WASHINGTON – Back from an early-season trip to California, the American University men's soccer team stares down a busy weekend against top 25 competition. The Eagles host #1 Vermont on Friday afternoon in their home opener, and travel south to Charlottesville to play #11 Virginia.
Game Information
When: Friday, Aug. 29; 4 p.m vs. Vermont | Sunday, Sep. 1 at Virginia
Where: Washington, D.C. (Reeves Field), Charlottesville, Va. (Klöckner Stadium)
How to watch: ESPN+
Parking on Campus
- As of August 25, parking on campus is being actively monitored seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- We are offering a special Fall Season Parking Pass exclusively for AU Athletics fans and supporters. For just $50, this pass will provide convenient access to campus parking from the date of purchase through November 23. The pass is only valid for home field hockey, volleyball, men's and women's soccer home games.
- Click HERE to purchase your Fall Season Parking Pass.
- If you prefer not to purchase the season pass, parking is still available on a per-event basis.
- Event Parking: $10 per contest for games held after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends (available through the ParkMobile app in any garage using code (211950).
- Hourly Parking: Standard hourly garage rates apply from 8 am-10 pm in the Katzen Arts Center and School of International Service garages.
- Find a detailed campus map here.
How to Get to Reeves Field
- Due to ongoing construction of the adjacent Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance, entrance to Reeves Field for early-season home soccer contests will be at the south stairwell.
- From campus parking locations, please use the pedestrian walkway alongside the Media Production Center and enter by the President Kennedy speech marker and flagpole plaza.
Series History
- Friday will be just the second meeting between AU and Vermont, serving as a rematch of last year's intense 1-1 draw in Burlington on Sep. 7. The Eagles took a 1-0 lead into the 88th minute before the Catamounts leveled the score late.
- Cooper Nunn scored the goal for AU in the 56th minute, finishing off a free kick that trickled across the goal mouth with a tap in. The Eagles were on their way to an impressive road victory before Max Murray headed in the game-tying goal with just two minutes remaining, and the teams split the points.
- Goalkeeper Matthew Tibbetts had one of the best games of his career, making nine saves.
- AU has defeated UVA once in 12 tries, a 1-0 victory in 2015. The Eagles had a 2-0 over the Cavaliers in last year's matchup on October 15 in Charlottesville, but the home side roared back with four unanswered goals to win it 4-2. Toshi Davis and Sam Hershey scored the goals for American.
What to Know About American
- The Eagles opened up their season in California last week, dropping matches to Cal Baptist on Aug. 21 and to Loyola Marymount on Aug. 24.
- It was a back-and-forth battle against CBU that ended 3-2, with four goals coming in the first half. Nicholas Beil gave AU the early lead with his first collegiate goal, but Liam Jones answered with back-to-back goals for the Lancers.
- Troy Elgersma brought AU back level in the final seconds of the first half, but a goal in the 65th minute from Stavros Charalampous held as the game-winner for CBU. From the 70th minute forward, the Eagles played down a man due to a red card issued to Chris Sullivan.
- On Sunday night, the Eagles fell two goals behind LMU in the first half and couldn't even the score. Sophomore forward Colin O'Brien netted his first collegiate goal in the 54th minute to cut the lead, but it ended as AU's only shot on target.
- Senior Matthew Tibbetts and freshman Evan Tubbs split the first two matches in goal, both making two saves apiece. Tibbets is coming off a strong 2024 season, starting every match and posting a 1.39 GAA with 70 saves.
- The senior midfielder Elgersma is the reigning Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, and earned the same title in the 2025 Preseason PL Awards. In 2024, he dished out seven assists and scored three goals. Elgersma's involvement was a sign of positive results for American, as the Eagles were undefeated in seven of the eight games in which he registered a point.
- Graduate defender Taku Takahashi joined Elgersma on the All-League Team. He has been a mainstay in American's back line over the last two seasons, playing in all but one game. A versatile wingback with sharp skill on the ball, he's recorded three goals and four assists in his career
- There is a strong veteran presence on this year's roster, with 297 matches of experience spread between eight seniors (two graduate students). The group has combined for 18 goals and 26 assists over the last four years.
- The Eagles went 5-5-9 overall and 4-3-3 in PL play in 2024, making the Patriot League Tournament for the fifth straight season. As the #3 seed, they defeated Loyola in the quarterfinal and fell to eventual champion Bucknell in the semis.
- AU's team captains are senior defender Jonah Fogel, Elgersma, and junior defender Ian Webb-Johnson.
- The Eagles are led by seventh-year head coach Zach Samol, who has led American to three PL Tournament final appearances and a conference title in 2021.
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