Saint Francis at Yale
Sat., Sept. 3 – 5 p.m.
Reese Stadium
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Yale at Rutgers
Mon., Sept. 5 – 7 p.m.
Piscataway, N.J.
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NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Optimism is high as the Yale men's soccer team prepares to open the 2022 season with a pair of games over the Labor Day weekend. The Bulldogs host Saint Francis University on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Reese Stadium before taking a trip to New Jersey on Monday night to face Rutgers at 7 p.m.
 
Yale returns a wealth of talent and experience while also welcoming a strong group of newcomers. Last fall, the Bulldogs finished second in the Ivy League and have now enjoyed a winning overall record in each of the last three seasons (2018, 2019, 2021), the longest streak since posting five straight winning seasons from 1996 to 2000. In addition, Yale has accumulated the most points in Ivy play over the last two seasons (2019, 2021).
 
If the preseason prognosticators are to be believed, the Bulldogs will be contenders for the Ivy League title. Yale was picked to finish second in the official Ivy preseason media poll, receiving four first-place votes and trailing only Princeton.
 
Five Bulldogs return who earned All-Ivy recognition last fall, including goalkeeper Elian Haddock, the 2021 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. Jeremy Haddock and Paolo Carroll joined Elian as first team All-Ivy selections, while Kahveh Zahiroleslam was named to the second team and TJ Presthus earned honorable mention recognition.
 
Yale will face a very challenging schedule. The 16-game slate features five opponents that appeared in the NCAA College Cup last fall, six that finished among the top 50 in the national RPI and seven challenging Ivy League contests.
 
SCOUTING SAINT FRANCIS
 
The Red Flash has already played two games and is coming off a loss to Maine last weekend. Sam Smolyn scored for Saint Francis against the Black Bears. SFU opened the season with a 1-0 victory over St. Bonaventure. The Red Flash has 15 returning players from 2021 and welcomes 16 newcomers to the team.
 
SCOUTING RUTGERS
 
The Scarlet Knights will be playing their second straight Ivy League opponent when the Bulldogs visit on Monday. Princeton visits Yurcak Field on Friday night. Rutgers opened its season with a trip to Nebraska and earned a 4-2 win over Omaha before falling 6-1 to Creighton. The Scarlet Knights were picked to finish fifth in the Big Ten preseason poll.