Men's Soccer Set for Season Opener at Georgia State Thursday Evening

 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the second consecutive year, the Belmont University men's soccer team will begin its new campaign against Georgia State. The Bruins kick off their 2024 regular season Thursday evening in Atlanta against the Panthers. Match time from the Georgia State Soccer Complex is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT/7 p.m. ET.
 
Belmont's season opener will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats can be followed by visiting BelmontBruins.com.
 
What's Bruin

• Both of the Bruins' preseason goals were scored by two-time all-conference senior midfielder AJ Chastonay, who found the back of the net in his hometown at nationally-ranked Louisville and chipped in a goal in Belmont's home exhibition with the University of Alabama at Birmingham last weekend.
• Last August, the Bruins defeated the visiting Panthers in a single-goal affair in Nashville. Junior forward Brock Kiper, assisted by senior defender Alex Johnson and Chastonay, provided the game winner in the 37th minute.
• In its 2022 season opener, Belmont shut out visiting Southern Indiana 2-0.
• The Bruins are hitting the road to begin the season for the first time since 2021 when Belmont traveled to top-15 ranked Missouri State.
• Under the direction of sixth-year head coach David Costa, the Bruins are 3-1-1 in season openers.
• Belmont went 8-7-3 overall last fall, finishing in the top 90 of the NCAA RPI (Rating Percentage Index) for the fourth-straight season. It also marked the Bruins' fourth consecutive winning season.
• In its second year back in the Missouri Valley Conference after being an affiliate member of the Valley for the 2000 season, Belmont tied for fifth place with a 3-4-1 league record.
• The Bruins were picked fifth in the 2024 MVC Preseason Poll.
• Junior defender Dylan Steely has been tabbed Preseason All-MVC after earning United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Third Team honors last season. The Hoover, Alabama (Hoover HS), native was an All-MVC Second Team pick last year and garnered MVC All-Tournament Team and MVC All-Freshman Team accolades in 2022.
• Coach Costa has led Belmont to 40 match wins and 15 draws, including two conference tournament championship match appearances, over the last five seasons.
• The Bruins go up against some of the nation's best this season, facing eight top-100 programs from a year ago including four NCAA Championship teams.
• Belmont returns an experienced group featuring seven players who have earned conference recognition during their careers, including 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team forward Case Cox. The Bruins have also added seven newcomers since January with four talented transfers (Lashawn Brown, Brad Dildy, Oscar Hough, Griffin Moore) and a trio of freshmen (Emmanuel Aranda, Miles Kipley, Caleb Robertson).

 
Versus Georgia State

• Thursday will be the 17th all-time meeting between Belmont and Georgia State on the pitch with the Panthers holding a 10-6-0 lead in the series.
• The Bruins have won each of the last two matchups, both of which were played in the Music City.
• The two teams played one of the most memorable matches in Belmont's recent history on Sept. 10, 2021. Forward Liam O'Brien recorded a brace and the Bruins prevailed 2-1 in a double overtime thriller at E.S. Rose Park. His 105th-minute diving header was the difference maker in the second overtime period.
• Belmont's last visit to Georgia State was in 2019 in coach Costa's first year leading the Bruins. The Panthers came out on top, 3-1.
• In 2017, Belmont earned a 1-0 decision at Georgia State, the Bruins' last victory over the Panthers in Atlanta. Belmont is 3-5-0 in road matches at Georgia State.

 
About the Panthers

• The Panthers feature 12 newcomers, including seven transfers and five freshmen.
• Georgia State is 3-2 in its last five season openers.
• Picked to finish seventh in the 10-team Sun Belt Conference, the Panthers went 6-7-5 overall last season. Tying for sixth in the Sun Belt last fall, Georgia State went 3-4-2 against the conference.
• The Panthers finished last year No. 78 in the NCAA RPI.
• Georgia State is only one season removed from back-to-back 10-win campaigns and two seasons removed from reaching the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.

 
Up Next
The Bruins welcome Southern Indiana to Rose Park Sunday evening for Belmont's home opener. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. All Bruin home matches are broadcast on ESPN+.
 
How to Follow
Follow Belmont men's soccer on social media – @BelmontMSoccer on X, formerly 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.