Men's Soccer Opens 2009 Regular Season Play at College of Charleston

Men's Soccer Opens 2009 Regular Season Play at College of Charleston

The Chanticleers will return home to host the Coastal Carolina/adidas Invitation on Sept. 4-6.

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Aug. 30, 2009

THE OPPONENTS:

Coastal Carolina (0-0) vs. College of Charleston (0-0)
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 1
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Charleston, S.C.
Series: Coastal leads 12-6-4
2008 record: 11-10 (6-3) Southern

Coastal Carolina University/adidas Invitational Coastal Carolina vs. Albany (0-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 4
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Coastal Carolina
Series: First Meeting
2008 record: 12-4-2 (5-2-2) America East
LiveStats: goccusports.com

Coastal Carolina University/adidas Invitational Coastal Carolina vs. St. Francis (N.Y.) (0-0)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 6
Time: 1 p.m.
Place: Coastal Carolina
Series: St. Francis leads 1-0
2008 record: 11-4-3 (4-3-2-) Northeast
LiveStats: goccusports.com

PRESEASON: The Chanticleers participated in two home exhibition matches this preseason against Limestone and Campbell. For the first exhibition against Limestone on Aug. 16., the Chants came out on top 2-0 with goals coming from brothers Riley and Gray Phelps. In the second exhibition, the Chanticleers were dropped by Campbell (Aug. 22) in a defensive battle, 1-0. The only goal in the game came in the mid-second period from a Campbell penalty shot. 2009

SEASON OPENER AT COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: The Coastal Carolina men's soccer team (0-0) opens the 2009 season at the College of Charleston (0-0) on Sept. 1 at 7:00 p.m. This will be the first of eight road games on this season's schedule.

SCOUTING COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: The Cougars are coming off of a fifth-place finish in the Southern Conference (3-4) and a 11-10 record overall. After, losing 10 letterwinners, the Cougars welcomed 14 newcomers. The 2009 recruiting class for College of Charleston was ranked in the Top 40 by College Soccer News, and freshman defender Robbie Benson was also identified as one of the "Top 100 Freshman to Watch." The Cougars will be returning 10 starters including seniors Matt Morris, who had nine goals in 14 games and Kareem Yearwood who had seven goals last season.

SERIES VS. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON: The match-up on Sept. 1 marks the 23rd time the Chanticleers and Cougars have met. The Chants lead the series 12-6-4. In the last meeting between the two teams (Nov. 1), Coastal Carolina came out on top 2-1, with the first goal coming from Robbie McRight and the game-winner from Riley Phelps. The Chants outshot the Cougars 19 to 11 and tallied 12 shots on goal.

CHANTS VS. SOUTHERN CONFERENCE: The Chants have compiled a 24-14-5 all-time record against current Southern Conference teams. For the 2009 season, the Chants will face three Southern Conference teams; College of Charleston (Sept. 1), Davidson (Sept. 13) and Furman (Sept. 17).

COASTAL CAROLINA IN SEASON OPENERS: The Chanticleers are 6-4-1 in season openers under Shaun Docking, and an impressive 20-8-1 since the first team in 1978. The Chanticleers opened 2008 season with a 1-0 win against Florida Atlantic in the Coastal Carolina University/adidas Invitational.

CHANTS TO HOST CCU/adidas INVITATIONAL: Coastal Carolina will host its annual Coastal Carolina University/adidas Invitational Sept. 4-6 at the Coastal Carolina Soccer Field. Virginia Commonwealth, St. Francis (N.Y.) and Albany join Coastal Carolina to round out the invitational field. Friday's match-ups include VCU-SFU at 5:00 p.m. and Coastal-UA at 7 p.m. Sunday's contests are VCU-UA at 11:30 a.m. and Coastal-SFU at 2 p.m.

SCOUTING ALBANY: The meeting on Sept. 6 vs. Albany marks the first time the two teams have ever met. Albany is coming off of a 12-4-2 record overall and a second place, 5-1-2 America East conference record. The Great Danes are returning five starters and 10 letterwinners. One of Albany's top returners is America East Striker of the Year and NSCAA All-Region selection, Claudio Dantas who scored nine goals, 10 assists, and 28 points. Also returning is All- America East Rookie Team defenseman Konner McNamara who had three assists on the season.

SCOUTING ST. FRANCIS (N.Y.): The St. Francis Terriers are coming off of a 11-4-3 overall record and a Northeast conference record of 4-3-2. They have only lost three starters/letterwinners, and are returning eight starters and 18 letterwinners. Junior John Sallhag will be among the returners finished the 2008 season seventh in the Northeast with eight goals and 20 points. The Terriers were selected to finish fourth in the Northeast Preseason poll. Last year, the Terriers and Chanticleers met for the first time (Sept. 5) and the Terriers came out on top 1-0.

SOCCER SELECTED SECOND: The Chanticleers were selected to finish second in the Big South Conference. Winthrop was picked for the fourth consecutive time to finish first and senior Stephan Nsereko of Winthrop was voted Preseason Player of the Year. The preseason poll and Preseason Player of the Year is voted on by the league's coaches.

EXPERIENCE AT THE HEAD: Head Coach Shaun Docking returns for his 12th season at the helm for the Chants. Docking has led the Chanticleers to a 135-74-15 (.636) overall record, and a 54-19-3 Big South Conference record. Under his leadership he led the Chanticleers to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2001-2005, and have five Big South Regular Season Championships and four BSC Tournament Championships.

Adding to his staff, Docking announced Michael Rubesch as assistant coach in the summer of 2009, Rubesch head coached Emory for 19 seasons and a record of 236-99-22. The assistant goalkeeper coach, Joel Barber, will be returning for another season, and former Chanticleers Rob Holstein and Kyle Russell are also participating as part of the support staff.

2008 IN REVIEW: The Chanticleers finished the 2008 season 10-10-1 overall and second in the Big South, at 5-2-1. A noteworthy game is a 1-0 overtime win against nationally-ranked Charlotte and a five-game unbeaten streak in mid season. Earning end of the season honors were Robert Hunter and Kyle Russell: All-Big South First Team, Ross Kelly: All-Big South Second Team, and Carlos Recinos: All-Big South Freshman Team.

COASTAL CAROLINA FALLS IN BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT FINALS: The No. 2-seeded Chants dropped a heartbreaking double overtime decision, 4-3, to No. 1-seeded Winthrop in the Championship game of the Big South Tournament, Nov. 13-16, 2008. Kyle Russell, Robert Hunter, and Ross Kelly all were voted to the Big South All-Tournament Team.

UP NEXT: Following the Coastal Carolina/adidas Invitational the Chanticleers will continue traveling around the tournament circuit to the Davidson/adidas Invitational on Sept. 11-13. The Chants will take on Big East Conference for Georgetown Hoyas on Sept. 11 at 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday will play host Davidson at 3:15 p.m.