Williamsburg, KY — The University of the Cumberlands men's soccer team begins its 2018 season against SCAD-Savannah on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Hardeeville, SC. The Patriots look to build upon a 2017 season where they finished fourth in the Mid-South Conference with an 8-7-3 (4-3-0 MSC) record.
 
Top Returners:
 
Midfielder Filip Milivojevic returns after scoring four goals in 2017, including a team-leading three game-winning goals, while recording a team-best 20 shots on goal in nine matches played. Milivojevic was named the Mid-South Conference Player of the Week twice, including after scoring both Patriot goals in a 2-1 home win over 13^th-ranked Midland on September 9. 
 
Tying with Milivojevic for the second-most goals scored by a Patriot in 2017, defender Joel Caldwell also returns in 2018. Caldwell, who dished out three assists last season, is joined on the backline by defenders Brandon Scherr and Nahshon Rullow. Scherr started all 18 games for UC last season and earned second team all-conference honors, while Rullow started all eight games he played in. 
 
Joining Scherr as a second team all-conference honoree, midfielder Joel Drewery led the team and tied for third in the MSC with six assists in 18 starts.
 
In net for UC, Ahmed Ghatwary returns after playing to a 7-6-2 record in 16 matches with three shutouts, a 1.16 goals against average, 65 saves and a .774 save percentage in 2017. Ghatwary ranked fourth in the MSC in saves, saves per game (4.06) and goals against average. A three time Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Week in 2017, Ghatwary made a season-best 12 saves — one shy of his career (13) — in a 1-1 draw with Huntington on September 4.
 
New Pats:
 
Cumberlands adds 13 newcomers — hailing from eight countries (United States, Netherlands, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain, Paraguay, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France and Serbia) — in 2018, including 6'8" forward Marvin van der Made and defender Nemanja Jovanovic. 
 
2018 Schedule:
 
The Patriots are slated to play 15 matches in 2018, including eight home matches at the UC Lacrosse/Soccer Complex. After opening the season at SCAD, the Patriots return to Williamsburg, KY for their home opener against Bethel at 5 p.m. on August 24. The Patriots then continue with three out of their next four matches at home, including an early season test against (RV) Bryan on September 15. 
 
UC begins conference play at Georgetown on September 25, before returning home to face Tennessee Wesleyan on September 29 and ninth-ranked Lindsey Wilson in an MSC match on October 2. Cumberlands' longest road trip is three games, starting at Shawnee State on October 9 before matches at Brescia on October 13 and Life on October 16. UC closes out the regular season with home matches against (RV) Campbellsville, and 20^th-ranked Cumberland University on October 20 and October 24, respectively.    
 
Head Coach Chris LeFevre:
 
Head Coach Chris LeFevre, who enters his third season at UC, has a 14-18-6 (8-4-2 MSC) record in his first two seasons. Under LeFevre, the Patriots played to a 6-11-3 (3-3-1 MSC) mark in 2016 before improving to 8-7-3 (4-3-0 MSC) in 2017. Cumberlands was picked to finish fifth in the MSC Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
 
Scouting SCAD: 
 
SCAD played to an 8-9-0 (5-4-0 The Sun Conference) record in 2017. The Bees, who averaged 2.25 goals per game in 2017, are led on offense by Cian Lynch, who scored a team-leading 15 goals last season. In goal, Joe Parker went 7-5-0 with a 1.75 goals against average and .696 save percentage in 12 matches (11starts). The Patriots are facing the Bees for the first time in program history. 

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