Drury Panthers (7-7-2 in 2017) at Rogers State Hillcats (8-7-3 in 2017)
Thur., Aug. 30, 2018 | 7 p.m. | Soldier Field | Claremore, Okla.
 
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Live Stats  
 
Panthers open the season at Rogers State
A young Drury squad will open their 2018 season on Thursday at Rogers State. Game time is 7 p.m. at Soldier Field in Claremore, Oklahoma.
 
The Panthers return 13 players from a team that went 7-7-2 last season, but 10 of those 13 returners are still underclassmen and Drury's 2018 roster will feature just three seniors.
 
Among the seniors is goalkeeper Nic Helin. The senior from Paris, France has been in net for every game during the last two seasons and owns a career record of 23-15-7 with a 1.17 goals against average. Helin will have senior defender Matt Wagoner in front of him. Wagoner has been a starter throughout his career and Drury has gone 27-20-8 with him in the line-up. Joao Machado, a midfielder from Brazil who had 10 starts and played in 16 games last year, rounds out the Panthers senior class.
 
Ben Taylor will start his second season as the Panthers head coach on Thursday. Taylor returned to Drury last year after spending six seasons as head coach at Iowa Central Community College where he posted a 76-36-8 record. As a player, Taylor was a Second Team All-American and a two-time First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference selection. He finished his career ranked second all-time at Drury in assists with 23.
 
Rogers State will be playing their season opener with 20 returners including 13 players that made starts last season for a team that went 8-7-3. The Hillcats have had three straight winning seasons and last year finished in second place of the Northern Division of the Heartland Conference.
 
Thursday's opener is the first two games for Drury on a season-opening road trip in Oklahoma. On Saturday the Panthers take on 17th ranked Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Drury's home opener is Sept. 7 when they host Upper Iowa.
    
QUICK FACTS 
Stat Leaders
Drury (returners): #4 Joshua Lewis-Evans (2g-0a—4 pts), Francesco Ferri (1g-0a—2 pts, 18 shots), #1 Nic Helin (7-7-2, 1.21 GAA, .762 sv pct)
 
Rogers St. (returners): #25 Jake Simpson (5g-0a—10 pts), #7 Jordan Watson (3g-2a—8 pts) 
 
Head Coaches
Drury: Ben Taylor (2nd year, 7-7-2)
Rogers St.: Derek Larkin (12^th year, 106-76-22) 
 
All-time series 
First meeting
 
Next
Drury at #17 Northeastern St., Sat., 1 p.m.
 
#allweDUiswin