CCU

Men's Soccer Travels To Charlotte For Exhibition Contest

Coastal returns nine starters from last year's team that won the Big South.

       

Alex Russell was named to the All-Big South first team in 2009.

Alex Russell was named to the All-Big South first team in 2009.

Aug. 21, 2010

 

CONWAY, S.C. - The Coastal Carolina men's soccer team raises the curtain on the 2010 season when the Chanticleers travel to Charlotte to take on the 49ers in an exhibition game Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. from Transamerica Field. 

"We are very excited to play UNC Charlotte this weekend in an exhibition game in front of a very large crowd," Coastal Carolina head coach Shaun Docking said.  "I think it will give us a pretty good early gauge as to how we are going to be this year."

Coastal returns nine starters from last year's team that finished with a 9-7-2 overall mark and captured the Big South regular season title for the ninth time in school history.  It was also the 11th consecutive season the Chants have won at least nine games. 

The Chanticleers welcome back five players who earned All-Big South accolades a season ago, which includes first team selections Alex Russell and Scott Angevine.  That defensive duo helped Coastal finish second in the Big South in goals against average after limiting opponents to just 1.02 goals per game. 

Midfielder Matt Schroeder was selected to the All-Big South second team in 2009 and returns for his senior season to anchor one of the top midfields in the league.  The Parker, Colo., native scored a team-high five goals last season and finished the season with a total of 12 points. 

Coastal also features a wealth of young talent in sophomores Luis Faz and Sean McCormick.  Both Faz and McCormick were named to the Big South All-Freshman team last season after outstanding years on the pitch.  Faz started all 17 games in which he appeared and tallied three assists from his midfield position.  McCormick appeared in 11 games and drew seven starts as a forward and proved to be a valuable weapon up top for the Chants. 

"We still have a few guys getting fit and working their way into the lineup, but I am excited about what we have been able to do so far this year," Docking said.  "We play a very strong schedule this year, and we are looking forward to challenging our guys to continually improve throughout the season with our focus securely set on trying to advance to the NCAA tournament."

Charlotte opens play following a breakout season in 2009 in which the 49ers won 11 games and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997.  Charlotte returns eight starters from last year's squad and is ranked 25th in the nation in the College Soccer News Preseason Poll.  The 49ers were picked to finish second in the A-10 being preseason favorite St. Louis. 

Coastal will play a second exhibition Aug. 27 at Campbell before kicking off the regular season Sept. 4 against Old Dominion in the VCU/Nike Invitational from Richmond, Va.