Saturday, September 5
Davidson, N.C.
7:00 p.m.
Davidson College
vs
USC Upstate
Men’s Soccer to Take On USC Upstate Saturday in Season Opener
9/3/2009 4:26:16 PM | Men's Soccer
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Davidson men's soccer team will kick of its 2009 regular season this Saturday, Sept. 5 when they play host to USC Upstate at Alumni Stadium, with the match start time set for 7:00 p.m.
"The team is very much looking forward to the opener," Davidson head coach Matt Spear said. "The guys have worked hard and now it is time to put it all together when it matters. We must bring urgency, fight and a quality 90 minutes because each game is up for grabs."
For those won can't make it to the field, the match will be broadcast on live video with live audio commentary, along with live stats throughout the contest.
Scouting the Wildcats: Davidson returns nine starters and 19 letter winners, and brings back 83 percent of their scoring from a year ago. The 'Cats also add four talented freshmen to the squad, who will look to make an immediate impact on the field. Leading the way will be 2008 All-Southern Conference Team member Alex Caskey, who led the Wildcats in points, assists, shots-on-goal, SOG percentage and minutes last season. Caskey was named the 2009 preseason All-SoCon team by the league's coaches prior to the season. Also returning are Hunter Hayes and Greg Macnamara, who were both named to the SoCon All-Freshman team after stellar rookie campaigns. Minding the net will be a combination of senior Robby Goldsberry, junior Matt McElroy and sophomore Chip Sanders, all of whom saw action in goal last year and will battle for the starting nod. Senior Tim Roark, who was named the 2008 Team MVP by his teammates, will help anchor the defense along with Hayes and seniors Liam Bracken and Christian Hambleton. Fellow seniors Machel Turner and Charlie Reiter will join with junior Yannick Pilgrim and sophomore Mark Millard to make up the scoring attack for the 'Cats.
Scouting the Spartans: USC Upstate comes into Saturday's meeting with an 0-1 record, having dropped a 2-1 decision to Georgia State in the first game of the season. The Spartans return seven starters and 13 letter winners from last year's 2-15-1 squad, which included a 1-7-1 mark in Atlantic Sun conference. This year, USC Upstate is in its third season of playing on the Division I level, and its first with full D-I membership. The top returners for the Spartans are goalkeeper Pat Regna, Nick Buxton and senior Ben Brannan.
The Series: This will be the third meeting between these two programs, with USC Upstate holding a 2-0 series lead. The teams first faced off in 1980, a 2-0 USC Upstate win, and then again in 1984 in the UNC Charlotte tournament, also a 2-0 win for the Spartans.
Up Next: Davidson will continue their season-opening three-match home stand next weekend when they host the annual Davidson adidas Classic on Sept. 13 and 15 at Alumni Stadium. On Friday, Sept. 13 at 7:15 p.m. the Wildcats will take on UNC Asheville in the tournament opener, followed by a clash with Coastal Carolina on Sunday afternoon at 3:15 p.m.
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