Utah Valley at UMass
Friday, Aug. 28, 2015  |  4 p.m. ET/2 p.m. MT
Live Stats  |  Game Notes

Utah Valley at UMass-Lowell
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015  |  noon ET/ 10 a.m. MT
Live Video  |  Live Stats
 

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WOLVERINES OPEN SEASON IN NORTHEAST
The follow up to last year's inaugural season begins this weekend in Massachusetts for the Utah Valley University men's soccer team with the season opener Friday at UMass. Kick off for that contest is 4 p.m. ET/2 p.m. MT with a match Sunday at UMass-Lowell (noon ET/10 a.m. MT) capping the weekend action.

The Friday game at UMass is a rematch of UVU's first ever match last Aug. 30, 2014 in Orem, a 5-1 Wolverines win. The meeting at UMass-Lowell with is the first between the programs.

"Opening up on the road is going to be a benefit for us," head coach Greg Maas said. "It's good for camaraderie and will help set the standard for the season. We'd love to be playing at home but to be out on the road will help this team tighten up as a group and gain experience that we'll bring back to Clyde Field."

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
UMass begins its 2015 season under new leadership, with Fran O'Leary the program's new head coach. The Minutemen return 16 letterwinners from last year's team including six starters. UMass was picked to finish 12th in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll and is one of two teams from the conference on UVU's 2015 schedule -- Saint Joseph's is the other.

UMass-Lowell is in its third season transitioning from NCAA Division II to DI and was picked to finish fourth in the American East preseason poll. The River Hawks, who return 26 players from last year, were unbeaten in six of their final seven matches in 2014, going 5-1-1 during that time. Their roster includes junior Wuilito Fernandes, a first-team All-America East selection and one of 30 players named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

SEASON PREVIEW
Utah Valley returns 20 letterwinners from a team that surprised many by finishing 9-7-2 in its first season of competition. With the entire roster essentially newcomers in 2014, this year's team has just five players new to the program, a markedly different beginning to this season than the last.

"Preseason was fantastic for us. The team came in fit and they came in with continuity," Maas said. "Coming into this year the guys knew one another and we were able to pick up right where we left off and get ready for what we hope is going to be a fantastic second season."

The Wolverines were 1-1-1 against ranked teams in 2014: a win over No. 21 Denver, a draw against No. 24 Seattle and a double-overtime heartbreaking loss to No. 4 UC Irvine. The overall record included a 5-1-2 mark in games at home on Clyde Field, where UVU ranked No. 14 nationally in average attendance with 1,750 fans per game.

"Our 12th Wolverines are the difference maker for us," Maas said of the UVU crowd. "We hope to build on that this year. Ultimately, there's nothing better playing in front of the thousands of fans that are knowledgeable and excited. We feel very fortunate to be able to play here at home."

Among the 20 returning letterwinners are nine starters including All-WAC first-team defender Alex Neff and goalkeeper Collin Partee, who led the WAC in goals against average as a freshman last season. Also back are three of the four players to score multiple goals including Karson Payton (five goals), Lucas Cawley (four goals) and Skyler Milne (three goals). The team's top scorer from 2014, Matt Gay, is serving an LDS mission in Houston, Texas after scoring seven goals last year.

"Obviously Matt Gay's going to be difficult to replace but we always stand by the next-man-up opportunity, and our entire coaching staff feels that we have tremendous depth and talent," said Maas. "The incoming recruits have also given us a different look and have stepped in seamlessly with the rest of the team."

Among the five newcomers is Aaron Meyer, who was the No. 7 rated high school senior in the country in 2015 by College Soccer News. A member of the U.S. U-17 Men's National Team, he was also rated as the No. 28 player in the IMG Academy Top 150 by Top Drawer Soccer.

After the opening weekend in Massachusetts, the Wolverines will play two neutral site contests at UNLV against Pacific and Saint Joseph's before opening at home on Sept. 11 against Bradley. Homecoming will be Sept. 24 against Cal State Fullerton with the WAC opener the following week, on Oct. 2, against Air Force. Utah Valley was picked to finish fourth in the conference, right where the ended last season.

"It's an appropriate pick," Maas said. "It's still a young conference and we're still a young team and we have a lot to prove. For our guys it's motivation. Our goal is to get after it and have a chance at a WAC title and I think it's a good spot to start from."