Men's Soccer (0-0-0) at Rhode Island (0-0-0)
Date & Time	Friday, Aug. 25 | 7 p.m.
Venue	URI Soccer Complex | Kingston, R.I.
Live Stats	GoRhody.com
Twitter	@BUGameDay | @TerrierMSOC
Media	Daily Free Press' season preview

BOSTON – Selected to finish fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll, the Boston University men's soccer team will open the program's 69th season at Rhode Island on Friday night with action slated to begin at 7 p.m. 

BRAND NEW DAY

• BU is 28-31-9 all-time in season openers with 33rd-year head coach Neil Roberts owning a 17-12-3 mark.
• The Terriers will open a season on the road for the third straight year following a hard-fought 3-2 loss at then-No. 8 Boston College in 2016 and a thrilling 1-0 overtime win at Fordham in 2015.
• Despite previously meeting 46 times, BU and Rhode Island will open a season against one another for the first time in the series. 

POLL COVERAGE

• The Terriers earned 115 points in the Patriot League preseason poll for fourth place, finishing behind top selection Loyola Maryland (152), Colgate (142) and American (116) with Army West Point (93) rounding out the top five.
• BU ranked No. 7 in New England Soccer Journal's preseason top-10 poll behind No. 5 Boston College and No. 6 Harvard and ahead of New Hampshire, Quinnipiac and Hartford ... Providence grabbed the No. 1 slot.

REAR VIEW MIRROR

• BU went 8-6-3 last year with a 4-3-2 conference mark to give Coach Roberts his 28th winning season in 32 years.
• The Terriers finished 1-4-2 on the road with a win at Holy Cross and draws against both Loyola Maryland and Bucknell.
• Bucknell eliminated BU in the Patriot League quarterfinals in a shootout following a second 1-1 tie between the two schools.

WELCOME BACK

• BU returns just four of the 23 goals scored last season following the key losses of Felix De Bona (8g, 2a) to graduation and Anthony Viteri (8g, 2a) to injury.
• Sophomore Matt McDonnell is the top returning points compiler at eight off three goals and two assists ... Junior Nicki Wieners is the other returning Terrier who found the back of the net last season.
• Sophomore Jerry Ozor recorded a team-high five assists in 2016, and senior David Amirani, a 2014 All-PL Second Team honoree, tallied three helpers.
• Senior defender Adam Sheikali is the only returning Terrier who started in every appearance last year and will look to provide leadership in a backline that will be without both 2015 PL Goalkeeper of the Year Matt Gilbert and 2015 PL Defender of the Year David Asbjornsson due to graduation.
• Other key returners include junior midfielder T.J. Butzke (2a) and a pair of junior defenders in Ben Valek and David Riccio with all three men compiling at least 20 career starts ... Senior Eric Udelson started in 11 of 12 games as well to help BU record five shutouts last season.

NET PROTECTION

• Despite Matt Gilbert's graduation, BU will have plenty of depth at the goalkeeper position this season.
• Junior Bjorn Kammholz made two appearances last year, including the final 28 minutes in a thrilling 1-0 overtime win over Dartmouth.
• Sophomore transfer Michael Bernardi joins the Terriers this season after making four appearances and two starts last year for St. John's.
• Freshman William Bonnelyche enrolled at BU in January and was able to play and train with the Terriers during spring ball.

SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND

• The Rams were selected to finish fifth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll after earning an 8-11-1 overall record and 4-4-0 mark in conference play.
• URI had three men named to the preseason All-Conference team, including 2016 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Stavros Zarokostas, who ranked second in the league with 20 points off eight goals and four assists.
• Midfielder Dominik Richter (2g, 2a) and defender Peder Kristiansen (5a) also received recognition from the A-10.
• The Rams also return Ryan Bailey, who was second on the team with 11 points (4g, 3a), and Carlo Davids, who was tied with Kristiansen at five assists.
• Senior goalkeeper Nils Leifhelm collected shutouts against St. Francis Brooklyn and Stetson before finishing with a 1.48 goals against average and .698 save percentage in 19 games.
• URI went 3-5-0 at home last year with key wins over George Mason, Davidson and UMass ... Their biggest victory came at Providence in overtime, 2-1, during the season opener.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Terriers are 23-15-8 in a rivalry that dates back to 1963, though they will be meeting the Rams for the first time since 2010. 
• BU has won the last seven meetings by a combined score of 17-4 with four shutouts and a 3-2 overtime victory in 2004.
• URI has fallen at home three straight times with the last victory occurring in 2002.