BOSTON – Selected second in the Patriot League preseason poll, the Boston University men's soccer team will open its 70th season at Nickerson Field against Rhode Island with a 7 p.m. start time on Friday night.

High school soccer teams are encouraged to take advantage of Friday night's promotion by emailing nafeesac@bu.edu.

BRAND NEW DAY

• BU is 28-32-9 all-time in season openers with 34th-year head coach Neil Roberts owning a 17-13-3 mark.
• The Terriers will open a season at home for the first time since a 1-0 overtime win over Fordham in 2014.
• They are 18-12-3 all-time in home openers under Roberts as well.

PRESEASON PREDICTION

• The Terriers earned 129 points in the Patriot League preseason poll for second place, finishing behind top selection Loyola Maryland (129) and ahead of both Colgate (124) and Lehigh (124).
• Army West Point (89), Bucknell (88), Holy Cross (71), American (55), Navy (30) and Lafayette (28) rounded out the poll.

• BU went 7-8-4 last year with a 6-2-1 conference mark to reach the Patriot League semifinals for the third time in four years.
• The Terriers stated the season 0-5-0 with five shutout losses but bounced back for a 7-3-4 record.
• Holy Cross eliminated BU in the PL semifinals by winning a penalty kick shootout following a 0-0 draw.

 WELCOME BACK

• The Terriers return 15 of the 18 goals scored from last season and 16 of the 17 assists recorded along with five of the six All-PL honorees.
• Sophomore and All-PL Second Team member Toti Knutsson is the top returning scorer with three goals and five assists for 11 points ... He was named to the 2018 preseason All-PL team as well.
• Junior and All-PL Third Team honoree Matt McDonnell posted a team-high four goals with an assist and will serve as team captain alongside senior defender David Riccio. 
• Sophomore Austin D'Anna tied Knutsson with three goals, while senior T.J. Butzke posted five helpers ... Both juniors Satchel Cortet and Mana Chavali had two goals and two assists apiece.
• BU also returns All-PL Third Team members Peter Kargbo and Elias Lampis, who helped the Terriers claim eight shutouts last season and will need to step up alongside Riccio and senior Ben Valek following the graduation of NSCAA All-Region defender Adam Sheikali.

• Senior Mike Bernardi received 2017 All-PL Second Team honors after posting a 0.694 save percentage and 1.17 goals against average with seven shutouts in 13 games.
• Sophomore William Bonnelyche was hampered by injury and made six appearances while finishing with a 0.682 save percentage and 1.24 GAA.
• Freshman Nick Malvezzi will provide depth to the position this season as well. 

SCOUTING RHODE ISLAND

• The Rams went 10-6-3 last season and advanced to the Atlantic-10 semifinals following key non-conference wins against the Terriers, Boston College and Holy Cross by a combined score of 7-1.
• Finishing with an RPI ranking of 41, they went 4-4-3 on the road compared to 6-2-0 at home.
• Selected to finish fourth in the A-10 preseason poll, URI returns its top three goal scorers, Chae Brangman (8g,3a), Stavros Zarokostas (5g,4a) and Dominik Richter (4g,4a).
• Peder Kristiansen and Emil Jesman Sunde are back as well after posting a team-high six assists apiece.
• Nils Leifhelm played every minute at net, posting a 0.811 save percentage with a 1.05 goals against average.
• Leifhelm and the backline finished the year with eight shutouts, highlighted by 0-0 draws on the road against then-No. 16 New Hampshire and Brown.

• The Terriers are 23-16-8 in a rivalry that dates back to 1963, though they will be hosting the Rams for the first time since 2010.
• BU has won the last four contests at Nickerson Field by a combined score of 11-2.
• URI snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series last year with a 3-0 season-opening victory at home.
• Both Zarokostas and Kristiansen finished with a goal and assist apiece, while Leifhelm had four saves … Tallying all three goals in the first 50 minutes of action, URI owned a 12-7 advantage in shot attempts, despite the Terriers finishing ahead in corner kicks, 6-1.