After a season at the Southpointe Fieldhouse and a record of 1-6-1, Robert Morris men’s soccer has been training and prepping and is ready to kick off a new season back at the North Athletic Complex for the first time in 664 days.

They will take their home turf tomorrow to face West Virginia in their season opener. This will be their first time meeting WVU, who had a record of 6-3-1 last season and has seven conference championships in team history.

With a freshman-heavy crew of 14 new players, returning to their normal playing grounds and with a fresh campaign, men’s soccer is a team that is looking to rebound this season. They were ranked 10th of 11 teams in the Horizon League preseason poll.

Players to Watch

Gabe Norris, F

With RMU welcoming 14 new players to the squad, forward Gabe Norris comes to the team from Highlands High School. He scored 52 goals and 53 assists in his time with Highlands. In addition to his impressive stats, he was named the team captain and MVP during his senior season.

Norris also spent time with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the Pittsburgh Hotspurs before he came to RMU.

With the Colonials only being able to place one goal in the net throughout their entire 2020-21 season, Norris’s attacking skills could provide some numbers on the scoreboard for RMU.

Gal Ben Dayan, F

Traveling to the states from Israel, Dayan is another asset that will be beneficial to the attack. He has proved tremendous talent, playing in the Israeli second division most recently with Maccabi Herzliya F.C., which took first in standings last season in Liga Alef.

With his wide array of experiences and being a successful part of one of the highest levels of Israeli soccer, Dayan is predicted to create some opportunities at the net for RMU, such as the goal he scored in the exhibition match against Niagara last week.

Important Games

Starting their schedule this season, WVU is a key first match. If they can defeat WVU in their opener it can be a strong start to build off for the rest of their season, especially against a local opponent and not having a non-conference schedule last year.

Looking ahead to September 18, Milwaukee will take the trip to the NAC to face the Colonials. Milwaukee won the Horizon League last year and was ranked second in the preseason poll. If RMU can hold their own against the defending Horizon League Champions, it would prove beneficial for the team.

Final Record Prediction

Overall, I predict that RMU will finish with a record of 7-5-5. With a great group of teams and a fresh squad, it seems the season will be close in numbers and I think RMU will prove themselves with a new dynamic.