MSOC Hosts Drake Thursday In 2023 Season Opener

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University men's soccer team (0-0-0, 0-0-0 BIG EAST) is set to kick off its 2023 campaign this weekend as it hosts a pair of matches at Valley Fields. MU will begin its season with a home opener against the Drake Bulldogs on Thursday, Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

The Golden Eagles will resume a season opening, six-match homestand on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 3 p.m as they take on the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons, both of MU's matches will close doubleheaders with the women's program at Valley Fields.

Golden Eagles Feature Depth and Experience

Marquette returns plenty of production from last season, including 11 starters and 20 letterwinners. MU also welcomes in 10 newcomers. Eight freshmen and two transfers join coach Louis Bennett's squad this fall.

Senior midfielder Edrey Caceres returns for Marquette and looks to have a breakout season after starting in every contest last year, scoring four goals and assisting on seven goals.

The Golden Eagles will also return the dynamic attacking duo of senior Beto Soto and junior Abdoul Karim Pare, who combined for 23 points on the seson during the 2022 campiagn.

Marquette will have four netminders on the roster this season, including sophmore Ludvig Målberg, who saw action in eight matches last season as a true freshman and tallied 25 saves.

Series History

All-time against Drake, Marquette has controlled the series, 8-2-1. The first meeting came back in 1988, which resulted in a scoreless draw between the two squads. The next matchup would not happen until 10 years later where Marquette took a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs. The most recent matchup between the two teams was in 2014, a 2-0 win for the Golden Eagles.

Sunday's match will be the first meeting between Marquette and Purdue Fort Wayne in program history.

Keep up with the Marquette men's soccer program through social media by following on X (@MarquetteSoccer) and Instagram (@MarquetteSoccer) and `liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteSoccer).