BUENA VISTA, VA – The Southern Virginia University Men's Soccer team will begin its 2022 regular season this Thursday, September 1, against the Averett University Cougars at Knight Stadium with kickoff set for 1:00 pm.

Southern Virginia is ready to get the regular season rolling after an exciting fall camp and two exhibition matches against Old Dominion Athletic Conference members, Roanoke and Bridgewater, where energy and spirits were high for a "new beginning". The Knights will continue the trend set in preseason when they face first-year ODAC member and former USA South foe Averett.

When speaking with Head Coach Payden Pemberton, he stated that his team is "excited to start the season off with a test against a talented opponent," especially after last year's match that left the Knights with a chip on their shoulders.

The Series
This will be the ninth overall meeting between the two teams with the series tied at four apiece. 

The last two matchups have been battles. Last year, the Knights fought back after giving up a goal in the last minute of the first half, scoring two goals early in the second half to take a 2-1 lead. 

Averett then scored back-to-back goals in just over a minute to retake the lead, with the match ending 3-2 in favor of the Cougars. 

The Team in Depth
The Knights return key players Tanner Gonder, Josh Dubinsky, Sam Melo, and Ammon Lewis who look to lead the team by fostering a new mentality for the 2022 season. Alongside the returners, the Knights have brought 21 new freshmen to the program.

Many newcomers have already proven themselves through their play in practice and the two preseason exhibition matches. Dallin Miller, Trey Ricker, Colton Oman, Reed Robertson, and Samuel Jaggi are some of the freshmen standouts. When talking about the new team this season, Coach Pemberton said, "everyone has potential to impact the game".

Follow @knightmsoccer on Instagram and Twitter for more updates and details on the team.