University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Men’s Soccer Opens Regular Season at Wright State on Friday
08.23.2018 | Men's Soccer
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Live Stats
DAYTON, Ohio – For UNC Asheville men's soccer it's like they are traveling to Wright State to open presents.
"It's like Christmas morning," UNC Asheville men's soccer head coach Mathes Mennell said. "The season is finally here."
The Bulldogs officially open the present that is the 2018 regular season by playing at Wright State at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Mennell is excited about the opportunity for his squad against a very good Wright State team.
"I am really excited about our group," Mennell said. "We've shown a lot of positives in terms of progression."
Mennell is particularly pleased with the depth of his team entering the season opener.
"I like where our group is headed," Mennell relayed. "I've got a really great problem in that I don't know who the first 11 is. My staff and I have to figure that out. I don't mean that in a way that I don't know who is going to start, but it's a positive that we've got 15, 16 guys that could have a realistic and deserved chance to be in the first 11.
"It's something that's awesome, and it's something that I have not yet had during time my here. We've got a talented group, we've got some dynamic guys and we have some guys that can cause a lot of problems."
BULLDOG BITES
Bullish About the Bulldogs
UNC Asheville men's soccer received one first-place vote in the 2018 Big South men's soccer preseason poll.
First Regular Season Meeting
Friday's season opener will mark the first regular season meeting between the two programs, but it's the second meeting on the pitch in the last two years overall with the two playing an exhibition last season at Greenwood Field on Aug. 17, 2017.
About Wright State
The Raiders are looking to continue their winning ways of late under former assistant and now first-year head coach Jake Slemker. Wright State has posted double-digit wins in each of the last four seasons and finished last year with an overall record of 10-7-1. The Raiders return two of their top three points producers last year in Stefan Rokvic (17) and Alec Philippe (12).
Quotable
"We are playing an experienced Wright State team that is very well-versed in what they do," Mennell noted. "They are not going to give us a lot of looks. They're not going to make a lot of mistakes. They are going to keep the game in front of us. We're going to have to be patient and disciplined and manage being on the road. That's a great test for a young group."
Follow it Live
To watch the ESPN+ broadcast of the game, please visit HERE. To learn more about how to sign up for ESPN+, please visit HERE. You can follow the match via live stats HERE.
Up Next
UNC Asheville will next travel just up the road to Spartanburg, S.C. to tangle with Wofford of the Southern Conference at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 27. The Bulldogs earned a 2-0 victory over Wofford last season at Greenwood Field on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017.
Live Stats
DAYTON, Ohio – For UNC Asheville men's soccer it's like they are traveling to Wright State to open presents.
"It's like Christmas morning," UNC Asheville men's soccer head coach Mathes Mennell said. "The season is finally here."
The Bulldogs officially open the present that is the 2018 regular season by playing at Wright State at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 24. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Mennell is excited about the opportunity for his squad against a very good Wright State team.
"I am really excited about our group," Mennell said. "We've shown a lot of positives in terms of progression."
Mennell is particularly pleased with the depth of his team entering the season opener.
"I like where our group is headed," Mennell relayed. "I've got a really great problem in that I don't know who the first 11 is. My staff and I have to figure that out. I don't mean that in a way that I don't know who is going to start, but it's a positive that we've got 15, 16 guys that could have a realistic and deserved chance to be in the first 11.
"It's something that's awesome, and it's something that I have not yet had during time my here. We've got a talented group, we've got some dynamic guys and we have some guys that can cause a lot of problems."
BULLDOG BITES
Bullish About the Bulldogs
UNC Asheville men's soccer received one first-place vote in the 2018 Big South men's soccer preseason poll.
First Regular Season Meeting
Friday's season opener will mark the first regular season meeting between the two programs, but it's the second meeting on the pitch in the last two years overall with the two playing an exhibition last season at Greenwood Field on Aug. 17, 2017.
About Wright State
The Raiders are looking to continue their winning ways of late under former assistant and now first-year head coach Jake Slemker. Wright State has posted double-digit wins in each of the last four seasons and finished last year with an overall record of 10-7-1. The Raiders return two of their top three points producers last year in Stefan Rokvic (17) and Alec Philippe (12).
Quotable
"We are playing an experienced Wright State team that is very well-versed in what they do," Mennell noted. "They are not going to give us a lot of looks. They're not going to make a lot of mistakes. They are going to keep the game in front of us. We're going to have to be patient and disciplined and manage being on the road. That's a great test for a young group."
Follow it Live
To watch the ESPN+ broadcast of the game, please visit HERE. To learn more about how to sign up for ESPN+, please visit HERE. You can follow the match via live stats HERE.
Up Next
UNC Asheville will next travel just up the road to Spartanburg, S.C. to tangle with Wofford of the Southern Conference at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 27. The Bulldogs earned a 2-0 victory over Wofford last season at Greenwood Field on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017.
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