BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Winners in four of their last five matches with a goal differential of 15-3, the Fighting Camels head to Wilmington to take on UNCW with the opportunity to clinch their place in the CAA Tournament with a win in this edition of the Cape Fear River Derby.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Campbell (7-3-4, 3-0-2 CAA) at UNCW (3-6-2, 2-3 CAA)
Saturday, Oct. 18 | 7 PM
UNCW Soccer Stadium | Wilmington, N.C.
Live Stats
Watch Live (FloCollege)
 
Scouting UNCW: The Seahawks last played last Saturday, falling 1-0 to Elon on a 86th minute game-winning goal. UNCW also lost to William & Mary the previous Saturday as part of a three-match losing streak. Trey Smiley has played all but nine minutes of the season between the pipes. He has a 0.714 save percentage and a 1.47 GAA. The squad, which made it to the CAA Finals last season, is headlined by midfield[1]er Osei Gyamfi and defender Jake Shannon, members of the All-CAA Preseason Team. Four other Seahawks were listed as honorable mentions for the team that was picked to finish second in the South Division. UNCW is led by Head Coach Aidan Heaney in his 25th season.
 
Series History: This will be the 58th edition of the Cape Fear River Derby. The Fighting Camels hold a narrow 28-25-4 lead in what is their most played matchup. The teams played to a scoreless draw last season. Over the past five meetings, the Seahawks have secured two victories against Campbell's one. The two teams began playing last month before weather forced a postponement in the 29th minute.
 
Last Time Out: Campbell took care of business against Methodist, 5-0, Tuesday night at home. Five different Camels found the back of the net, and 22 different players saw the pitch. It's the largest win of the season, immediately following CU's 4-0 performance against William & Mary.
 
Postseason Possibilities: Campbell can clinch a spot in the CAA Championship on Saturday with one of three different outcomes.
- Campbell win over UNCW
- Charleston loses to Elon
- Campbell/UNCW and Elon/Charleston each end in a draw
 
In the Rankings: The Camels are No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region Rankings this week. They are joined by fellow CAA members Hofstra (No. 4), Elon (No. 5), Drexel (No. 8) and Monmouth (No. 9).
 
Santos Rosa receives Laurels: Right back Daniel Santos Rosa was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a goal and providing two assists in Campbell's 4-0 win over William & Mary. It's the second week in a row a Camel has won the award, with Santos Rosa following Kristijan Bandur.
 
Caught 100: Dustin Fonder became the third coach in Campbell history to surpass the century mark, joining Derrick Leeson (101 wins, 1991-2001) and Jim Cole (138 wins, '63-'75). Fonder has the most wins in CU's Division I era, as Cole coached during Campbell's time in the NAIA.
 
Top of the League: The Camels are first in the CAA in goals (25) goal differential (13) and points per game (5.29). Max Leviton is third in the CAA in save percentage (0.750) and goals against average (0.806). Ethan Roberts is third in total goals (5) and third in game-winning goals (2). Daniel Santos Rosa and Xander Martin are fifth in the league with four assists.
 
Last Season: The Camels improved on their 2023 season with an 8-6-4 record in 2024 (3-4-1 in CAA play). Returning defender Luc Lavielle was named to the CAA All-Freshman team, while Owen Mikoy was a second-team honoree and Daniel Osei-Tutu earned third-team recognition.
 
New to the Creek: Campbell welcomes 12 new faces to its team in 2024. This year's freshman class includes forwards Dani Giovannetti, Auggie Squillace, Skyler Wright, Kana Dube and Kristijan Bandur. Defender Ronnie Garcia also joins the freshman class. Transfers Sam Sery, Xander Martin, Zane Pederson, Kairi Saito, Xander Naguib and Daniel Santos Rosa round out the newcomers.
 
Dapaah and Matos earn Preseason Honors: Filipe Matos and Evans Dapaah were named to the Preseason All-CAA Team as voted on by the coaches. Matos led the Camels in goals and points last year, while Dapaah was a strong mainstay within the Campbell midfield.
 
Returning Experience: Five Camels that recorded over 1,000 minutes in 2024 make their return to Eakes for the 2025 season. Jake Roberts, the new team captain, returns along the back line with Luc Lavielle. Evans Dapaah makes his return to the midfield, and Filipe Matos and Marco Wright find their places back on the wings.
 
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