The Milwaukee men's soccer team will embark on its 47th season of NCAA Division I soccer this week when it hosts Western Illinois Friday before concluding the holiday weekend Monday at Drake.

Friday's contest is set to kick off at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN3 with Matt Menzl on the call and will have live statistics available. It also marks the third year in a row MKE has opened the season with the same opponent.

A trip to Iowa awaits next, with the Panthers taking on the Bulldogs Monday at 5 p.m. That Labor Day contest will  be on ESPN+ (fees apply) and have live stats provided. All links are available on the MKE website.

Milwaukee and WIU have met 14 times in the all-time series, with the Panthers currently holding a 9-4-1 advantage. Included in that ledger are wins in four straight (including last season, 4-0) and victories in nine of the past 10 meetings (seven by shutout). In those 10 games, MKE has outscored its opponent by a 20-to-5 total.

The Panthers own an impressive 10-4-2 all-time mark against Drake, with the two teams posting a 1-1-1 mark against each other over the past three matchups. Most recently was 2016, a game that saw the Bulldogs prevail, 3-2, at Engelmann Stadium.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
WESTERN ILLINOIS: Western Illinois was picked to finish fifth in the Summit League this year after a 4-10-3 campaign a season ago that included a 1-3-1 mark in conference action. Paul Kirdorf was tabbed a league "Player to Watch", following a second-team selection in 2018 when he finished with a team-high in points (7) and assists (3) while starting 14 matches.

The Leathernecks went 2-0 in exhibition play, knocking off Illinois Springfield (1-0 Aug. 21) and Quincy (2-1 Aug. 24).

DRAKE: The Bulldogs were picked third in the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches' poll. Three Bulldogs – goalkeeper Jared Brown, Leroy Enzugusi and Cole Poppen – were named to the preseason all-conference team. Brown earned All-MVC honors last season after leading the conference in save percentage (.848) and saves (95). Poppen led the MVC with eight assists a year ago, and Enzugusi scored a team-high eight goals. Both players earned All-MVC accolades.
 
Drake welcomes back seven starters from last season's 7-7-3 (1-3-2 MVC) team. The Bulldogs will also add seven Division I transfers to bolster their experience and depth. Head coach Gareth Smith begins his fifth campaign at the helm of Drake soccer after serving for six seasons as an assistant coach with the Bulldogs.

FOR OPENERS
Milwaukee is now 24-17-5 all-time in season openers following a 4-0 victory over Western Illinois to open the 2018 slate. Head coach Kris Kelderman now has eight season openers on his resume at the NCAA Division I collegiate level, going 7-1-0. In addition to the wins over WIU (2018 & 2017), Eastern Illinois (2016), Evansville (2015), DePaul (2014) and a nationally-ranked Marquette squad (2013), his Green Bay squad topped SIU Edwardsville, 1-0, in 2011.

EXHIBITION SEASON REWIND
Milwaukee played three exhibition contests this fall, posting a 2-1-0 mark as it topped Cardinal Stritch (2-0 Aug. 16) and Parkside (3-2 Aug. 23), while also dropping a tight one at Loyola Chicago (1-0 loss Aug. 20).

Vuk Latinovich paced the offense with a trio of goals (two against Parkside), recording five shots. Evan Conway had a goal, assist and three shots, while newcomer Matthew Cahill also scored and fired off five shot attempts. In net, freshman Nick Chiappa compiled 61:04 of scoreless play in two games, making two saves. Freddy Lorenzen saw 148-plus minutes of action, allowing two goals while making four saves.

WELCOME TO MILWAUKEE
There will be plenty of chances for newcomers to make an impression once again in 2019. A season ago, the Milwaukee squad was very young, with 12 of the 31 student-athletes appearing on a Panther uniform for the first time (nine true freshmen and two redshirt freshmen, as well as one transfer who sat out the prior season). This year, 10 of the 25 on the roster will be appearing in a Panther uniform for the first time (seven true freshmen, one redshirt freshmen, as well as a pair of transfers).

NOW THIS IS HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
When it comes to home field advantage, the Panthers have historically ranked right up there with the best in the business. From 2001 through 2006, Milwaukee turned Engelmann Stadium into a place visiting teams did not want to see on their schedule, going 49-8-2 in that time. After a few down seasons by MKE standards, the magic is getting brought back - the Panthers have compiled a record of 33-17-11 (.632) at home in Kris Kelderman's seven years as the head coach heading into the 2019 season.

FREDDY JOINING SOME FAST COMPANY
Freddy Lorenzen was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week Oct. 1 of last season after posting his fourth shutout of the year in a 1-0 victory over Green Bay. It marked a repeat win for Lorenzen and the fifth time he has won the honor in his career. Considering he's just embarking on the start of his junior season, he may have a crack at league history over his career. The conference record for most weekly awards is eight. With five on his resume, Lorenzen already stands in a tie for fourth all-time.

1. Nathan Steinwascher, Detroit Mercy: 8
T2. Antou Jallow, Milwaukee: 7
T2. Eric Lukin, UIC: 7
T4. Lorenzen, Milwaukee: 5
T4. JC Banks, Green Bay: 5 (only other player with 5)

CONWAY'S CAMPAIGN
Senior Evan Conway has been a three-year starter for the Panthers, making 55 starts in 57 career games coming into the 2019 campaign. The all-league honoree brings a resume into play this fall that includes 21 goals, 12 assists, 54 points and 153 shots. With a similar final year stats-wise in a Milwaukee uniform, he could find his way into the record book for career Top 10 in all four of those categories. The current No. 10 spot in all of those categories looks like this:
Goals: 28 (Jake Provan, 1992-95)
Assists: 19 (three-way tie)
Points: 72 (Fabio Marras, 1980-83)
Shots: 177 (Gerard Lagos, 1988-91)

GETTING TO TWO
The Milwaukee defense was stingy a season ago, producing five shutouts which was good for third in the league. The team goals-against average of 1.10 was just off the top spot of 0.95 and also checked in at third. Offensively, once the team found a second goal, the Panthers were very tough to beat. Last fall, the squad went 6-1-0 when scoring two or more goals. That brings the three-year tally (heading into the 2019 campaign) to 22-3-5 when finding the back of the net at least twice in a match.

