Men’s Soccer Eyes Season Opener
VCU Men’s Soccer will start its 2018 season Friday in a match against Georgia Southern University, which finished the 2017 season with a 9-8-1 record, while VCU looks to improve on last year’s 12-7 performance.
The Rams maintained winning records both at home and on the road last season, averaging more than two goals per game and scoring 41 over the course of the season.
Finishing second to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the Atlantic 10 conference last season, the Rams aim to improve on a 6-2 in-conference record this year. After falling to UMass in the A-10 championship final, VCU will attempt to avenge that loss on Wednesday, Oct. 3 when they welcome the Minutemen to Sports Backers Stadium.
After three scrimmages against the University of Maryland, College Park, the University of Virginia and the University of Hartford, the team is warmed up and ready to open its 2018 season. Although the scrimmage with the Terrapins was closed to the public, the Rams took part in two more games, adding one home and one away in preparation for the regular season.
Star midfielder Rafael Andrade Santos — who racked up 12 goals and 29 points in 18 of the team’s 19 games last season —graduated last semester, as did fellow midfielders Francesco Amorosino and Luc Fatton. These three standouts all scored at least 19 goals last year, with Andrado Santos and Amorosino each tallying at least 50 shots apiece.
Although these key players are gone, other prominent individuals — including junior midfielder Fortia Munts, junior forward Siad Haji and junior defenseman Ryo Shimazaki — are slated to return for the 2018 season. Combining for 62 shots, 26 points and 6 goals last year, this trio looks to expand upon its prowess as the new schedule begins.
Goalkeeper Mario Sequeira also returns for his second year in front of the net, making 53 saves last season while allowing 17 goals. His .757 save percentage, as well as a 12-4 record while on the field, secured the goalie a spot for the 2018 season.
Incoming freshmen make up a significant portion of the roster. These players hail from all over the globe, from local Richmonders like midfielder Simon Fitch, to Lisbon, Portugal-born Nuno Sualehe, also a midfielder for the Rams.
VCU open its schedule with four home games, while the first away match pits the Rams against the Hoosiers of the University of Indiana. Only six regular-season matches are duplicated from last season, as VCU tries to extend win streaks over St. Louis University and George Mason University. The Rams will attempt to top St. Bonaventure University and rebound against Old Dominion University, UMass and George Washington University — all of which topped VCU in close matches last year.
VCU closes its 2018 regular season with eight straight in-conference matchups, with Duquesne University, the University of Dayton and La Salle University all posing new challenges for the Rams.
The Black and Gold’s opener against Georgia Southern will kick off 5 p.m. Friday at Sports Backers Stadium, and they will host the Radford University Highlanders on Sunday, Aug. 26, with a 5 p.m. start time.
Adam Cheek Staff Writer
