Men's Soccer Steps Out of MVC Play, Welcomes Memphis Tuesday Evening

 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After playing five of its last six matches on the road, the Belmont University men's soccer team returns to the Music City Tuesday night for a non-conference outing with Memphis. Kickoff of the midweek matchup is slated for 6:30 p.m. from E.S. Rose Park.
 
The in-state match will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Spencer Boehme on the call. Live stats can be followed by visiting BelmontBruins.com.
 
Belmont soccer t-shirts are Tuesday night's giveaway and will be available to fans in attendance while supplies last.
 
What's Bruin

• The Bruins (2-4-3) are looking to snap a two-match slide and are seeking their first win since Aug. 29.
• Belmont last scored a goal in its 1-1 draw with then fourth-ranked Western Michigan on Sept. 15 at Rose Park. The Missouri Valley Conference-opening tie with the Broncos was the Bruins' first result against a top-five opponent in program history and Belmont's ninth all-time result against a top-25 team, seven of which have taken place in the last five seasons.
• The Bruins have been shut out in their last two matches, falling 4-0 at Drake on Sunday, Sept. 22 and dropping a 1-0 decision this past Friday evening at Bowling Green.
• After being outshot 10-2 in the first half by the host Falcons Friday in Bowling Green, Ohio, Belmont tallied six second-half shots, including placing three on target. Despite not conceding a shot on goal in the final 25 minutes of the match, a late first-half header from outside the 18-yard box by Bowling Green's Trace Terry proved to be the difference.
• The road loss to the Bulldogs a week ago Sunday was only the fourth time in the last six seasons the Bruins have allowed four goals in a match.
• Belmont begins a four-match homestand Tuesday against the Tigers.
• Six of the Bruins' final eight matches of the regular season are at home.
• Belmont is on a seven-match home unbeaten streak, which dates back to Oct. 1, 2023.
• The Bruins are 2-0-1 at Rose Park this year.
• Belmont's last three opponents are all ranked in the top 45 of the NCAA RPI (Rating Percentage Index). The Bruins have already faced four teams with a top-75 RPI (Western Michigan, Drake, Bowling Green, South Carolina).
• Senior captain midfielder AJ Chastonay, who has twice been named Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Player of the Week this season and was selected as MVC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 17, leads Belmont in both goals (5) and points (12). With 18 career goals in five seasons, Chastonay ranks third in program history. The Louisville, Kentucky (Saint Xavier HS), native recently surpassed Niccolo Dagnoni (2018-21), Will Moorad (2008-11) and Jeremy Littlejohn (1995-98) on the Bruins' all-time goals list.
• Both Chastonay and fellow senior midfielder Eric Stiles are the winningest players in school history. They have helped lead Belmont to an impressive 37 match wins across five seasons.
• The Bruins were undefeated through their first three matches for the second consecutive season.
• Belmont went 8-7-3 overall last fall, finishing in the top 90 of the NCAA RPI for the fourth-straight season. It also marked the Bruins' fourth consecutive winning season.
• In its second year back in the MVC 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 was 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.
• Head coach David Costa has led Belmont to 42 match wins and 18 draws, including two conference tournament championship match appearances, over six seasons.
• The Bruins challenge themselves against some of the nation's best this season, facing eight top-100 programs from a year ago including four NCAA Championship teams.

Bruins at Home

• Belmont has gotten a result in 31 of its last 33 matches at Rose Park, outscoring its opponents 52-21 during that stretch.
• Since the start of the 2018 season, the Bruins are 27-8-11 at home.
• Belmont has finished .500 or better at home each of the last six seasons.

Versus Memphis

• Tuesday night will be the 20th all-time meeting between the Bruins and Memphis.
• The Tigers lead the series 17-1-1.
• Belmont's lone victory against Memphis came on Sept. 21, 1997, when the Bruins defeated the Tigers 2-1 in Nashville.
• Belmont's last result versus Memphis was on Aug. 25, 2017, when the Bruins earned a scoreless draw to open the season.
• The Tigers are making their first regular season trip to Rose Park since Sept. 17, 2019, which was a 2-0 Memphis win.
• Last September, Belmont suffered a 2-1 setback to the Tigers in Memphis. Graduate midfielder Jansen Wilson put the Bruins up 1-0 in the 20th minute before Memphis quickly responded and found the back of the net in the 21st minute and 25th. Belmont outshot the host Tigers 6-3 in the second half but couldn't find an equalizer.
• The two teams did play each other in exhibition contests in 2021 and 2022. Both of those preseason matches ended in ties through regulation time, including a scoreless draw in the Music City on Aug. 14, 2022.

About the Tigers

• Memphis (4-4-1) enters the week riding a four-match unbeaten streak.
• The Tigers have won three of their last four matches, including a 3-1 win at Georgia State on Sept. 8. The Bruins earned a scoreless draw at Georgia State to begin the season.
• Off to a 2-0 start in American Athletic Conference play, Memphis defeated Tulsa 2-1 on the road on Sept. 20 and got a 2-0 result against the University of Alabama at Birmingham this past Saturday night at home. Belmont earned a 1-1 draw with UAB at Rose Park in its second exhibition of the preseason.
• The Tigers have gone 1-1 against MVC members this season with a 5-1 home win over Northern Illinois (Aug. 29) and a 3-0 loss to Evansville (Aug. 25) in Memphis.
• Last season, Memphis reached the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive year and advanced to the second round with a 2-1 home win over 24th-ranked SIUE.
• The Tigers were picked third in The American Preseason Poll and both graduate defender Jackson Kim and sophomore midfielder Giorgos Kondylis were named to the preseason all-conference team.
• Junior midfielder Lleyton Imparato, a Temple transfer, leads Memphis in goals (4), assists (4) and points (12).
• Graduate defender Logan Longo and fifth-year forward Lucho Galizzi, a NCAA Division II Christian Brothers University transfer, have recorded a trio of goals each. Longo is also second on the team in assists (3).
• Head coach Richard Mulrooney is in his 11th year leading the Tigers.

Up Next
The Bruins step back into MVC play this weekend when they host Bradley Saturday evening for alumni night at Rose Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and alumni will be honored at halftime. All Belmont 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.