Home Opener Features Seventh-Ranked Opponent on Friday

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield men's soccer team returns home this weekend then is back on the road early next week as the Roadrunners welcome seventh-ranked Saint Mary's (Calif.) to Main Soccer Field on Friday before making the drive to Pacific on Monday to close their 2019 nonconference slate.

Three consecutive shutouts to start the year, a commanding three-goal victory over San Jose State last weekend, and an offense ranked fifth in the nation is what the Roadrunners will need to contain Saint Mary's. Don't let a national ranking or undefeated record deter you from the fact that a win against a Top 10 opponent on Friday is not only plausible for CSUB but it's been done.

The Roadrunners just knocked off an undefeated program on the road last weekend and willed a shutout win over seventh ranked Air Force a year ago. Head Coach Richie Grant intends to ride the momentum through the weekend and will look for the right combination of eleven to tally another career and program milestone.

"We have been playing really well," explained Grant. "I thought we played some of our football against UC Davis, but we just came up a bit short. The next day, we were looking at a 3-0 team with confidence. We were opportunistic, we played the heat well, and we used the bench."

"Saint Mary's is coming in undefeated," added Grant. "They are very good because they are mature in all parts of the field. They have a really good defensive unit that doesn't give up many goals. We're praising them coming in, but we're coming in with confidence and no fear. I'm excited that the game is on our pitch, the first home game of the season."

It's been seven seasons since the Gaels and Roadrunners have taken the field together. The last matchup ended in a 1-1 draw in Moraga, Calif. When playing at Main Soccer Field, Saint Mary's and Bakersfield have tied in two out of the three contests scheduled.

The series with Pacific is fairly recent in just its third season in the making. The Tigers opened with a win at home in 2017 then the Roadrunners answered the following season with a win on their own home turf. Both teams lost by a three-goal point margin. Unless the two programs draw again, Monday will break the tie and a new series leader will emerge.

CSUB's home opener is set for a 7:00 start time on Friday, Sept. 13, while the match on Monday, Sept. 16 is scheduled for a 7:30 start time.

Links to the broadcast as well as live stats are available on the CSUB men's soccer schedule page.

~GoRunners.com~

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