Men’s Soccer Announces 2017 Schedule

Men's Soccer | 7/11/2017 12:00:00 AM

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(2017 schedule)

A return trip to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament means a great sense of enthusiasm for Goldey-Beacom's men's soccer team, which announced its 2017 schedule.

The squad's 18-game slate begins in August for the first time since 2012 with a non-league match August 31 at Shippensburg. The home opener is September 3 against Bloomsburg as part of a doubleheader with the women's team, which opens the day vs. Roberts Wesleyan.

League play commences September 9 at Concordia (NY) and the first conference match at home is September 13 against Chestnut Hill. The following week on September 19, the Lightning head to Newark for what always is a big game against local-rival Wilmington (DE).

GBC faces defending league champion Georgian Court on October 11 in Lakewood, NJ and the CACC schedule ends October 21 at Caldwell. The squad then heads to the nation's capital for a non-conference match October 25 at the District of Columbia to close the regular season.

The league's top eight teams compete in the CACC Tournament, which begins October 30. The semifinals and final take place later that week in Lakewood, NJ.

Goldey-Beacom (9-7-2, 6-4-2 CACC) last season made the CACC Tournament in consecutive years for the first time in 15 seasons and has notched 25 victories from 2014-16. That is the greatest win total over a three-year period for the program in over a decade.

One of the key players back for the squad is junior goalkeeper Suhail Bismilla (Johannesburg, South Africa), who has been the backbone for the program the last two seasons. A vocal leader and one of the best teammates any program could ask for, the first team all-conference pick from last year closed 66th in the country with a 1.21 goals against average, 94th with a .738 save percentage, third in the league with eight wins, fourth with 1,550 minutes, eighth with 59 saves and eighth with two shutouts.

Bismilla enters this season third in school history with a 1.68 goals against average, tied for third with five shutouts and sixth with 131 saves.

Junior Chahin Aghrim (Bonn, Germany) not only has been a vital player at midfield the last two seasons, but has excelled in the classroom having been tabbed CoSIDA Academic All-District a year ago. The first team All-CACC selection from last season ended sixth in the CACC with five assists, eighth with two game-winning goals, 15th with 13 points and 20th with four goals. Aghrim paced the Lightning in both assists and points.

Senior Mateus Silvestre (Picarras, Brazil) brings everything to the table at midfield and his solid play a season ago helped him close 10th in the CACC with four assists, 19th with 12 points and 20th with four goals. Senior Cameron Wilkinson (Terrigal, Australia), who gives the Lightning stability both on midfield and defense, a season ago joined Aghrim as a pick for CoSIDA Academic All-District.

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Players Mentioned

#12 Chahin Aghrim: M; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#1 Suhail Bismilla: GK; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#19 Mateus Silvestre: M; 5' 6"; Junior

#6 Cameron Wilkinson: M; 5' 11"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#12 Chahin Aghrim
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: M

#1 Suhail Bismilla
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: GK

#19 Mateus Silvestre
: 5' 6"; Junior
: M

#6 Cameron Wilkinson
: 5' 11"; Junior
: M