Southern Connecticut State University (0-0)
vs. Mercy College (0-0)
Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Mercy Field (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.)
Live Stats | Live Video

The Southern Connecticut State University men's soccer team will open the 2021 season in Dobb Feryy, N.Y. against Mercy College on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 at 3:00 P.M. It will be the Owls' first game since Nov. 6, 2019, a 4-3 victory over Le Moyne. Southern's 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Returning Players 
The Owls welcome back Juan Avila (Clinton, Conn.), Bailey Bassett (Andover, Conn.), Jhan Carlos Bermeo (Clinton, Conn.), Alessio Caradolfo (Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, Italy), Khaleed Dawkins (Shelton, Conn.), Johnny Foster (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Jalun Hassell (Southampton, Bermuda), Hideki Morales (Bethel, Conn.), Ben Pierce (Meriden, Conn.), Aren Seeger (Naugatuck, Conn.), and Matt Surette (Bowie, Md.). from the 2019 season season.

Avila scored two goals in 2019, while Pierce and Surette scored one apiece. Avila started in 13 of his 15 appearances and in 19 of his 27 games he has appeared in during his career. Seeger led the team with 27 saves as the goalkeeper, while Carvalho had 23 saves. 

Southern also brings back Juan Alava (Guayaquil, Ecuador), Leroy Best (Bielefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany), Zachary Tuccitto (Clinton, Conn.), and Edgar Valencia (Bridgeport, Conn.) from their 2020 roster, but will play in their first collegiate seasons in 2021.  

Newcomers
The Owls bring aboard Alessio Caradolfo (Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, Italy), Raffaele Ciarleglio (Branford, Conn.), Alex da Cunha (Norderstedt, Germany), Yannick Hilpert (Den Haag, Zuid Holland, Netherlands), Matthew Jaansalu (Kingston, Ontario), Jalen Jean (West Hempstead, N.Y.), Devan Jessop (Ashaway, R.I.), Devin Juan (Meriden, Conn.), Noah Lopez (Meriden, Conn.), Joshi Munoz (New Haven, Conn.), Elian Nava (Meriden, Conn.), Jacob Rose (Uncasville, Conn.), 
Lennox Strelow (Bremen, Germany), and Santiago Slapak (Manuel Alberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina) for the 2021 season.

All-Time Against Mercy: 6-3-1
The Last Time They Met: Southern and Mercy opened the 2019 season against each other as well, playing to a 2-2 draw on Sept. 7. Avila and Ignasi Perez Cererols (Barcelona, Spain) each scored goals, while Devante Teixeira (Boston, Mass.) recorded two assists. Seeger recorded nine saves. 

Preseason Polls
Southern Connecticut was picked seventh in the 2021 Northeast 10 Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Mercy was picked to finish first in the East Coast Conference (ECC) Preseason Coaches' Poll. Mercy also received votes nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25 Poll

Up Next:
The Owls will host University of Bridgeport for their home opener at Jess Dow Field on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.