PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Robert Morris University men's soccer team kicks off the 2021 fall campaign this week with a pair of non-conference matchups Thursday vs. West Virginia and Saturday at Duquesne as they embark on their second season as members of the Horizon League.
Thursday's game is presented by Fox's Pizza, the official pizza of RMU Athletics.
Robert Morris (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Horizon League) vs. West Virginia (0-0-0, 0-0-0 MAC)
Thursday, August 26 at 4:00 p.m. in Moon Township, Pa.
Live Stats | Live Stream
Robert Morris (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Horizon League) vs. Duquesne (0-0-0, 0-0-0 A10)
Sunday, August 21 at 2:00 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Live Stats | Live Stream
LAST TIME OUT
The Colonials are coming off their first season as members of the Horizon League after a 2021 spring campaign that saw RMU finish 1-6-1 overall. Head Coach Jason O'Keefe earned his first career victory behind the bench of the Colonials with a 1-0 win over Purdue Fort Wayne on March 6 of 2021.
The Colonials also completed two exhibition matches earlier this month in preparation for the 2021 fall campaign, taking on No. 3 Pitt as well as Niagara in pre-season play.
FAMILIAR FACES
The Colonials return fifteen members from their spring 2021 squad for fall action.
Of those 15, eight saw action in all eight games for the Colonials, including defenders Kelvin Ramirez and Gustaf Moberg as well as midfielder Bryan Akongo who each started every matchup for RMU.
2021 leading goalscorer Miller Masson also makes his return, as do goalkeepers Mike Zolnierczyk and Grant Glorioso. The duo split starting duties a season ago, with each getting the nod in four games. Zolnierczyk posted two clean sheets during the 2021 spring season.
NEW ADDITIONS
The Colonials welcome fourteen newcomers to the squad for the 2021 fall campaign as freshmen Friedrich Petrelli, Gabe Norris, Colton Spence, Charlie Lawrence, Owen Jowett, Drew Kemper, Connor Hain, Lucas Hammerle, Lucas Shearer, Gal Ben Dayan, Jacob Haskins, Noe Bijou, and Nathaniel David all arrive in Moon Township for their freshman seasons, as does sophomore forward Hugo Kadima, who joins the squad after spending time at Ohio Valley University. Junior keeper Connor Dalton also joins the squad.
RMU's new crop of talent includes a number of local Western Pa. natives in Hammerle (Connellsville), Norris (Natrona Heights) and Spence (Cheswick) while the remaining group brings an international flair to Moon Township, featuring additions from England, France, Germany, Israel, Norway and Canada.
The Colonials coaching staff also has a few new faces as assistants Dan Yates and Jay O'Donnell join the returning O'Keefe and Matty Evans behind the bench for their first seasons at RMU.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
The Mountaineers finished 6-3-1 last spring in head coach Drew Stratford's debut season, and have reached two of the last three NCAA Tournaments.
The team won the 2018 MAC regular-season title and 2019 MAC Tournament crown, and returns all seven of its goal scorers from a season ago including senior forward Ike Swiger, who led the squad with four goals last spring. Overall, WVU outscored their opponents 14-6 last year for a +8 goal differential.
Thursday will also be the first ever meeting between RMU and WVU, WVU's last as members of the MAC before they switch over to Conference USA in 2022.
SCOUTING DUQUESNE
The Colonials own a 6-17-3 overall record against Duquesne in a rivalry that dates back to 1994.
The Colonials last win over Duquesne was back in September of 2015, a 2-1 overtime win at the North Athletic Complex.
A preseason pick to finish 10th in the Atlantic 10 Conference, the Dukes went 2-5 overall last season with wins over St. Bonaventure and Saint Louis University and already faced West Virginia, Detroit Mercy, and Cal U in exhibition play.
They return 10 of 11 starters from last season, lead by sophomore M/F Nate Dragisich and freshman F Maxi Hopfer who earned spots on the 2019 and 2020 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Teams respectively. In all, three of Duquesne's top four goal scorers from the spring are back.
THEY SAID IT
"We are very excited to kick off our fall campaign. It has been a long time since we were able to play a meaningful fall game, and to have a top flight program like WVU come to Moon makes it that much more special. We look forward to testing ourselves against tough competition throughout the entire season and Thursday is the beginning of our process." - head coach Jason O'Keefe
NEXT UP
The Colonials gear up for a two-game road swing next week, heading to Akron for a showdown with the Zips on September 3 followed by their Horizon League season opener at Northern Kentucky on Saturday, September 11.
