TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State men's soccer team is ready to begin the 2014 campaign with a bang, as the team will play host to No. 4 Rockhurst Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at DeLoache Field. The RiverHawks (0-0-0, 0-0-0 MIAA) are coming off a 10-3-4 season and an appearance in the MIAA Championship semifinals. NSU will open the season with five-straight home matches, which includes contests with No. 10 Regis (Sept. 14) and No. 23 Fort Hays State (Sept. 18).
 
WHO ARE THE HAWKS?
Rockhurst hails from Kansas City, Missouri, and will also be starting its regular season tonight. The Hawks went 3-0 during their exhibition campaign, outscoring opponents 8-2. They were selected in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Preseason Coaches Poll to finish third in the league this season behind unranked squads Indianapolis and Quincy. RU won the GLVC Championship and advanced to the NCAA national semifinals with a 17-4-3 record last year. The Hawks are No. 4 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire NCAA Division II Preseason Poll. They do not return a goalkeeper with any playing experience, and they only have one of their top-10 scorers back from last year's squad (Mitch Moncada, 5g-0a=10p).
 
THE EXHIBITION CAMPAIGN
The RiverHawks had a stellar 2014 preseason, winning all three of its matches by a combined score of 11-0. NSU kicked off the year with a 7-0 triumph over Eastern Oklahoma State College and followed up with 2-0 victories over both Oklahoma Baptist University and Rogers State University. The 11 goals came from all over the park. Three forwards scored twice (Juan Peralta, Jordan Schmoker and Justin Todd), midfielders Jonathan Guzman (2), Adam Schmoker and Crosby Lee scored, and even defender Terence Smith got in on the action.
 
WHO RETURNS?
Northeastern State returns seven starters from last season's team, including leading goal scorer and All-American senior forward Juan Peralta, leading assist man and All-American senior midfielder Jordan Schmoker and All-American senior defender Eric Crawford. NSU also welcomes back seven all-region performers and seven All-MIAA honorees, while bringing in 11 newcomers.
 
RIVERHAWKS PICKED 2ND IN MIAA PRESEASON POLL
NSU was picked to finish second in the 2014 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. This marked the third straight year the RiverHawks were projected to finish runners-up. They recorded a 10-3-4 record last season and tied for second in the MIAA with a 6-1-2 league mark. The team advanced to the MIAA Championship semifinals. The RiverHawks collected 29 points and one first place vote in the poll. They were selected to finish behind Lindenwood, which earned 35 total points and five first-place votes. NSU was tied with Fort Hays State who also received one first-place vote. Upper Iowa (20), Harding (16), Southern Nazarene (12), and Southwest Baptist (6) rounded out the remainder of the preseason projections.