Belmont Men's Soccer To Open Regular Season At Memphis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - After finishing the preseason 2-0 Belmont men's soccer will open the regular season at Memphis on Wednesday, September 1. The match is set for a 7:00 p.m. start.
The Bruins are looking to defeat the Tigers for only the second time in program history, and the first time since the 1997 season, when BU prevailed by a score of 2-1. The Tigers came out on top by a score of 2-1 in the last meeting between these two teams, during the 2006 season.
Since 2003 Belmont has alternated winning and losing its first match of the season. Two years ago the Bruins topped Winthrop 1-0 in double overtime at the George Washington Invitational. Last year Marshall handed Belmont a 4-1 loss at the Mafiaoza's Invitational to open the season. If the pattern continues, the Bruins could open the season with a quality victory over an intrastate rival.
Memphis finished the 2009 season with a .500 record, tallying seven wins, seven losses and two ties. The Tigers finished just out of the Conference USA Tournament with a league mark of 3-5-0, but return seven of 11 starters from a year ago. Junior Parker Duncan is the top returning scorer for Memphis. During 2009 he tallied four goals and three assists while starting all 16 matches.
Sophomore Brandon Tarr, last year's Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year, has led Belmont in scoring during the preseason. He scored the game-winner in the Bruins 2-1 victory over Bellarmine, and then recorded a goal and an assist in the 3-2 win over Montevallo. Junior Will Moorad has chipped in with one goal and two assists in the two exhibition matches of 2010.
After opening the season at Memphis on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., the Bruins will continue the road trip at SIU Edwardsville on Saturday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m. Belmont returns home for the first time of the regular season on September 10 and 12 to host the Belmont Invitational at the Whitten Soccer Complex.
