MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University seniors Pau Jimenez Albelda, Kevin Morris and Steven Tekesky chose to stick around for a fifth Mountaineer soccer season.
 
All three wanted an extra year to be a part of what coach Dan Stratford is building at WVU, and so far it's been a season like no other. Back-to-back victories over No. 3 Pitt and No. 17 Penn State, followed by a home win over Ohio State, preceded a 2-2 tie at No. 6 Marshall before more than 3,000 fans at Hoops Family Field in Huntington, West Virginia.
 
The third-ranked Mountaineers are currently 6-0-2 heading into Thursday night's big home match against Mid-American Conference rival Akron.
 
West Virginia had more than 2,000 spectators out at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium for its Sept. 10 victory over Ohio State, and another big crowd is expected Thursday night.
 
Albelda, Morris and Tekesky discuss the excitement surrounding the 2021 season in this week's Life as a Mountaineer, presented by WVU Medicine.