Men’s soccer kicks off 2019 against Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara this weekendMen’s soccer kicks off 2019 against Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara this weekend
Men's Soccer

Men’s soccer kicks off 2019 against Loyola Marymount and UC Santa Barbara this weekend

Opens in a new window Week one game notes

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech men's soccer team is set to kick off their 2019 season after a bright preseason this upcoming weekend with two matches out in California, beginning Friday, August 31 with a 10 p.m. Eastern kick at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. 
 
Tech enters 2019 ranked 16th in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and rated 19th by Top Drawer Soccer. 


 
The program has lofty ambitions of challenging for championships and have history well within their sights, as a fourth consecutive NCAA appearance in November would be a program record. In 2018, Tech won 11 games and was the national 12-seed in the competition earning a bye through the first round. 
 
With nine starters returning from last year's squad and a talented crop of newcomers, the Hokies figure to once again play a part in the ACC Coastal Division where they were picked fourth in a preseason vote from the league's head coaches. 
 
The league also announced the 2019 Preseason Watch List, which featured an athlete from each team. Tech's representative was Kristo Strickler, a junior forward who led the team with 10 goals and 24 points a season ago. The Hilliard, Ohio native was named a team captainin the spring. 
 
A look at the matches this weekend.
 
Game 1 – Friday, August 30
at Loyola Marymount
10 p.m. Eastern
 
The Lions went 6-12 in 2018 and 3-4 in WCC play. Their roster boasts a familiar face in midfielder Gaetan Roux, who played or the Hokies from 2016-2018. His lone goal came in overtime at NC State in the ACC tournament in 2017
 
Game 2 – Sunday, September 1
at UC Santa Barbara
10 p.m. Eastern
BigWestTV
 
The Gauchos were 10-6-2 in 2018, falling in the first round of the Big West Tournament. UCSB features two All-Far West Region players in forward Rodney Michael who led the squad with seven goals and defender Noah Billingsley.
 
 Some facts about the weekend's matches

  • Tech has won each of the last three season openers and five of six overall.
  • The trip will be the programs' first ever to the state of California.
  • It is the first ever game against both of these programs.