Men's soccer opens the season on the road

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University men’s soccer team will begin its campaign toward back-to-back NCAA postseason bids with its first match of the season this afternoon at Cal Baptist University in Riverside. The Panthers will kickoff against the Lancers on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

It’s the first of three road matches to begin the year, which includes a trip to Kentucky for two contests against Centre College and Transylvania University this weekend.

The Panthers ended a 10-year postseason drought by reaching the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament in 2009 and return several key contributors from that postseason run a year ago. Senior GK Tyler Hadzinsky – an Academic All-District selection – appeared in 17 games in goal last year and recorded a 0.68 goals-against average and five shutouts. Another member of that nationally-ranked Chapman defense is junior D Cody Mansfield, who earned All-Independent first team honors in 2009.

Just one of Chapman’s top-five scoring leaders returns from last season’s team – that’s senior M Dalton Sweaney (three goals, one assist). However, Panthers’ head coach Eddie Carrillo added some firepower from his incoming recruiting class. Sophomore F Mauricio Alfonso is also back after a freshman year in which the speedster totaled a goal and two assists off the bench.

After three road matches to begin the season, Chapman opens its home schedule on Monday night hosting La Verne at 7 p.m. at Wilson Field.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director