CLEVELAND, Ga. – Truett McConnell men's soccer (7-1-2 overall, 6-0-0 AAC) travels to Pikeville, Ky. to take on the University of Pikeville Bears (4-4-2 overall, 2-2-1 AAC) on Saturday at the Bob Amos Complex.
 
Saturday's fixture offers a unique test, as the match serves as the bookend of a seven-day stretch without a game for the TMU Bears, just after completing four games over the span of 11 days. Despite the break in action, Truett McConnell is still traveling to Kentucky with the strongest momentum in the Appalachian Athletic Conference, operating on a seven-game win streak and perfect 6-0-0 conference record.
 
Tomorrow's contest will be the fourth meeting between the Bears' programs historically. Truett McConnell has yet to record a loss to the University of Pikeville, holding a 1-0-2 record, including a road win as the series' only victory. The two sides most recently battled to a 0-0 draw in Cleveland, Ga. in October 2025.
 
The Pikeville Bears also enter Saturday's match on a week's rest and with winning momentum after posting a 2-0 victory over the Spartanburg Methodist College Pioneers last Saturday. The Bears' roster boasts plenty of talent, including AAC Week Five Defensive Player of the Week Alejandro Iglesias, and season-opening hat trick scorer Dylan Roberts. Roberts leads Pikeville in goals with nine and sits third in the conference for the statistic. Iglesias possesses the second most saves in the AAC with 42.
 
Truett McConnell also features an AAC Defensive Player of the Week in keeper Jakob Hendrickson. His 13 saves and two clean sheets last week not only secured Week Seven honors but also earned him NAIA Defensive Player of the Week, as he became the first Truett McConnell men's soccer player to earn weekly national recognition in program history. Senior Jovica Lazarevic still sits atop the conference in goals (11) and points (24) and has found the back of the net in seven out of his last nine appearances. Tomorrow's competition offers the Serbian another opportunity to add to these conference-leading numbers.
 
Kickoff at the Bob Amos Complex is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.