MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The WVU men’s soccer team will play host to St. Francis (Pa.) on Sunday, September 7, in a match that is set to kick off at 3 p.m. at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
“They are a well coached team. Michael Casper is one of the best coaches I know,” coach Marlon LeBlanc said. “They seem to get up for big games. They went to Penn State a year ago and won, and they’ve beaten many top programs over the years. Michael will have his team well prepared for us.”
The game is “Youth Soccer Day,” and all area soccer teams are invited to watch the Mountaineers and celebrate U.S. Youth Soccer Month. Kids 13 and under, who bring a completed Musket Coloring Sheet to the Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium gate, will receive one free youth admission and will be entered into a drawing to win a plush Musket toy. The coloring sheet can be found HERE.
“We’re so appreciative of what our fans bring us when we’re playing at home,” LeBlanc said. “They bring energy, they bring excitement, and on Sunday afternoons they’re participation can sometimes be the difference in the result on the field.”
Fans who are unable to attend the match are invited to follow the action through a video stream, courtesy of Kroger, at WVUsports.com. Additionally, live stats are available at WVULiveStats.com.
The Mountaineers (3-0) are coming off a 3-0 win in a physical match against Virginia Tech last Thursday. Senior Andy Bevin, sophomore Mike Desiderio and junior Jamie Merriam all scored in the win.
Bevin has had back-to-back one goal and two assists games, leading the team with eight points. Merriam has scored a goal in each game this season, but will miss the match after receiving a red card against Virginia Tech.
Sunday’s meeting marks the first time the Mountaineers and Red Flash will square off on the pitch since 2008. West Virginia owns a 14-3-1 advantage in a series that started in 1964.
St. Francis (Pa.) enters the match with a 1-2 record, most recently dropping a 2-0 decision to Bucknell last Wednesday. The Red Flash opened the 2014 season with a 2-0 win against Loyola (Md.).
Ryan Byers, Bryan Causey, Francis Devries and Andres Vega have one goal apiece, while Pablo Medina has two assists. Goalkeeper Andrew Garcia has a 2.15 goals-against average and has allowed six goals while making 10 saves.
