SEARCY – The Harding men’s soccer team opens the fall sports schedule Thursday with its season opener against Missouri S&T. Because of heavy rains in Rolla, Mo., the game has been moved to the Lake Country Complex in Springfield, Mo. The game kicks off at 5 p.m.
HARDING IN SEASON OPENERS
Harding is 1-9 all-time in its 10 season openers with the last win coming on Sept. 5, 2000 in Harding’s first official men’s soccer game. That was a 5-2 victory over Williams Baptist.
HARDING’S RETURNING PLAYERS
The Bisons return four starters and eight letterwinners off last season’s team that finished with a 4-15-0 overall record. Harding has just three returning seniors on the squad, forward Connor Galloway, forward Glen Stewart and defender Gabe Alexander.
Galloway and Alexander started at forward last season. Jackson Savage, a sophomore, returns as a midfield starter, and junior Austin Brown returns to start as a defender.
Rhon Royer, Brandon Bailey and Richard Glenn are the other letterwinners returning off last season’s team.
Harding currently has 15 players on its roster that could make their Bison debuts this season.
LAST SEASON
Galloway was Harding’s top scorer last season with seven goals and three assists. He led the Gulf South Conference with 42 shot attempts. Harding scored 24 goals in 19 games. Harding does not return a goalkeeper off last season’s squad.
A LOOK AT MISSOURI S&T
Missouri S&T, a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, finished 7-7-1 last season, but scored only 21 goals in 15 games. Peter Vaccaro, now a sophomore, was the team’s leading goal-scorer, netting three times in eight games.
Junior Pat McNamee played in all 15 games in goal for the Miners last season. He had four shutouts and an impressive 1.11 goals against average.
HARDING-MISSOURI S&T SERIES
Harding and Missouri S&T are meeting for the third time in men’s soccer but for the first time since 2004. Missouri S&T won 1-0 in Searcy in 2002 and 3-2 in Rolla in 2004.
A LOOK AHEAD
Harding returns to Searcy on Saturday to meet Palm Beach Atlantic at 11 a.m.