All-Time Series: UMBC leads, 6-0-0 (Last meeting: UMBC, 4-0 – Oct. 26, 2002)

Location: Retriever Soccer Park – Baltimore, MD

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Live Video: AmericaEast.TV

Live Stats: UMBCRetrievers.com

The Monmouth University men's soccer team returns to action Saturday night, when it travels to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Monmouth looks to bounce back from a setback to Colgate on Sunday, following a 1-1 draw at Hartford on Sept. 1. UMBC has gone 0-1-2 to open the season with a bookend 1-1 ties at home against Fordham (Aug. 26) and Northern Illinois (Sept. 4) around a 3-1 setback to UNC Wilmington (Sept. 2). 

Just two years removed from an NCAA College Cup appearance, UMBC has scored three goals in three games this season. Patrick Jean-Gilles, Christian Morales and Tre Pulliam have scored once each, with Gregg Hauck dishing out one assist. Billy Heavner has played every minute in net for UMBC, posting a 1.45 GAA and a .643 save percentage.  Heavner, Hauck, Jean-Gilles and Kyle Saunderson were each named All-America East selections in 2015 after leading UMBC to an 11-6-3 record.

UMBC leads the all-time series, 6-0-0. The entirety of the series came between 1998 and 2002, when the two teams were both members of the Northeast Conference. 

Sophomore holding center midfielder Anderson Asiedu and freshman back Andy Martinez have yet to leave the field thus far in 2016. Both players have accounted for 400 minutes played in four games.

Sophomore forward Jalil Blalock, whose signature goal celebration is a back flip, scored his first goal of the season on Sept. 1 at Hartford. Blalock received a feed from Dave Nigro in the middle of the 18-yard box and went inside the right post for the score, his third-career goal.  

Colin Stripling led the Hawks with six goals a year ago and began this season in the same way. The senior midfielder deposited the ball in the back of the net on a penalty kick in the 37th minute against Denver as the Hawks and Pioneers played to a 1-1 draw.

A fixture in the national polls over the last several years, the Hawks were ranked No. 30 in the College Soccer News Preseason Top 30 to earn a national ranking for the 11th straight season. The Hawks also received votes in the poll's second week. Monmouth reached a program-high of the No. 4 ranking in 2010.

Winners of two of the last three MAAC Regular Season Championships, Monmouth was selected by the league's coaches to win the title once again in 2016. In addition, five Hawks comprised the 11-member Preseason All-MAAC Team. Goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky was named the Preseason Player of the Year, while Anderson Asiedu, David Nigro, Zachary Pereira and Colin Stripling were also named among the top players in the league.     

Sophomore Anderson Asiedu was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, becoming the first sophomore and the 10th Hawk in Head Coach Robert McCourt's tenure to garner the honor. Asiedu joined Joseph Schmid (2013), Ryan Clark (2012), RJ Allen (2011), Max Hamilton (2011), Anthony Vazquez (2011), Ryan Kinne (2009, 2010), Bryan Meredith (2010), Chase Barbieri (2009) and Tom Gray (2007) among Monmouth players to earn the recognition.

Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt's teams have won nine conference regular season titles in his 12 years directing the program. Included in the Hawks' run of success are five conference tournament championships in the last 10 years and the accompanying NCAA Tournament berths.

Monmouth's 17-game unbeaten streak last season stood as the second-longest streak in the nation. Denver and Georgetown tied for the longest streak in the nation at 18 games, while Creighton and Stanford had their streaks snapped at 15 contests.  

1.	Denver	18
	Georgetown	18
2.	Monmouth	17
3.	Creighton	15
	Stanford	15
4.	Clemson	13
	LIU Brooklyn	13
5.	Wake Forest	12
	North Carolina	12

With the Hawks' 2-1 win in double overtime at Manhattan on Oct. 21, 2015, junior goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky moved into sole possession of second place all-time in the MAAC with 28 career victories in net. Klenofsky, who now stands at 31 career wins, moved past Niagara's John Fiutowski (2006-09) and only Iona's Nils Binstock (2006-09) remains ahead of the Hawks' junior goalkeeper with 38 career wins.    

Monmouth returns the scorers of 30 of their 41 goals from a year ago, led by leading scorer Colin Stripling (6). Stripling also had five assists to lead the team with 17 points. David Nigro and Miguel Alves also scored five goals apiece, while Zachary Pereira came on strong to score four goals from the back line. Danny Figarella and Andrew Gee chipped in with three goals each, while Anderson Asiedu and Jalil Blalock scored twice each. Along with Pereira, center back Joey Gudzak helped stabilize the Hawks' back line and 2015 MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year Eric Klenofsky is back for his fourth season as the last line of defense. 

Monmouth's newcomers include some exciting prospects, including Maryland transfer Jake Areman and 2015 Gatorade New Jersey Boys Soccer Player of the Year John Antunes. The back line lost Derek Luke, but brings a familiar look in Luke's brother, Michael, who will fill Derek's role. Fellow freshman Andy Martinez also looks to fill a pivotal role as a center back. Jacob Curtis, Colin Muller, Geoffrey Schaefer and Ryan Wells will also vie for minutes in their first year in the Blue & White.