George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
#4 West Virginia
Men’s Soccer Faces Tall Task at No. 4 West Virginia
8/29/2024 10:38:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Revolutionaries go up against a Mountaineer program that made the College Cup semifinal round a year ago
WASHINGTON - The George Washington University men's soccer team is gearing up for its first road match of the season, traveling to Morgantown, W.Va. to face No. 4 West Virginia. Kickoff at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
SOARING PAST SAINT PETER'S
GW picked up its first win of the season this past Sunday, downing Saint Peter's, 2-1, at the GW Soccer Field. The Revolutionaries fell behind in the first half by way of a Peacocks' penalty kick conversion, but GW came out firing in the second half and netted two goals to secure the win.
Sophomore defender Colin Prendergast tucked home GW's first goal in the 63rd minute, heading home a cross into the side netting to level the match at 1-1. GW then took the lead in the 75th minute when junior forward Alex Nicholson took advantage of a misplay between the Saint Peter's goalkeeper and a defender, stealing the ball and easing it into the wide-open net. GW Goalkeeper Duncan Wegner earned his fifth career win in his first start of 2024, making two saves in the match.
GW outshot Saint Peter's, 26-6, which included a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal.
FORMIDABLE FIRST-YEARS
GW first-years Louis Crofts and Finn Roberts have been making an impact through their first two collegiate matches. They each have over 100 minutes played and have registered their first career points. Crofts, a forward from Shrewsbury, England, scored on a rocketed shot from distance in GW's season opener last week vs. ODU, giving GW its first goal of the season. Roberts, who is a midfielder from Cardiff, Wales, delivered a perfect cross on a free kick that led to a Prendergast score in GW's win over Saint Peter's. The first-year players will look to make a continued impact this Friday at West Virginia.
MEETING THE MOUNTAINEERS
No. 4 West Virginia enters Friday's contest at 2-0 on the season, with wins over Purdue Fort Wayne (4-2) and Saint Francis (4-0). The Mountaineers, who play men's soccer in the Sun Belt Conference, finished the 2023 regular season in third place in their conference with 18 points, eventually falling to Marshall (2-3) in the final of the Sun Belt Championship. The Mountaineers earned a bid to the NCAA Championship, where they beat Louisville (1-0), Vermont (2-1) and Loyola Marymount (3-1) before eventually losing to Clemson (1-0) in the College Cup semifinal round.
West Virginia returns two of its top three point producers from last season in Marcus Caldeira and Sergio Ors Navarro. Caldeira finished second on the team last season with 12 goals and three assists, but has played just 37 minutes so far through two matches. Ors Navarro was third on the team in points last season with eight goals and two assists, and he leads the Mountaineers through two matches this season with five goals. West Virginia's only goalkeeper to play last season, Jackson Lee, did not return after his senior season, making way for redshirt-senior Marc Bonnaire to make both starts in net in 2024 with a 1.00 GAA and .600 save percentage.
GW is 9-11-2 all-time against West Virginia. Friday's match will be the first meeting between the sides since 1994.
A LOOK AHEAD
Following the conclusion of the match vs. No. 4 West Virginia, the Revolutionaries will prepare for a trip to Stony Brook, N.Y., to face off against Stony Brook on Tuesday night. Kickoff at LaValle Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. and the match will air live on Flo FC.
