GAME #1
ART U Urban Knights (0-0-0) vs. William Jessup Warriors (0-2-0)
Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 at 3:00 PM
Roseville, CA – Mahany Field
GAME #2
ART U Urban Knights (0-0-0) vs. Bethany Bruins (0-0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010 at 1:00 PM
Aptos, CA – Soquel High School
Game Notes
LET THE GAMES BEGIN:
After being so close so often last season, the Academy of Art University men's soccer team finds a new season now upon them. 2010 will be the third year in program history and this week starts with two non-conference matches against NAIA opponents.
OPENING KICKOFF:
ART U faces William Jessup in the 2010 season opener this Thursday, Sept. 2. The match is set to begin at 3:00 PM on the Warriors' Mahany Field. Two days later on Sept. 4, men's soccer travels to Soquel High School for a pairing with Bethany University at 1:00 PM.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS:
William Jessup wrapped up 2009 with a 8-8-1 overall record and took third place in the Cal Pac Conference standings. Ranked #32 in the NAIA this year, the Warriors are also slated to finish second in the preseason Cal Pac Coach's Poll. Fourth-year Head Coach Micah Howser comes off the team's best conference finish in school history highlighted by a victory over Cal Pac rival Holy Names to snap their 44-game conference winning streak.
SCOUTING THE BRUINS:
Winners of five matches last season, Bethany University finished fifth in the Cal Pac. Chosen for a sixth place result in the Coach's Poll, the Bruins return their two top goal scorers, Sylvester Massaquoi and Matheus Barbosa. Newcomers include Chase and Cody Harrell, a pair of twin junior transfers from two-time conference champion Santa Barbara City College, in addition to Spencer Huffer, a junior transfer from Washington State.
PACWEST PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH:
Announced on Monday's PacWest Soccer Media Day, the preseason predicted order of finish has the Urban Knights taking eighth in conference. Grand Canyon, last year's top team in the PacWest, was selected by the coaches to defend its title with Hawaii Pacific and Notre Dame de Namur to follow. The 2010 Preseason All-PacWest Team can be found here.
URBAN KNIGHTS IN 2009:
Last season, Academy of Art University turned in a solid non-conference stretch to open up the season and could have easily finished on top of the PacWest standings had it not been for so many one-goal losses. Three defeats went into overtime and four came right at the beginning of conference play. One of the season's main highlights came when the Knights triumphed over Dixie State for their first PacWest victory, a 3-0 shutout.
MOVING FORWARD:
A third and final road game versus an NAIA opponent comes Sept. 9 when Academy of Art University takes on Menlo College. The Knights then return home to Boxer Stadium to kick off PacWest Conference play against the Dixie State Red Storm on Sept. 16. This will begin a three-match homestand for the Knights.
