CCU

Chants Open Regular Season Saturday Against ODU

Coastal takes part in its first of two tournaments.

       

Luis Faz was named to the Big South All-Freshman Team in 2009.

Luis Faz was named to the Big South All-Freshman Team in 2009.

Sept. 3, 2010

 

Coastal Carolina (0-0-0) vs. Old Dominion (0-0-0)
Saturday 9.4.10 | 5:00 p.m.
Richmond, Va. | SportsBackers Stadium (3,000)

CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina men’s soccer team ushers in the 2010 regular season when the Chanticleers travel to Richmond, Va., to take on Old Dominion Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Richmond Marriot Classic from SportsBackers Stadium. 

The Chanticleers will also face tournament host VCU Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. 

Coastal enters the season following exhibition games against No. 25 Charlotte and Campbell.  The Chanticleers and junior keeper Scott Angevine turned in shutouts in both contests en route to a 0-0 draw with the 49ers and a 2-0 blanking of the Camels. 

The Chanticleers were predicted to finish second in the Big South’s annual preseason poll that was voted on by the league’s head coaches. 

Coastal won the Big South regular season title in 2009 after finishing the season with a 9-2-7 overall mark and a 5-0-3 record inside the league.  The Chants went undefeated in Big South play for fourth time in school history and won at least nine games for the 11th consecutive year.

Individually, the Chanticleers welcome back five players who earned All-Big South accolades a season ago.  Defenders Alex Russell and Angevine were both named to the All-Big South first team, while midfielder Matt Schroeder was selected to the second team.  Both Luis Faz and Sean McCormick were both named to the Big South All-Freshman Team.

“We’re very excited about getting the season underway and having the opportunity to play in this tournament,” Coastal head coach Shaun Docking said.  “We expect to be involved in two very tough games, and I think it’s going to be interesting because anything can happen in the opening games of the year.”

Old Dominion, which has made six NCAA Tournament appearances in the past eight years, was picked to finish in second place in the Colonial Athletic Association.  The Monarchs welcome back six starters from last year’s 11-5-2 squad. Leading the list of returnees for the Monarchs are third-team All-CAA goalkeeper Evan Newton, second-team All-CAA forward Yannick Smith and CAA All-Rookie forward Shane Howard.

Coastal is 1-0-0 all-time against Old Dominion following a 4-0 shutout of the Monarchs during the 2002 season.  In addition, the Chanticleers are 20-9-1 all-time in season openers. 

“I’m hoping that we get a chance to keep things close and see if we can edge out a win against Old Dominion and then against VCU on Monday,” Docking said.  “It would be great to come out of there with a tournament title and a 2-0 record.  I think that would really set our season up nicely.”

VCU finished 2009 with a 5-10-2 overall record and a 2-8-1 mark inside the CAA and were predicted to finish in seventh place in their 2010 preseason poll.

The Rams own a 2-1-0 lead in the all-time series with Coastal that dates back to the 2001 season.  In the most recent meeting, the VCU downed the Chanticleers 4-0 in 2008.