Men's Soccer | August 27, 2018

PHILADELPHIA – With an even mix of returners and newcomers, the La Salle University men's soccer team is ready to embark on the 2018 season, which begins on Tuesday.
 
Third-year head coach Rob Irvine brings 14 student-athletes back from the 2017 squad that went 8-9-1 overall and 3-5 in the Atlantic 10 Conference last year. The Explorers had significant success at home, going 6-3-1 in games played at McCarthy Stadium. As a team, La Salle had a +2 goal differential for the season, scoring 31 goals while surrendering 29.
 
Among the returners for 2018 are seven seniors – Cameron Keys, Jake Saba, Garrett Keys, Mateo Castro Arias, Hayden Criollo, Mathias Patino and Dave Bateman – as well as graduate student Mike Liska.
 
In net for the Explorers will be Cameron Keys, who had 53 saves in 14 games during his previous three seasons with the Explorers. Over his first two seasons, Keys had five shutouts and posted a 1.18 goals against average along with a .735 save percentage. Last season, he started in the first three contests and made 17 saves before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.
 
Offensively, La Salle brings back Soji Olatoye for his sophomore season. Despite missing the final seven games last year, Olatoye landed on the Philadelphia Soccer Six All-Rookie Team after notching three goals and two assists in 11 games. Mike Liska also brings plenty of experience at forward as he has played in 55 games with the Explorers and has 11 career points, including two goals a season ago.
 
Junior midfielder Pat McCarthy scored three goals, including two game-winners, in 13 games off the bench last season. Hayden Criollo played in all 18 contests in 2017 and registered four assists and a goal. Mathias Patino had a goal and an assist over 15 games, Garrett Keys started in 12 games on defense and had an assist, and Jake Saba appeared in all 18 games on defense.
 
Irvine also brought in 15 freshmen for the upcoming season. Four newcomers come to La Salle from different countries, including three from Ontario and one from Norway. Seven newcomers played high school soccer in Pennsylvania, while the remaining freshmen come to Philadelphia from New Jersey, New York and Virginia.
 
La Salle begins the new season at home against Howard on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. from McCarthy Stadium.