Belmont at No. 12 Missouri State | Thursday, Aug. 26 | 8:00 p.m.
Springfield, Missouri | Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium
ESPN+ | Live Stats
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Thursday night will open up the Belmont University men's soccer program's 2021 fall campaign as the Bruins make the journey to Springfield, Missouri, to take on 12th-ranked Missouri State. Kickoff from Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium is slated for 8 p.m.
The season-opening match will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live statistics of the game will be available via MissouriStateBears.com.
What's Bruin
- Looking to build upon its success during the unique 2020-21 spring season, Belmont features a wealth of depth in 2021. Boasting nine seniors, the Bruins have plenty of leadership while also showcasing a plethora of youthful talent. Returning five All-Southern Conference selections (AJ Chastonay, Niccolo Dagnoni, Liam O'Brien, Drew Romig, Jack Shaw), Belmont brings back a trio of SoCon All-Freshman Team performers from a season ago (AJ Chastonay, Michael Saunders, Eric Stiles).
- A total of eight newcomers, including three freshmen (Alex Johnson, Cade MacLean, Dylan Steely) and five transfers (Case Cox, Davis Eddleman, Esteban Leiva, Nate Logan, Aaron Stafford) joined the Bruins late this summer.
- Entering its fourth season in the SoCon, Belmont was picked to finish third in the seven-team league along with Mercer. Closing out the 2020-21 regular season in fourth place with 10 points and a 3-2-1 SoCon mark, the Bruins reached their first-ever conference tournament title match. Fourth-seeded Belmont knocked off top-seeded and 25th-ranked Furman 3-1 in the semifinals of the SoCon Championship.
- Three different Bruins picked up SoCon All-Tournament Team honors (Kyle Barks, AJ Chastonay, Drew Romig) as Belmont finished the spring 7-3-2 overall. Claiming six shutouts, the Bruins tied the program record for shutouts in a single season while setting school records for both winning percentage (.667) and consecutive matches without a loss (7). Leading the conference in assists (19) and goals against average (0.79) in 2020-21, Belmont was second in the SoCon in goals allowed (10).
- Seniors Dagnoni (forward), Barks (midfielder) and Romig (goalkeeper) were all tabbed preseason All-SoCon.
- The Bruins went 1-0-1 in preseason play, defeating The University of Alabama in Huntsville 3-1 at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville on Aug. 16 and playing the University of Memphis to a 2-2 draw in west Tennessee last Friday evening. Dagnoni was a part of four of Belmont's five goals, assisting on both at Memphis and scoring against UAH to go along with an assist. Sophomore midfielder Michael Saunders, sophomore forward Austin Yowell, Chastonay and senior defender John Bannec also netted goals in exhibition play.
- In their last matchup against a ranked opponent, the Bruins ousted No. 25 Furman in the 2020-21 SoCon Men's Soccer Championship semifinals (April 9, 2021).
- Thursday night's opener will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2013 when Belmont and Missouri State split a home-and-home. The Bruins and Bears are deadlocked at 2-2-1 in the all-time series.
- Belmont also began its 2011 season with a trip to Missouri State, earning a 2-1 road victory with a 90th-minute header from Brandon Tarr off a free kick from Diego Figueroa. The Bruins have gone 1-1-1 in Springfield, Missouri, with their last trip to Missouri State taking place on Aug. 20, 2017, for an exhibition contest.
- With only 131 days separating the start of the 2021 fall season and Belmont's 2020-21 SoCon title match run, it marks the shortest time between seasons in program history.
About the Bears
- Missouri State enters the fall ranked No. 12 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 preseason poll and No. 11 in the College Soccer News Top 30 preseason poll.
- The Bears return all 11 starters from a season ago, six of whom started every game during the spring. Going 12-2 overall and 7-1 in Missouri Valley Conference action in 2020-21, Missouri State claimed its second-straight MVC regular season title before winning the MVC Championship. For the second consecutive season, the Bears won a match in the NCAA College Cup with a 2-1 victory over the Big Ten Conference's Maryland.
- Missouri State features two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Year Kyle Hiebert, MVC Forward of the Year Nicolo Mulatero and 2019 MVC Goalkeeper of the Year Michael Creek. Three of the MVC's top five scorers are back for the Bears with the league leader Mulatero (7 goals) and forwards Aadne Bruseth (4 goals) and Jesús Barea (4 goals). Both Hiebert and forward/midfielder Josh Dolling were named preseason All-Americans by College Soccer News.
- After earning a 2-1 home win over Northern Illinois in exhibition play on Aug. 16, Missouri State dropped a 2-1 preseason affair on the road at receiving-votes Saint Louis last Saturday.
Up Next
The Bruins will venture to Conway, Arkansas, this Sunday, Aug. 29 for a 6 p.m. tilt at ASUN Conference member Central Arkansas.
