Newburgh, N.Y. – Following the postponement of the Wednesday's originally scheduled season opener at Lycoming, the Mount Saint Mary College Men's Soccer team will now begin the 2021 campaign on Saturday afternoon at local foe Vassar. Kick-off with the Brewers is set for 3:00 p.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those who are unable to attend.
 
Spectator Policy: Please click here for important information for spectators at Vassar athletic events.
 
At A Glance: Mount Saint Mary finished off the 2019 season with a 14-6-1 overall record, including an unbeaten 10-0-1 mark against Skyline Conference opponents. The Mount earned the top-seed in the Skyline Conference Championship, dropping a 3-2 double overtime heartbreaker to Maritime in the Championship Final. Saturday's contest is the first for the Mount since the loss to Maritime on November 9, 2019, a span of 654 days between contests.
 
The Knights outscored their opponents 50-32 in 2019, scoring 2.38 goals per game while allowing only 1.52 markers per contest.
 
Four Knights produced at least 13 points on the season in 2019 with three of the team's top four point producers back for the 2021 campaign.
 
Forward/Midfield: The offensive group returns two of its top three goal scorers and three of its top four point producers from the 2019 season. Connor Doyle (New Windsor, N.Y.), who was named First Team All-Skyline Conference in 2019, is back after producing 31 points on the strength of a team-high 14 goals and three assists.
 
Matt Wyant (Beacon, N.Y.), also a First Team All-League pick in 2019, returns after producing 10 goals and 25 points, while Peter Ramirez (Newburgh, N.Y.) totaled 13 points and matched the team-high with seven assists in his freshman season.
 
Mount Saint Mary also welcomes back Max Antisell (Kendall Park, N.J), Ismael Bravo (Middletown, N.Y.), Daniel Grella (Glen Cove, N.Y.), J.C. Lopez (East Islip, N.Y.) and Christopher Maggi (Franklin Square, N.Y.) to the offensive attack. Maggi was just one of two players to start all 21 games in 2019 for the Knights, playing nearly 1,700 minutes while recording a pair of assists.
 
Antisell appeared in 18 games in 2019 for the Mount with Bravo starting 11 contests and recording an assist. Grella appeared in eight games for the Mount with Lopez seeing action in 20 games, including nine starts as a freshman, scoring one goal.
 
A talented group of newcomers in 2021 will step in to support the scoring attack for the Knights. The group of Geancarlo Espinoza (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), David Giraldo (Farmingdale, N.Y.), Jack Perna (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), Jake Kwong (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Nick Biagini (Mahopac, N.Y.) will look to make an immediate impact starting on Saturday.
 
Defense: The defensive crop is highlighted by Joseph Mesoraca (Oceanside, N.Y.) who was tabbed First Team All-Skyline Conference for his work on the backline in 2019. In addition to shutting down the opposition, Mesoraca tied for the team lead in assists with seven and totaled nine points for the Knights. He started 20 contests in 2019, playing 1,721 minutes.
 
Vito Lombardo (Franklin Square, N.Y.), Anthony Guglielmo (Setauket, N.Y.) and Matt Flanagan (Rhinebeck, N.Y.) return on defense for the Knights in 2021. Guglielmo totaled three points in 2019 with Flanagan adding two assists in 20 games played. Lombardo appeared in six contest for the Knights in 2019.
 
Newcomers Joe Colatruglio (Carmel, N.Y.), Matt Riccardi (Staten Island, N.Y.), Nick Rescigno (Franklin Square, N.Y.), Jaden Nelson (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Cole Horos (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) add depth to the talented defensive unit in 2021.
 
Goalkeeper: Mount Saint Mary welcomes Zach Decker (Red Hook, N.Y.) to the fold in 2021, taking over for Tyler Rapp who was a two-time All-Conference pick, including a Second Team selection in 2019.
 
Head Coach: Kevin Longacre returns for his 10^th season (11^th year) at the helm of the Knights. He holds a 98-65-15 overall record with the Knights and has been named the Skyline Conference Coach of the Year four times. He guided the Knights to their first undefeated conference season in 2019 and has been on the sidelines for each of the Mount's three appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Schedule: The Knights return to play with a 17-game slate in 2021, now beginning with Vassar on Saturday. The Knights open the home schedule on September 7 against Middlebury before heading back out on the road for two games at the Blue Devil Classic hosted by Fredonia on September 10-11 and tangle with SUNY Poly in Utica on September 15.
 
Skyline Conference action begins on September 22 at Old Westbury with the first home league game scheduled for September 28 against Maritime.
 
The Skyline Conference Championship is scheduled to get underway on October 30 and continues on November 3 and 6.
 
Note: The 2021 schedule is subject to change rapidly based on evolving conditions.