GAME 1 INFO (SEASON OPENER)
Teams: Men's Soccer (0-0) at New Hampshire (0-0)
Date & Time: Thursday, Aug. 29 | 7 p.m.
Venue: Wildcat Stadium
Twitter: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMSOC

BOSTON – Opening a season on the road for the fourth time in five years, the Boston University men's soccer team will visit defending America East champion New Hampshire on Thursday night with the ESPN3 stream set to begin at 7 p.m.

BRAND NEW DAY

• BU is 28-33-9 all-time in season openers with 35th-year head coach Neil Roberts owning a 17-14-3 mark.
• Roberts ranks No. 9 amongst active NCAA Division I coaches with 363 career victories.
• The Terriers will look to open with a win for the first time since pulling out a 2-1 overtime victory at Fordham in 2015.

PRESEASON PREDICTION

• The Terriers earned 101 points in the Patriot League preseason poll for fifth place, finishing behind No. 1 Loyola Maryland (156), No. 2 Colgate (147), No. 3 Lehigh (128) and No. 4 Army West Point (108).
• Navy (83), American (63), Bucknell (56), Holy Cross (32) and Lafayette (26) rounded out the poll.

REAR VIEW MIRROR

• BU went 4-4-1 to finish fourth in the Patriot League season and ended the year at 5-10-4.
• The Terriers finished the year with six one-goal losses, including a pair of overtime heartbreakers.
• Army West Point eliminated BU in the PL quarterfinals by winning a penalty kick shootout, 5-4, following a 0-0 draw.

 WELCOME BACK

• The Terriers return 13 of the 18 goals scored from last season and 13 of the 21 assists.
• Former All-PL honoree and senior Matt McDonnell netted six goals through the first five games before suffering a season-ending injury.
• 2019 Preseason All-PL member and sophomore Kari Petursson was the other Terrier to reach double-digit points with a team-high five assists and three goals.
• Senior Satchel Cortet was close behind at eight points with four assists and two goals, while junior and 2018 All-PL Second Team member Toti Knutsson had four helpers.
• Sophomore Nate Cole made 13 starts in the backline and senior Mana Chavali earned 12 starts in the midfield ... Both sophomore John Siracuse and junior George Abunaw combined for 16 starts as well.

NET PROTECTION

• The Terriers have four active goalkeepers following the graduation of two-time All-PL honoree Mike Bernardi.
• Junior William Bonnelyche has combined for 11 appearances in the last two seasons, earning one shutout.
• Junior transfer Michael Stone combined for 10 starts and 16 appearances the last two seasons at Amherst, tallying one solo and four combined shutouts.
• Sophomore Edgar Schottland Levy appeared in 15 games last season and had one shutout for Yeshiva.
• Junior Nick Malvezzi will help provide depth as well.

SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE

• The Wildcats went 12-4-2 last season and captured the America East title with a 5-0 victory over UMBC following 2-0 win against UMass Lowell.
• Finishing with an RPI ranking of 18, they went 10-1-0 at home compared to a 2-3-2 away mark. The lone loss came against 2018 PL champion Colgate (1-0) in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
• Selected to repeat in the AE preseason poll, UNH outscored opponents, 25-10, last season and is 20-1-3 all-time at Wildcat Stadium.
• UNH had three men named to the 2019 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Award Watch List – Josh Bauer (4g,2a), Antonio Colacci (5g,3a) and Jack Doherty (3g,4a).
• Reaching the Sweet 16 in 2017, the Wildcats will need to rely on a new keeper after Lars Huxsohl (11-4-2, 0.58 GAA) graduated ... Tomeu Pocovi appeared in two games, earning a shutout.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Terriers are 23-21-8 in a rivalry that dates back to 1966, though they will be facing New Hampshire for the first time since leaving the America East for the PL in the summer of 2013.
• The Wildcats won the last meeting, 1-0, in overtime in 2012 at Brennan Field in Durham.
• BU also lost in OT on the road in 2010 after pulling out a 2-1 road victory in 2008.