Men's Soccer 8/30/2016 12:56:00 PM Chris Myers

WJU Men’s Soccer Faces Seton Hill in Thursday Home Opener

WHEELING, W.Va. – Kicking off the fall home schedule, the Wheeling Jesuit men's soccer team takes to the Bishop Schmitt Field pitch against Seton Hill Thursday evening.

The Cardinals and Griffins start the action at 7:30 p.m. under the lights on the Wheeling campus.

WJU earned a fourth-place spot in the Mountain East Conference Preseason Coaches Poll behind only 2015 NCAA playoff programs University of Charleston, Notre Dame College and Urbana University. The Cardinal aim to build upon last year's 10-8-1 overall record.

Seton Hill finished 5-12-1 last fall and received the eighth position of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Preseason Coach Poll.

WJU looks to make it two wins in a row against Seton Hill. In Greensburg, Pa., last Sept. 3, the Cardinals blanked the host Griffins, 2-0, behind an early Daniel Undreiner goal and first collegiate shutout by goalie Matt McCormick.

McCormick and fellow senior center back Shaan Stuart will serve as 2016 WJU team captains and lead the club's defense for the year.

"I look to those two seniors to organize and lead a very young Cardinals defense," said 34^th-year head coach James Regan.

All-Atlantic and All-MEC midfielder graduate student Aitor Iniguez de Heredia returns for one final season and will pace the Cardianls offensive attack. Iniguez de Heredia blistered the nets a year ago for seven goals and four assists with three game-winners.

WJU has the formidable task of trying to repeat last season's accomplishment in which it defeated four nationally-ranked teams, including then No. 1 ranked Charleston twice. The Cardinals, though, fell shy of an NCAA tournament bid.

"Every year our goal is to challenge for a conference championship and NCAA tournament spot," added Regan. "The MEC is probably one of the toughest conference in the NCAA DII ranks with at least three teams in the national ranking every year!"

The Cardinals will add a second home match of the opening weekend on Saturday. WJU hosts Bloomsburg starting at 1 p.m.

-GoCards-

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