PHILADELPHIA - Country roads, take me home...

The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team will hit those country roads this weekend, traveling to take on the Mountaineers of West Virginia for a Saturday, Sept. 28 kickoff. The match, set to begin at 7 p.m., is Penn's last before dipping its toes into Ivy League play next week. 

MATCH DAY 7 - Penn (3-2-1, 0-0 Ivy League) at West Virginia (5-2-1, 0-0 MAC)
Saturday, September 28 | 7:00 p.m. | Morgantown, W.Va. | Live Stats | MountaineerTV

Series Information
West Virginia leads 3-1 | Last meeting: 2017 (West Virginia, 1-0)

The Mountaineers hold a 3-1 advantage in four meetings with the Quakers, with the first meeting coming only five years ago in 2014. The two traded wins in 2014 and 2015, with Penn coming away with a 3-2 victory in double overtime in Morgantown in 2015. Most recently, WVU has stolen 1-0 victories in 2016 and 2017. 

Ranked Result
Penn earned its first result against a ranked team since a 0-0 decision with No. 7 Washington to open the 2015 season on last week, earning a 1-1 draw with 24th-ranked Rutgers on Rhodes Field. 

Movin' On Up
The Quakers check in at No. 3 in the Northeast Region in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll. Penn began the season outside of the top-10 in the region and is now only behind New Hampshire and Yale.

Defender of the Week
Junior captain Alex Touche was named Defender of the Week by the Philadelphia Soccer Six on Monday following a 1-0-1 two-game record for the Quakers against 24th-ranked Rutgers and Temple. Against the Scarlet Knights, Touche leveled the game in the second half to help Penn earn a tie against a ranked opponent for the first time since 2015, while playing a strong role as center back against the Owls to shut out Temple 1-0. 

Bhangdia's Boot
Junior Joey Bhangdia leads the Quakers with four goals scored in six games this season, including game-winners against Marist and Temple. His total of two game-winning goals is 20th nationally, and he's in a tie for first in the conference with in goals scored, ranking second with an average of 2.8 shots per game. 

Heating Up
The Quakers have six goals in six games so far this year. Last year, it took Penn 11 games to reach the six-goal threshold. 

Keepin' it Clean
The Quakers rank ninth nationally in fewest amount of fouls per game, committing just over nine each time out, limiting set piece opportunities for their opponents. 

Backline Consistency
Since Gill's arrival as head coach for the Quakers, Penn has taken a step forward on the defensive side of the ball, due in large part to a consistent backline grouping of Touche, RC Williams, Casey Barone and Brandon Bartel as a holding midfielder. Touche, Bartel and Barone have played all 560 possible minutes this season, while Williams has played all but four possible minutes. Penn has three shutouts in six games so far and has allowed the fewest goals in the Ivy League.

Reliable Connection
Brandon Bartel and Alex Touche have become a reliable connection, particularly in set pieces, for the Quakers the last two seasons. Touche has scored six goals in his career with the Quakers -- including one last week to even the match against Rutgers -- five of his six goals have come on assists from Bartel.

Scouting West Virginia
The Mountaineers enter Saturday's matchup receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches top-25, having held a spot in the rankings earlier this season. At 5-2-1 overall, WVU won its last game, 4-1, at Ohio State, following a 2-0 setback to Dayton. West Virginia's other wins include victories over Monmouth, Wright State, No. 15 Coastal Carolina and Cincinnati. Picked to finish third in the six-team MAC, West Virginia is led offensively with five goals and one assist from senior Andre Muriel Albino, while the next highest goal scorer for the Mountaineers has netted two on the season. Steven Tekesky has played all eight games between the pipes, allowing eight goals with a .733 save percentage.