DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle men's soccer team will open the 2012 season on Saturday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. as the Eagles play host to the Flames of Lee at the Embry-Riddle soccer stadium.
 
The Eagles begin the 2012 campaign ranked 24^th in the nation according to the Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll released by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics on Aug. 14.
 
Picked as the favorite to capture The Sun Conference regular season crown for the second straight year, the Eagles are projected to have another strong season in 2012 with the return of 18 letterwinners from last season's 13-5-2 squad that captured The Sun Conference regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.

Headlining the list of returning players are Sun Conference Player of the Year Sam Fairhurst, Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Year Nils Carlson, and first team All-Conference selections Ally MacDonald, Viktor Gudnason and Veit Couturier. The Eagles return 88 percent of their scoring from a year ago, led by Couturier who had a season-high 13 goals, and MacDonald who added 11 scores to the Eagles' tally.
 
The Flames open their 2012 season against Southeastern on Thursday before traveling north to face the Eagles. Lee is picked to finish sixth in the ultracompetitive Southern States Athletic Conference, which has three teams ranked within the top 10 and five teams in the top 20.
 
Lee returns nine letterwinners from last season's 11-8 squad that finished seventh in the SSAC. The Flames return just 58 percent of their scoring from a year ago, led by senior Sias Reyneke who had a season-high eight goals and junior Josh Ball who added six goals to the Flames' tally.
 
The Eagles will be playing with a target on their backs and look to prove that they are worthy of their national ranking.
 
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