GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The 2016 men's soccer season is underway as head coach Steve Herdsman and the Golden Eagles play a pair of non-conference foes in week number two. Cornerstone (0-1-0) will travel to Holy Cross for the Saints season opener on Wednesday before coming back home to host Mount Vernon Nazarene on Thursday at 4:45 p.m.
 
Opponent: Holy Cross College
Date: Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Time: 3 p.m. EST
Location: South Bend, Ind.
 
Scouting Holy Cross College (Ind.) – Head coach Omar Gallo (Fifth Season)
The Saints will be playing their season opener on Wednesday as they will follow with a Saturday contest vs. Cleary University. Head coach Omar Gallo has a veteran group that features 11 upperclassmen and a total of 17 players back from 2015 in which they posted a 12-7-1 mark overall and 8-5-1 conference record. HCC is missing its top two scorers from that team as Fabio Aiello is the top returning scorer from 2015 as the senior midfielder posted four goals and three assists. HCC does have the luxury of its top returner in goal as Brian Aldrich started in 13 matches posting a 1.19 GAA.
 
 
 
Opponent: Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio)
Date: Thursday, August 25, 2016
Time: 4:45 p.m. EST
Location: Grand Rapids, Mich.
 
Scouting Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) – Head coach Andrew Belleman (Sixth Season)
The Cougars will enter Thursday's match with a 1-0-0 overall record after defeating Ohio Christian 4-0 last Saturday. MVNU will play an exhibition contest on Tuesday before traveling to Grand Rapids on Thursday. Head coach Andrew Belleman and his team will be led by junior goalkeeper and captain Adam Miller who was named to the Crossroads League 1st Team in 2015. He has a veteran group in front of him led by Joshua Alexander who recorded four goals and an assist in 2015.
 
 
Last Time Out
The Golden Eagle fell in their season opener last Saturday 1-0 to Spring Arbor. After a scoreless first half, it was the Cougars who finally broke through less then five minutes into the second. CU outshot SAU 7-6 (3-1 on goal) but was not able to find the back of the net.
 
Last Time vs. Holy Cross
The Golden Eagles and Saints did not meet during the 2015 campaign as the last meeting was in 2014 with Holy Cross coming out on top 3-2. HCC took a 1-0 lead midway through the opening half only to see then sophomore Gareth Flynn knot up the score just before half. The Saints countered with two goals in the first 22 minutes of the second before a late Kevin Nimmo goal brought CU to within one for the final outcome.
 
Last Time vs. Mount Vernon Nazarene
Cornerstone fell on the road 1-0 to Mount Vernon Nazarene last season. The lone goal was scored by Thorben Glusing on a PK midway through the first half. CU outshot the Cougars 6-5 but the SOG were tied at 3-3. It was a very physical match that saw five yellow cards and over 30 fouls.
 
History vs. Week's Foes
Since 2000, Cornerstone has played each of this week's opponents twice. CU is 1-1 against Holy Cross with a win coming in 2010 (4-3) and a loss in 2014 (3-2). The Golden Eagles are 0-1-1 against MVNU with the loss coming last season (1-0) and the tie coming in 2006 (2-2).
 
 
 
Men's Soccer Contact: Aaron Sagraves
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