Friday, August 30
West Long Branch, N.J.
4:00 p.m.
West Virginia University
at
Monmouth
Photo by: Alex King
Mountaineers Open Campaign at Monmouth
August 29, 2019 02:22 PM | Men's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 20/23/25 West Virginia University men's soccer team begins the 2019 season with a trip to Monmouth on Friday, Aug. 30. Kick off at Hesse Field on the Great Lawn in West Long Branch, New Jersey, is set for 4 p.m. ET.
Fans can follow along with the action with a live stream of the match, courtesy of ESPN+. Live stats for the contest also are available here.
"We've had a short preseason, but it has felt very long," said WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc, who enters his 14th season at the helm. "I think we've done a good job preparing for this opportunity to play against a great coach and a great program like Monmouth, with their rich tradition. We know they are going to be a tough challenge just like every game in college soccer, but we're looking forward to the opportunity to get back out there and compete."
The Mountaineers kick off their 59th season of competition with their first-ever trip to Monmouth. The two schools have met three times overall, all in Morgantown, with the all-time series even at 1-1-1. WVU last played the Hawks to a scoreless draw on Sept. 4, 2017, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
WVU owns an all-time record of 32-21-5 in season openers, including a 7-6 mark under LeBlanc. Friday marks the fourth consecutive season the Mountaineers will open the season away from home.
The Mountaineers return nine players who started at least 15 matches on last season's 14-win team, which featured the program's first Mid-American Conference regular-season championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. The team also welcomes back 10 different goal scorers and 29 of its 41 total goals from last fall, as well as junior goalkeeper and 2018 All-MAC First Team selection Steven Tekesky.
Along with Tekesky, WVU returns four others who were named to the All-MAC Second Team a year ago, including senior defenders Albert Andres-Llop, Pascal Derwaritsch and Ryan Kellogg and senior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino. Additionally, LeBlanc, who guided West Virginia to a 5-0 record in the conference, was named the 2018 MAC Coach of the Year, the second time he's earned the honor in his career.
In all, the Mountaineers will be led by seven seniors, while they welcome 12 newcomers to the program.
WVU, which was voted to finish third in the 2019 MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll on Aug. 26, have received recognition in several national polls entering the new year. The Mountaineers were slotted No. 20 in the College Soccer News Preseason Top 30, as well as No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll and No. 25 in TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 25.
Monmouth is led by 15th-year coach Robert McCourt, who has guided the Hawks to an overall record of 159-84-52. The Hawks finished 2-14-1 last season and return redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sean Murray, who finished No. 10 nationally in total saves (87), as well as four players who scored at least one goal last season.
The Hawks were picked to finish eighth in the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Fans can follow along with the action with a live stream of the match, courtesy of ESPN+. Live stats for the contest also are available here.
"We've had a short preseason, but it has felt very long," said WVU coach Marlon LeBlanc, who enters his 14th season at the helm. "I think we've done a good job preparing for this opportunity to play against a great coach and a great program like Monmouth, with their rich tradition. We know they are going to be a tough challenge just like every game in college soccer, but we're looking forward to the opportunity to get back out there and compete."
The Mountaineers kick off their 59th season of competition with their first-ever trip to Monmouth. The two schools have met three times overall, all in Morgantown, with the all-time series even at 1-1-1. WVU last played the Hawks to a scoreless draw on Sept. 4, 2017, at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
WVU owns an all-time record of 32-21-5 in season openers, including a 7-6 mark under LeBlanc. Friday marks the fourth consecutive season the Mountaineers will open the season away from home.
The Mountaineers return nine players who started at least 15 matches on last season's 14-win team, which featured the program's first Mid-American Conference regular-season championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. The team also welcomes back 10 different goal scorers and 29 of its 41 total goals from last fall, as well as junior goalkeeper and 2018 All-MAC First Team selection Steven Tekesky.
Along with Tekesky, WVU returns four others who were named to the All-MAC Second Team a year ago, including senior defenders Albert Andres-Llop, Pascal Derwaritsch and Ryan Kellogg and senior midfielder Andres Muriel Albino. Additionally, LeBlanc, who guided West Virginia to a 5-0 record in the conference, was named the 2018 MAC Coach of the Year, the second time he's earned the honor in his career.
In all, the Mountaineers will be led by seven seniors, while they welcome 12 newcomers to the program.
WVU, which was voted to finish third in the 2019 MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll on Aug. 26, have received recognition in several national polls entering the new year. The Mountaineers were slotted No. 20 in the College Soccer News Preseason Top 30, as well as No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll and No. 25 in TopDrawerSoccer's Preseason Top 25.
Monmouth is led by 15th-year coach Robert McCourt, who has guided the Hawks to an overall record of 159-84-52. The Hawks finished 2-14-1 last season and return redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sean Murray, who finished No. 10 nationally in total saves (87), as well as four players who scored at least one goal last season.
The Hawks were picked to finish eighth in the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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