Men’s Soccer Opens 2016 Campaign With East Coast Road Trip

The Fordham men's soccer team kicks off its 2016 season this weekend, making road trip stops at UMBC on Friday night and at Delaware on Sunday afternoon. 
 
GAME COVERAGE:
Friday – Fordham at UMBC – 7:00 PM – Live Stats | Live Video (Free) | Follow on Twitter @FordhamSoccer
Sunday – Fordham at Delaware – 12:00 PM – Live Stats | Follow on Twitter @FordhamSoccer
 
SERIES HISTORY: The Rams have faced off with both of their opening weekend opponents.  Fordham is 0-1 against UMBC, dropping a 4-3 decision back in 1990, while being 1-0-1 against Delaware.  The Rams and Blue Hens played to a scoreless draw in 2007, while in 2008, Fordham's Alex Brunbauer scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Jack Coffey Field.
 
PRESEASON POLL & AWARDS: With the regular season starting this weekend, the Atlantic 10 Conference announced its men's soccer preseason poll and All-Conference team on Wednesday.
 
Fordham, which won the Atlantic 10 Championship in 2014 and made the semifinals a year ago, was picked to finish fifth, along with George Washington, and behind Saint Louis, Dayton, VCU, and Rhode Island.  George Mason (7^th), Duquesne (8^th), Davidson (9^th), Massachusetts (10^th), Saint Joseph's (11^th), La Salle (12^th), and St. Bonaventure (13^th) rounded out the poll.
 
In addition to being picked fifth, the Rams also had four players named to either the preseason All-Conference Team or preseason All-Rookie Team.  Juniors Jannik Loebe (Kierpse, Germany) and Matthew Lewis (Kansas City, Mo.), along with sophomore Janos Loebe (Kierspe, Germany), were selected to the preseason All-Conference Team, while freshman Dantae Greer (Fair Lawn, N.J.) was placed on the All-Rookie Team.
 
The Loebe brothers and Lewis were all named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team a year ago, led by Janos Loebe, who was the 2015 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and First Team All-Conference.  He led the Rams with five goals and five assists for 15 points and was an NSCAA Second Team All-Midwest Region pick.
 
Lewis and Jannik Loebe both earned Second Team All-Conference accolades a season ago.  Lewis started all 19 games on the Rams' backline, helping Fordham post seven shutouts.  He played 1,748 minutes out of a possible 1,801 during the course of the season.  Loebe tied for the team lead in goals with five, all of which were in league play, while being second on the team in scoring with 13 points.  In addition to being named All-Atlantic 10, he was a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District selection and named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship team for the second straight year.

 
Greer, a 6-0 forward, attended Fair Lawn High School in New Jersey, where has was a member of the National Honor Society and an honor roll student.  He has played club soccer for the New York Red Bull Academy and Everton FC Westchester.  He was ranked in the Top 150 by TopDrawerSoccer in both 2014 and 2016, and attended the Jamaica U17 & U20 National Team Camp in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Fordham men's soccer team closed out the exhibition portion of their schedule on Sunday at Jack Coffey Field against the Seton Hall Pirates.  After posting a 1-1 tie at Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday, the Rams came away with a 2-1 over the Pirates.
 
Like Wednesday, Fordham got on the board first courtesy of a goal from junior Jannik Loebe in the sixth minute.  Junior transfer Cole Stevenson crossed the ball from the right side to an oncoming Loebe, who one-timed a shot into the back of the net from 12 yards out.
 
Less than two minutes later, the Rams made it, 2-0.  Seton Hall was called for a handball in the box, awarding a penalty kick to Fordham.  Sophomore Janos Loebe then stepped to the penalty spot and drilled the ball into the heart of the goal for a two-goal lead.
 
Seton Hall would score in the 86^th minute for the 2-1 final score.  Overall, Fordham out shot Seton Hall, 15-7, while having a 7-2 edge in corner kicks.  Rashid Nuhu played the entire game in goal for Fordham, posting two saves.
 
WHO'S NEXT: Following this weekend's action, Fordham begins a three-match homestand at Jack Coffey Field, starting with Quinnipiac on Friday, September 2^nd, beginning at 7:00 PM.  The Rams then have a Labor Day match-up with Fairfield on September 5^th and a September 9^th meeting against Lafayette.