Men's Soccer | August 24, 2017

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle men's soccer team is set to begin its 2017 campaign this Friday when it hosts Loyola (Md.) in the season opener. The Explorers hope to build upon a successful 2016 which saw them begin the year with 5-1 record that tied for a program-best start to the season. The team ultimately finished third in the Atlantic 10 during the regular season with a 10-8-1 overall record.

This year the Explorers will hope to return even stronger.

"I think right now we have more athleticism than we did a year ago," said second year head coach Rob Irvine.

With seven returning starters, including two of the team's top three scorers in Matt Robinson (six goals) and Johnny Ciarlante (four), the Explorers have a solid group of upperclassmen. The senior class, which consists of nine veterans, is in a strong position to lead the team to success.

"As a senior, I'm just trying to be a leader along with the rest of my class," said Ciarlante who played in all 19 of the team's matches last season. He also led the team in shots with 41.

Other key returning seniors include Zach Rutherford and Joe Hansen. Rutherford led all defensive players and was second on the team in assists with five. Hansen started all 19 games.

The senior class will also help lead the impressive list of newcomers brought in by Irvine during the offseason. The Explorers welcome seven freshmen along with three transfer students. Four of the seven freshmen are international students. This includes Jesper Lenander (Oslo, Norway), Daniel Begovic (Kungsbacka, Sweden), Sander Gjesdal (Trondheim, Norway), and Soji Olatoye (Brampton, Ontario).

Kenny Lassiter is a graduate student transfer from Syracuse. Lassiter, a Narbeth native, scored three goals for the Orange last season. He also played in the College Cup final four with Syracuse in 2015. He'll join two other transfer students (Mateo Castro Arias and Mathias Patino) both of whom played for Coach Irvine at Kean University.

Other notable returners include junior midfielders Hayden Criollo and Sixtus Akinlosotu. Criollo was fourth on the team in shots last season with 23 while Akinlosotu scored two game winners.

Pat McCarthy was among an impressive freshman group that will look to take a step forward as a sophomore. McCarthy started 11 games and recorded one goal and two assists during conference play last season.

Cameron Keys will take a larger role as the team's primary goalkeeper this season. Keys was impressive in limited time last year. He was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week after posting two shutouts in as many games. Through five starts, Keys allowed just 0.96 goals per game.

La Salle's schedule features a tough slate of non-conference matches in addition to the always-competitive Atlantic 10 conference schedule. The season begins with a nine-game non-conference stretch that includes a September 9 match at Rider (13-4-3 overall last season) and a September 27 home match with LIU Brooklyn (third-highest scoring offense in the nation last year). The team will also play two Soccer Six matches (vs. Penn on September 20 and at Drexel on October 24). Conference play begins at Duquesne on September 30. La Salle plays last year's Atlantic 10 champions, Fordham, on the road on October 4. The season wraps up at Davidson on November 1. The Atlantic 10 conference tournament begins November 4.

This Friday, the team will take the field for its first official game on the brand new SPRINTURF installed at McCarthy Stadium over the offseason. So far this preseason, the team has raved about the new surface.

"It's a great surface that the whole school can take pride in," said Criollo."As a team we will work towards bringing the highest level of soccer to McCarthy Stadium and hopefully bring an A-10 playoff match to 20^th and Olney."

La Salle's season kicks off when it hosts Loyola (Md.) on August 25 at 7:00 p.m.