Men's Soccer Remains on the Road, Heads to Presbyterian for Tuesday Matinee

 
CLINTON, S.C. – Remaining on the road, the Belmont University men's soccer team travels to Clinton, South Carolina, for a Tuesday afternoon non-conference matchup at the Big South Conference's Presbyterian College. Kickoff from Martin Stadium at Edens Field is slated for 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET.
 
The midweek match will not be broadcast anywhere online.
 
Live stats of the matinee contest can be followed by visiting BelmontBruins.com.
 
What's Bruin

• The Bruins (3-3-2) are coming off a single-goal loss at ninth-ranked Missouri State this past Friday night. Despite keeping the nationally-ranked Bears out of the net through 70 minutes, Missouri State broke free on a set piece and scored in the 71st minute off a free kick.
• Belmont's second consecutive shutout defeat, the Bruins have been shut out in back-to-back matches for the first time since Oct. 9-15, 2022, when they were defeated 2-0 at both No. 19 Missouri State and at Drake.
• Stepping out of Valley action Tuesday, Belmont is putting in approximately 1,638 miles on the road over a six-day stretch between its matches in Springfield, Missouri (~434 miles one way), last Friday and Clinton, South Carolina (~385 miles one way).
• Five of the Bruins' last six matches have been away from Nashville and eight of Belmont's first 12 games of the season are either on the road or at a neutral site.
• The Bruins are 1-2-0 in true road matches this year with a dominant 4-0 victory at Southern Indiana two weeks ago on Sept. 12 where Belmont scored all four of its goals in the first 33 minutes.
• In non-conference play, the Bruins are 3-1-2.
• In the first NCAA RPI (Rating Percentage Index) of the season, which was released Monday morning, Belmont is one of six Missouri Valley Conference teams in the top 100. The Bruins check in at No. 100 while the University of Illinois Chicago leads the league with the 10th-best RPI in the nation.
• Presbyterian is No. 121 in the first weekly RPI.
• Sophomore defender Riley Clothier, a returning MVC All-Freshman Team selection, made his first start of the season Friday night against the Bears in Missouri.
• Sophomore forward Brock Kiper leads Belmont in scoring with a trio of goals on the season.
• Three different Bruins have tallied at least two assists this fall, including a team-leading three helpers from senior midfielder Michael Saunders.
• Junior goalkeeper Grant Calvert ranks among the top 35 keepers in the nation in three key statistical categories. He is 18th nationally in saves (34), 32nd in save percentage (.810) and 33rd in saves per match (4.25).
• Belmont scored the opening goal in its first six matches of the season.

 
Versus Presbyterian

• Tuesday afternoon will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs.
• The Bruins have won all three of the previous matchups in shutout fashion.
• Belmont is making just its second trip to Clinton, South Carolina, after earning a 1-0 double overtime road win over the Blue Hose on Sept. 18, 2018.
• Most recently on Sept. 21, 2019, the Bruins defeated visiting Presbyterian 2-0 at E.S. Rose Park. In September of 2008, Belmont routed the Blue Hose 3-0 down Belmont Boulevard at the Lipscomb Soccer Complex as part of the Hyatt Place Select Invitational.

 
About the Blue Hose

• At 4-3-0 on the year, Presbyterian owns victories over Southern Wesleyan (8-1), VMI (1-0), Jacksonville (1-0) and UNC Asheville (3-2).
• Having won two in a row, the Blue Hose picked up a road win against the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville late Saturday afternoon. Trailing 2-1 at the 75-minute mark, Presbyterian scored two goals in rapid succession in the 77th and 78th minutes to get the triumph.
• The Blue Hose are 2-1 at home with a 2-1 loss to East Tennessee State University on Sept. 16.
• Presbyterian is 3-3 out of conference after being picked to finish fourth in the Big South.
• Last year, the Blue Hose went 10-5-2 overall but finished fourth in the league after going 3-3-2 against the Big South. The 10 wins were a program Division I era single-season record.
• Both freshman goalkeeper Beatty Murray (defensive player of the week) and freshman forward Victor Faaborg Christensen (freshman of the week) earned Big South weekly honors Monday. Faaborg Christensen leads the team with four goals and two assists.
• Senior midfielder Carson Griffith, a preseason All-Big South pick and returning All-Big South Second Team performer, has notched three goals this season.
• Presbyterian also features senior midfielder Lorenzo Nagy, a member of the 2022 All-Big South First Team, and junior forward Nile Nguidjol, a preseason All-Big South honoree after earning Big South honorable mention recognition last fall.

 
Up Next
The Bruins return to MVC play this weekend when Belmont hosts Drake in the Music City Sunday afternoon. Kickoff from Rose Park is set for 2 p.m.
 
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on Twitter, @belmontmsoccer on Instagram and Belmont University Men's Soccer on Facebook – 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.