Belmont (3-2-1, 0-0-0) vs. ETSU (2-2-1, 0-0-0) | Saturday, Sept. 18 | 6:00 p.m.
Nashville, Tennessee | E.S. Rose Park
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Belmont Match Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Unbeaten in the month of September and on a three-match home win streak, the Belmont University men's soccer team will step into Southern Conference action Saturday evening when the Bruins host East Tennessee State University at E.S. Rose Park. Kickoff from the Music City is set for 6 p.m.
The conference matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Alex Gould providing play-by-play of the contest. Live in-game statistics can be followed by visiting BelmontBruins.com.
What's Bruin
- For the first time since 2011 Belmont (3-2-1, 0-0-0) has won three-straight at home following a thrilling double overtime victory over Georgia State last Friday night. A win Saturday would give the Bruins their longest home winning streak in program history.
- Belmont has won six of its last eight home matches and is 12-7-3 at Rose Park since the start of the 2018 season.
- Since joining the seven-team SoCon in 2018, the Bruins have posted a 6-10-3 record in league play but have not lost a conference opener with a 1-0-2 mark. During the unique 2020-21 spring season, Belmont defeated Wofford 1-0 on the road to begin league action after tying the Terriers (3-3) at Rose Park in 2019 and playing UNC Greensboro to a 2-2 draw in North Carolina in the Bruins' SoCon debut.
- Coming off its first draw of the season, Belmont gained an important road result Tuesday night at nationally-ranked Lipscomb. Playing the host 22nd-ranked Bisons to a 1-1 tie following 110 minutes of non-stop action, the Bruins thwarted an aggressive Lipscomb attack in the second half after taking a 1-0 lead.
- Sophomore defender Case Cox, a Kentucky transfer, drew a hard foul in the upper left of the Bisons' penalty box to give Belmont its first penalty kick of the season in the 37th minute. Senior forward Niccolo Dagnoni then put toe to leather and launched a beautiful strike into the left side upper 90 for his second goal of the fall. In the 61st minute of the 24th Battle of the Boulevard, Lipscomb scored an equalizing goal but neither team was able to capitalize on various opportunities the ensuing 49 minutes of play.
- Senior goalkeeper Drew Romig was fantastic against the rival Bisons, coming up with a season-high five saves as the Bruins fended off 28 shots, including 18 in the second half alone.
- Just one week after Dagnoni and Romig swept the SoCon's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week plaudits for the first time in Belmont history, senior forward Liam O'Brien was tabbed offensive player of the week for the first time in his career. The Freehold, New Jersey, native was also named to College Soccer News' Men's National Team of the Week this past Tuesday afternoon following his heroics against the Panthers last Friday.
- Recording his second brace of his career, O'Brien willed the Bruins to a 2-1 double overtime triumph against Georgia State. Scoring his first goal of the season in the 23rd minute with a header off a free kick, O'Brien put Belmont ahead of the Panthers 1-0 before coming up big in the second overtime period. Finding the back of the net on both of his shots on goal and notching five total shots, O'Brien made a fully-extended diving header in the 105th minute for the Bruins' golden goal.
- Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with No. 22 Lipscomb marked the first time in program history Belmont ended in a tie with a nationally-ranked opponent. The Bruins own three wins over top-25 foes.
- Dagnoni's first-half goal against the Bisons was the 14th of his career and he is now tied with Carlos Macioch (1997-01) for the sixth-most goals in program history. The Milan, Italy, native also owns 46 career points and is just one point shy of moving into a three-way tie for third place on Belmont's all-time points leaders list. With 18 career assists, including three already this season, Dagnoni is seven away from tying all-time program leader Nico Olsak (2010-13).
- The Bruins are 3-4-1 all-time versus ETSU but have gone 2-1 against the Buccaneers in Nashville. This past spring, the two teams each earned a point following a scoreless draw in Johnson City, Tennessee. ETSU prevailed 1-0 in double overtime during the Buccaneers' last trip to Rose Park on Oct. 29, 2019. However, Belmont earned a 2-0 win over ETSU in the 2019 SoCon Championship quarterfinals in Greensboro, North Carolina. Both senior midfielder/defender Jack Shaw and Dagnoni scored a goal in the postseason affair.
About the Buccaneers
- ETSU's trip to the Music City comes on the heels of the Bucs taking on then 21st-ranked Lipscomb last Friday and receiving-votes VCU this past Tuesday.
- Getting the Bisons at home, ETSU played Lipscomb to a 3-3 draw before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rams on the road. In Tuesday night's match at VCU, the Bucs were issued eight cards with goalkeeper Cole Hunter receiving a red card.
- Prior to VCU and Lipscomb, ETSU hosted 10th-ranked defending national champion Marshall last Tuesday night. The Thundering Herd defeated the Bucs 4-1.
- ETSU finished third in the SoCon last spring just ahead of the Bruins with 11 points and a 3-1-2 conference record. Going 3-5-3 overall, the Bucs were ousted from the SoCon Championship in the semifinals by eventual champion UNC Greensboro 2-1.
- In the league's preseason poll, ETSU was picked to finish fifth.
- Sophomore forward/midfielder Tarik Pannholzer, a SoCon All-Freshman Team selection in the spring, leads the Bucs with five goals on nine shots on target. Returning All-SoCon First Team member Kieran Richards, a junior midfielder/forward, has assisted on three scores this season and owns a goal on five shots on target.
Up Next
Belmont will have a week off from match play before playing outside of middle Tennessee for the first time of September next Saturday, Sept. 25 when the Bruins travel to Furman.
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media - @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter and @belmontmsoccer on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
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