Men’s Soccer Prepares for Toughest Season Opener in Program’s Short History

The Matchups:
Converse at No. 16 Clayton State
Location: Laker Field | Morrow, Ga.
Series: First Meeting
Last time: First Meeting

Converse at North Georgia
Location: UNG Soccer Field | Dahlonega, Ga.
Series: First Meeting
Last time: First Meeting

Converse Notes:

Converse enters Thursday's matchup under the direction of fourth-year head coach Rob Miller. Miller is the first and only coach of the Converse men's soccer team and has posted a 33-14-11 record at the helm of the Valkyries' program.
The Valkyries' top three goal scorers from the 2023 campaign all return to the pitch in purple in gold in 2024: Gabriel Verona, Jaxon Keene and Johannes Haden.
Converse returns all four of its 2023 Conference Carolinas All-Conference selections: Verona (first team), senior Ricky Cardozo (second team), Haden (second team), and junior Guilherme Fontes (third team).
This is the first time in the program's short history that the Valkyries will start the season on the road.

Clayton State Notes:

The Lakers enter the 2024 season following a 15-4-1 campaign in 2023 that saw them win the Peach Belt Championship over Lander 4-2 in double overtime.
After advancing on penalty kicks over Lenoir-Rhyne in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, the Lakers fell 2-0 to Limestone in the second round.
The Lakers return a pair of All-Americans, four All-Region selections, and seven all-conference team members.
Head coach Pete Petersen begins his 21st season at the helm of the Clayton State program.

North Georgia Notes:

The Nighthawks open the season with a familiar foe for the Valkyries, the Francis Marion Patriots, today, Sept. 5.
The Valkyries are in for a second trial by fire in their second game of the season as the Nighthawks posted a near-perfect 7-0-1 record at home last season.
North Georgia has three Peach Belt Conference Preseason All-Conference selections: sophomore midfielder Aram Lara, junior forward Santiago Cano and junior defender Max Garnett.
Cano is the Nighthawks leading goal scorer from 2023, as he led the team in the statistic with eight shots that found the back of the net.

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https://www.facebook.com/ConverseValkyries
Twitter: @Valkyries_MSO
Instagram: @converse_msoc
Youtube.com/Converse Athletics

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Players Mentioned

#12 Ricky Cardozo: MF; 5' 8"; Senior

#7 Guilherme Fontes: F/MF; 5' 7"; Junior

#23 Johannes Haden: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#20 Jaxon Keene: F; 5' 9"; Senior

#8 Gabriel Verona: D; 5' 9"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#12 Ricky Cardozo
: 5' 8"; Senior
: MF

#7 Guilherme Fontes
: 5' 7"; Junior
: F/MF

#23 Johannes Haden
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#20 Jaxon Keene
: 5' 9"; Senior
: F

#8 Gabriel Verona
: 5' 9"; Senior
: D