Friday, August 29
Fort Wayne, Ind.
2 PM
Purdue Fort Wayne
vs
Eastern Illinois
Brandon Razo
Mastodons Welcome EIU on Friday for 2025 Home Opener
8/28/2025 3:24:00 PM | Men's Soccer
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne men's soccer hosts Eastern Illinois on Friday (Aug. 29) at 2 p.m. in the 2025 regular season opener. It is International Student Celebration Day at the game.
Game Day Information
Who: Eastern Illinois (0-2-0) vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (0-0-2)
When: Friday, Aug. 29 | 2 PM ET
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Tickets: Link
All-Time Series: EIU leads the all-time series 13-8-0. The two teams have never tied since first meeting in 2001. The Mastodons won 3-0 in Charleston, Illinois last season. The Panthers have won the last three meetings in Fort Wayne, with Purdue Fort Wayne's last win over EIU in Fort Wayne coming Oct. 10, 2015.
About the Panthers: EIU dropped two games to open the season. They fell at Northwestern 2-0 and at UIC 4-0 after a trip to Chicago to start the 2025 season. Eastern Illinois has had four players record shots in a match early in the season with only two players credited with shots on goal this season. Transfer Ben Griffis is the team leader with four total shots including three shots on goal. Rafael Lara is tied for second on the team with three shots with two of those being on net. Casey Welage has three shots this season and Shion Hayashi was credited with other Panthers shot attempt.
OPOTW: Iann Topete had a debut weekend to remember for the Mastodons. He scored twice vs. DePaul to help the 'Dons earn a 3-3 tie against the Blue Demons. His play helped him earn the Horizon League's Offensive Player of the Week honor.
'Dons & Ends:
- Redshirt freshman Karsten Ternes scored his first goal as a Mastodon, putting the 'Dons up 1-0 vs. DePaul.
- Sep Habibi recorded 10 saves on the weekend. He had six saves vs. Loyola Chicago earn his first career shutout.
- Karsten Ternes and Andrew Hollenbach were the only field players to play all 180 minutes to start the season.
- Iann Topete and freshman Jonny Hernandez led the 'Dons with two shots on goal on the weekend.
- 21 total Mastodons saw the field in the two games.
'Dons Picked Fifth:
Purdue Fort Wayne was picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Horizon League, according to a vote by the league's head coaches in the 2025 preseason poll. The 'Dons earned 57 points with one first place vote. They were one of only five teams in the league to earn a first place vote. Green Bay was selected as the favorite with 87 points and four first place votes. The fifth place prediction is the highest finish the Mastodons have ever had in a Horizon League Preseason Poll. Should the 'Dons finish fifth, it would mean a third consecutive league postseason berth.
New Faces
Freshmen Antonio Tiscareno, Jonny Hernandez, Julian Zambrano, Tegan Gumbs and Brandon Razo as well as transfers Iann Topete, Christian Agyekum, Jackson Liley, Max Titterington and Ben Hissrich join the Mastodons in 2025.
Back in 2025
2024 All-Horizon League Second Team selection Andrew Hollenbach and Third Team pick Shane Anderson are back in 2025. Hollenbach started 15 matches last season, playing 1,282 minutes, second on the team. Anderson scored seven goals for the 'Dons last year in 15 contests. In the classroom, he was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District pick in 2024.
Also Back This Year
The Mastodons' roster features multiple key cogs back from last season's squad. Abe Arellano returns for his senior campaign after scoring three times with two assists in 16 games last year. Marco Valencia also returns for his senior season. The Chicago native has been a mainstay for the Mastodons, playing in 45 games with 35 starts over his first three seasons in Fort Wayne. Another four-year Mastodon and Chicago native, Christian Leon has 46 games and 44 starts in his career. He owns two goals and four assists in his career.
About Last Year
The Mastodons qualified for the Horizon League postseason for the second consecutive season.
New Challenge
The Purdue Fort Wayne or Indiana Fort Wayne student who attends the most Mastodon home athletics events this year will win an iPad at the end of the 2025-26 school year! Make sure to check in and get your QR code scanned at the game to start tracking your attendance.
