourth in career points (93) for Furman. He is on pace to become Furmanšs all-time leader in points late this season or early in his senior year.
Furman's two matches in the Clemson/Nike Invitational will mark the first two nationnally ranked teams Furman has played this season. The Paladins are ranked ninth in the Soccer America national rankings, 13th in the NCAA Division I Media poll, 17th in the Soccer Times coaches poll, and 22nd in the NSCAA coaches poll.
Furman will face Cal. State Fullerton Friday at 5 p.m. and Brown Sunday at 12:30 p.m. Clemson will host matches immediately following the Furman contests on both Friday and Sunday.
Below are the national rankings and records for the four teams participating:
Furman 7-1
Clemson 5-2
Cal. State Fullerton 6-2
Brown 4-1-1