THE BATTLE FOR THE MILWAUKEE CUP
Milwaukee and Marquette play for the "Milwaukee Cup", one of the longest-standing rivalries in all of college soccer. In fact, in the summer of 2011, the College Soccer News website published a list of what they called "The Fourteen Greatest Rivalries in College Soccer." Weighing in at No. 10 on their list was the Milwaukee Cup. The Panthers certainly have the upper hand all-time, now holding a 30-11-5 record in the series after retaining possession of the Cup home with a 2-1 victory Sept. 19 of last season.

The 2012 matchup remains one for the memory books, as the Golden Eagles, trailing the Panthers 2-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining in the contest, pulled off a stunning finish to grab possession of the Cup. Following a goalkeeper miscue, Marquette found the equalizer at the 81:53 mark and then won the contest at the buzzer as the winning goal crossed the line at the 89:59 mark before the horn sounded. The 2013 edition was just as exciting, with the Panthers scoring just 60 seconds into the affair en route to a 2-1 victory over a Marquette squad that was ranked No. 12 at the time.

CHANCELLOR'S CUP DRAMA
The battle for the Chancellor's Cup has seen some thrillers over the years, but if it feels like the drama and intensity has been higher lately, you would be correct. It happened again last season, with Sean Holmes golden goal coming in the 99th minute. The year prior, MKE tied the game with just eight seconds remaining in regulation on a goal by Jonathan Stadler to force overtime before falling. And again in 2016, when Milwaukee reclaimed the Cup with a thrilling 1-0 victory Oct. 22 on a goal by Magnus Flaatedal.

Seven of the past nine occasions these two teams have now played, the game has gone into overtime (5 of 7 into double-overtime), with five of the seven ending in victories for one team or the other. Five years ago it was an own goal that won it for Green Bay, snapping Milwaukee's 10-game unbeaten streak (9-0-1) to start the 2013 season. The 2012 version ended in a draw but the 2011 edition provided one of the most memorable finishes to a game in program history, with Cody Banks netting the winner at the 109:53 mark.

LEAGUE LIFTOFF
The Panthers are now 21-11-3 all-time in league openers in seasons in which they have been affiliated with a conference following the rare opening draw with Cleveland State, 1-1, Sept. 15. Head coach Kris Kelderman is 2-4-2 in his eight seasons, with the team knocking off Oakland in overtime, 1-0, three seasons ago. The Panthers fell to UIC, 2-1, in last year's opener.

ALL IN THE FAMILY
A unique situation again takes place this fall on the field for the Milwaukee men's soccer team. Kris Kelderman will again be the head coach for his son, Jake, for a fourth straight campaign (Jake redshirted in 2016).

PART OF HISTORY
The Panthers and all of the fans jam-packed into Engelmann Stadium for the 'Milwaukee Cup' matchup against Marquette Sept. 3, 2015 became part of history. The 4,030 in attendance not only blew away the old facility record of 3,312 (set in the 2013 'Milwaukee Cup'), but was also the largest crowd to ever watch a collegiate men's soccer game in the history of the state of Wisconsin. Milwaukee now holds the top four spots on the list.

4,030 - Sept. 3, 2015 - Milwaukee 1, Marquette 1 (MKE CUP)
3,312 - Aug. 30, 2013 - Milwaukee 2, Marquette 1 (MKE CUP)
3,256 - Sept. 13, 2006 - Milwaukee 3, Marquette 2 (MKE CUP)
3,000 - Nov. 22, 1980 - Cleveland State 1, Milwaukee 0
2,470 - Oct. 13, 1995 - Wisconsin 2, Indiana 0
2,250 - Sept. 3, 1990 - Milwaukee 0, Evansville 0
2,145 - Oct. 15, 1993 - Indiana 5, Wisconsin 1
2,138 - Oct. 1, 2003 - Wisconsin 1, Milwaukee 0

BRING ON THE CUP
Speaking of the "Milwaukee Cup", it is one of the three traveling trophies that the Panthers play for each and every season. In addition, Milwaukee takes on Green Bay for the "Chancellor's Cup" and also play Northern Illinois for the "LeWang Trophy". Back in 2011, Milwaukee posted wins in all three games (2-1 over Marquette; 3-2 in double-overtime against Green Bay and 1-0 against NIU) to hold all three trophies for the first time since the start of the 2005 campaign.

CATCH THEM ANYWHERE
Milwaukee men's soccer will be readily available for the viewing pleasure of MKE fans this season, as all but one home game (and nearly all conference road games) will be streamed live on ESPN+. The Horizon League and ESPN have an agreement that includes ESPN hosting the league's digital network on the ESPN+ platform.

ESPN+, which will host the Horizon League women's soccer, men's soccer and volleyball championships this fall, offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time. Launched in April of 2018, ESPN+ is an integrated part of a completely redesigned ESPN App.

ON TAP
The team returns to campus to prepare for a weekend in Alabama, headed to the campus of UAB to participate in the "UAB Soccer for a Cure Classic". Each year, "Soccer for a Cure" brings three other teams from across the country to Birmingham. The teams play games on Friday and Sunday, with the highlight of the weekend is the hospital visit on Saturday.

Milwaukee opens the event Friday against Memphis, set for a 4:30 p.m. CST kickoff.