Coming Up
The Mastodons host Bradley on Sept. 7. It will be a doubleheader at the Hefner Soccer Complex. The Mastodon women host Eastern Illinois following the men's match.
~ Feel The Rumble ~
Game Day Information
Who: Eastern Illinois (0-2-0) vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (0-0-2)
When: Friday, Aug. 29 | 2 PM ET
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Tickets: Link
All-Time Series: EIU leads the all-time series 13-8-0. The two teams have never tied since first meeting in 2001. The Mastodons won 3-0 in Charleston, Illinois last season. The Panthers have won the last three meetings in Fort Wayne, with Purdue Fort Wayne's last win over EIU in Fort Wayne coming Oct. 10, 2015.
About the Panthers: EIU dropped two games to open the season. They fell at Northwestern 2-0 and at UIC 4-0 after a trip to Chicago to start the 2025 season. Eastern Illinois has had four players record shots in a match early in the season with only two players credited with shots on goal this season. Transfer Ben Griffis is the team leader with four total shots including three shots on goal. Rafael Lara is tied for second on the team with three shots with two of those being on net. Casey Welage has three shots this season and Shion Hayashi was credited with other Panthers shot attempt.
OPOTW: Iann Topete had a debut weekend to remember for the Mastodons. He scored twice vs. DePaul to help the 'Dons earn a 3-3 tie against the Blue Demons. His play helped him earn the Horizon League's Offensive Player of the Week honor.
'Dons & Ends:
- Redshirt freshman Karsten Ternes scored his first goal as a Mastodon, putting the 'Dons up 1-0 vs. DePaul.
- Sep Habibi recorded 10 saves on the weekend. He had six saves vs. Loyola Chicago earn his first career shutout.
- Karsten Ternes and Andrew Hollenbach were the only field players to play all 180 minutes to start the season.
- Iann Topete and freshman Jonny Hernandez led the 'Dons with two shots on goal on the weekend.
- 21 total Mastodons saw the field in the two games.
'Dons Picked Fifth:
Purdue Fort Wayne was picked to finish fifth in the 10-team Horizon League, according to a vote by the league's head coaches in the 2025 preseason poll. The 'Dons earned 57 points with one first place vote. They were one of only five teams in the league to earn a first place vote. Green Bay was selected as the favorite with 87 points and four first place votes. The fifth place prediction is the highest finish the Mastodons have ever had in a Horizon League Preseason Poll. Should the 'Dons finish fifth, it would mean a third consecutive league postseason berth.
New Faces
Freshmen Antonio Tiscareno, Jonny Hernandez, Julian Zambrano, Tegan Gumbs and Brandon Razo as well as transfers Iann Topete, Christian Agyekum, Jackson Liley, Max Titterington and Ben Hissrich join the Mastodons in 2025.
Back in 2025
2024 All-Horizon League Second Team selection Andrew Hollenbach and Third Team pick Shane Anderson are back in 2025. Hollenbach started 15 matches last season, playing 1,282 minutes, second on the team. Anderson scored seven goals for the 'Dons last year in 15 contests. In the classroom, he was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District pick in 2024.
Also Back This Year
The Mastodons' roster features multiple key cogs back from last season's squad. Abe Arellano returns for his senior campaign after scoring three times with two assists in 16 games last year. Marco Valencia also returns for his senior season. The Chicago native has been a mainstay for the Mastodons, playing in 45 games with 35 starts over his first three seasons in Fort Wayne. Another four-year Mastodon and Chicago native, Christian Leon has 46 games and 44 starts in his career. He owns two goals and four assists in his career.
About Last Year
The Mastodons qualified for the Horizon League postseason for the second consecutive season.
New Challenge
The Purdue Fort Wayne or Indiana Fort Wayne student who attends the most Mastodon home athletics events this year will win an iPad at the end of the 2025-26 school year! Make sure to check in and get your QR code scanned at the game to start tracking your attendance.
Coming Up
The Mastodons host Bradley on Sept. 7. It will be a doubleheader at the Hefner Soccer Complex. The Mastodon women host Eastern Illinois following the men's match.
~ Feel The Rumble ~
Players Mentioned
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