University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Men's Soccer Opens 2007 Season at Kentucky Invitational
08.29.2007 | Men's Soccer
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville men's soccer team opens the 2007 season this weekend at the Kentucky Invitational. The Bulldogs face IUPUI Friday afternoon starting at 5 p.m., followed by a match with national power Kentucky Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs played three exhibition games and went 1-2 in those matches. Asheville's last exhibition tilt was a 3-1 defeat at the hands of 16th-ranked UNC Chapel Hill in Morganton Saturday night. Veteran head coach Steve Cornish was pleased with what the way the Bulldogs performed against one of the top teams in the nation.
"Our lads really had some very good moments against Carolina last Saturday," said Cornish. "We fell behind 2-0 but then were able to get a goal and then came very close to tying the match on several occasions. I thought we got a wonderful contribution from everyone who played in the match."
Junior forward Scott Szymanski scored for the Bulldogs against the Tar Heels.
Cornish and his staff have turned their attention to this weekend's tournament. The Bulldogs face a tough IUPUI team on Friday. The Jaguars of the Mid-Continent Conference went 8-11-0 last season. This is the first ever meeting between the teams.
"IUPUI has a good program and plays in a tough league," admitted Cornish. "We know they'll be big and strong."
Asheville faces a big challenge when it takes on Kentucky Sunday. The Wildcats were ranked last year and finished with a 14-5-2 record. UK beat the Bulldogs, 5-0 at Greenwood Field last season.
"Kentucky had a great team last year and most of those lads are back this season," stated Cornish. "We will be facing a very good Kentucky team on Sunday."
The Bulldogs have been snake-bit with injuries in the preseason but are starting to get healthy.
"We haven't had the depth I thought we would have due to some injuries in the preseason," commented Cornish. "But we're starting to get healthier and just in time for the start of the season."
