Men's Soccer | 9/3/2019 11:47:00 AM

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The Robert Morris University men's soccer team will aim for a hasty rebound after dropping its first two matches at home. Cleveland State of the Horizon League is next on the docket, as the Colonials start a two-game road swing.

ROBERT MORRIS (0-2, 0-0 NEC)
at CLEVELAND STATE (0-0-1, 0-0 HORIZON)
Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.
Krenzler Field, Cleveland, Ohio
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO ($)

LAST GAME
Robert Morris made an improvement from its season-opening 5-1 loss to Oakland, but still fell 2-0 to Bowling Green on Sunday at the North Athletic Complex. Sophomore transfer keeper Grant Glorioso made his Colonials debut, as the North Allegheny grad stopped five of seven shots on target.

KNOW BOBBY MO
• Goalie is a position of interest to start the season, with two Pittsburgh-area newcomers augmenting the presence of senior Canon-McMillan grad Christian Snatchko. Glorioso comes to Moon Township by way of Gardner-Webb and North Allegheny High School, while freshman Mike Zolnierczyk was the 2018 WPIAL Class A player of the year at Springdale. Zolnierczyk stopped 10 shots in the opener.

• The Colonials welcome seven newcomers, three of those from the Pittsburgh region. Sophomores Nick Williams and Glorioso both transfer in after matriculating from North Allegheny, with Zolnierczyk further raising the Yinzer quotient. There's international flair, too, with Michael Petitti (Canada) and Said Samara Hernandez (Costa Rica) joining fellow attackers Ethan Romito of Maryland and Jon Faynik from Minnesota.

• Since RMU returns just three goals from last year, new attackers will need to assist sophomore midfielder Cristian Palermo (17 starts in 2018) and senior forward Christian Coridon, who has the Colonials' lone goal of 2019 via penalty kick. However, the defense figures to be improved, with Guagneli playing in front of returning backs Oeyvind Skjesol (17 starts in 2018) and Christopher Coridon (12 appearances, six starts).

• Two WPIAL products figure to patrol the wings for the Colonials, with senior Noah Elamin and junior Matt Cillo providing valuable varsity experience. Elamin, a graduate of Shaler Area, started 12 games last season and appeared in 14 overall; Cillo, out of South Fayette, started 15 times in 2018, seeing the finish line in 10 of those.

• All-NEC Rookie Team pick Lorenzo Guagneli returns for his sophomore season after starting all 17 matches in 2018. The third Colonial ever to be so honored, Guagneli saw 1,490 minutes in the defensive midfield and went the distance in 10 fixtures. On the attack, the native of Cesenatico, Italy, earned an assist and fired 19 total shots toward goal in his freshman year.

• For the first time in program history, the Colonials will play 11 home games at the North Athletic Complex, including six in a row from Sept. 12-19. That homestand matches one from 1991 for the longest in team annals. The friendly schedule comes to the forefront the most in non-conference play, as RMU will play just two of seven on the road before facing NEC opponents.

• According to a preseason coaches poll, the Colonials were picked to finish sixth of nine teams in the NEC. RMU has finished fifth or higher in the NEC in four of the past five seasons, posting a 14-18-4 record against league foes since the 2014 campaign.

HISTORY LESSON
The Colonials have clashed with Cleveland State on six previous occasions, including three times in the past four years. Only four RMU players have faced the Vikings, with the Coridon twins -- Christian and Christopher -- the only ones to start in the previous meeting, a 3-1 loss in Cleveland two years ago. Goalkeeper Winter Fondi '19 stopped nine shots that night as RMU fell to 2-4 in the all-time series.

OPPOSITION RESEARCH
After posting five losing seasons in six years, Cleveland State is rebooting under first-year head coach Sinisa Ubiparipovic. The Vikings, who won just once in Horizon League play last year, are off to a promising start in '19, rallying from two goals down to tie No. 14 Louisville on the road last Friday. Senior forward Gabriel Pewu scored his 10th career goal to aid in the comeback effort.

THE DENNISTON FILE
Returning for his 23rd season in charge of the Colonials, Bill Denniston is the longest-tenured varsity head coach on campus. RMU has made seven NEC tournaments under Bethany College grad, winning the 2005 edition and making the NCAA Tournament. Denniston also led RMU to a regular-season NEC title in 2001, taking league Coach of the Year honors in the process.

Twenty-three players have made All-NEC teams under his tutelage, with several of those going on to sign pro contracts. The Jamaican attacking duo of Neco Brett and Devon 'Speedy' Williams headline that group, as both currently star in the second-tier USL Championship here in the States. Denniston is joined on staff by sixth-year assistant Brandon Regan, who focuses on goalkeepers.

MARCH WITH THE COLONIALS
In addition to reports and videos on RMUColonials.com, check out Twitter and Instagram for news and updates throughout the season.

NEXT UP
The Colonials play their second and final road non-conference match Saturday, when they travel cross-state to Philadelphia to face La Salle. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. against the Explorers.