Men’s Soccer: Ohio Northern (0-0-0 Overall) at #3 Calvin (Mich.) )(1-0-0 Overall) and Hope (Mich.) (0-0-0 Overall)

Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, 6 p.m. — Zuidema Field, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, 6 p.m. — Van Andel Soccer Stadium, Holland, Mich.

| 2021 Season Preview story |

Preview: The Ohio Northern men's soccer team begins its 2021 season this weekend as it travels to Michigan for a pair of road games … The Polar Bears will face Calvin (Mich.) on Friday at 6 p.m. and Hope (Mich.) on Saturday at 6 p.m. … Northern is coming off a 2020 season that was delayed to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic during which it finished 6-4-1 … ONU closed last season with a 2-1 loss to John Carroll in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals … The Polar Bears return 25 lettermen this season and are led by the 2020 OAC Goalkeeper of the Year in senior John Lombardo and four other All-Conference selections from the spring in seniors Levi King, Caiman Moore, Seth Gundlach and Matt Studenic … King led the team in points last season with 14 coming off of a team-high seven goals … Kern finished last season with 10 points courtesy of four goals and two assists … Calvin (Mich.) enters the game at 1-0 following its 10-0 win at Grace Christian (Mich.) on Wednesday … The Knights got three goals from senior Sam Twigg, who posted his second collegiate hat trick in the victory … Twigg was one of eight goal-scorers for the Knights in the win … Head coach Ryan Souders has an overall record of 169-21-8 in 10 seasons with the Knights … Hope (Mich.) opens its 2021 season on Friday against Ohio Wesleyan before facing Ohio Northern … The Flying Dutchmen return 21 players from last season and have been picked as the favorite in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association after going 5-1-1 in the spring … The team is led by fifth-year seniors Ty Dalton and Dominick Byrne, senior Ryan Flynn, junior Jackson Strabel and sophomore Brandon Fles … Head coach Dave Brandt has an overall record of 33-10-3 in three seasons at Hope.

Returning ONU Statistical Leaders (2020 Stats): 

Series Record: All-time, the Polar Bears are 2-9-1 against Calvin (Mich.) and 4-2-1 against Hope (Mich.). The most recent meetings came in 2019 when Northern defeated Hope 2-0 and lost 3-0 to Calvin.

Head Coach Chris Matejka: Matejka is in his third season with the ONU men's soccer program … He has an overall coaching record of 19-10-4, a .616 win percentage.