VILLANOVA, Pa. — The Hartford men's soccer team hits the road for the first time in 2021 when it heads to Villanova for a Monday matinee. Kickoff from Higgins Soccer Complex is set for 4 p.m. 
 
HARTFORD HAWKS (0-0-1, 0-0-0 AE) at VILLANOVA WILDCATS (1-0-0, 0-0-0 BIG EAST)
LOCATION: Higgins Soccer Complex (Villanova, Pa.)
DATE/TIME: Monday, Aug. 30 (4 p.m.) 
WATCH: Nova Nation All-Access
LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast
TWITTER: @HartfordMSOC | #FlyHigh | #AEMSOC
 
HARTFORD QUICK HITS

• Hartford looks to remain undefeated on the 2021 campaign Monday against Villanova 
• The Hawks began the season with a 1-1 draw against Holy Cross this past Thursday in what was Hartford's first non-conference tilt in 674 days
• Hartford returns 19 players from a team that went 3-3-1 in an abbreviated 2020-21 campaign, which was postponed from the usual fall slot and played in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19
• Highlighting the returners are three America East All-Conference performers in senior back Nick Benjamin (First Team), junior forward Nadav Datner (Second Team) and sophomore goalkeeper Rotem Fadida (All-Rookie Team)
• Benjamin and Fadida anchored a defense that posted three shutouts and ranked fourth in the America East in GAA, while Datner (3g, 1a) led the Hawks in scoring 
• Nine newcomers join the roster for 2021 among a group that features eight true freshmen and one transfer

 
SCOUTING VILLANOVA

• Villanova scored a 2-0 victory against visiting Rider to open the 2021 campaign
• Dominic Cyriacks netted the game-winning tally in the 27th minute before Seidu Shamsudeen tacked on a late insurance tally with 63 seconds remaining in the match
• Carson Williams earned the shutout victory for the Wildcats, who conceded just five shots to the Broncs
• Villanova is coming off a 2-8 mark in an 2020-21 abbreviated season, which was played in the spring
• Williams logged the nation's highest save percentage (.849) and posted a 0.70 GAA in 2019, the Wildcats' last full fall season
• That season, Villanova posted a 9-8-1 record, including a 2-6-1 mark in Big East games

 
INSIDE THE SERIES

• Hartford and Villanova meet for the fourth time on Monday
• The Hawks hold the advantage in the all-time series with a 2-1-1 record
• Scoring a 2-1 win in the two teams' first meeting in 1989, Hartford posted a 1-1-1 record against Villanova over a three-year stretch, from 2012-14
• The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in 2013, which marks the only game played in the Keystone State 

 
LAST TIME THEY MET

• Hartford defeated Villanova, 1-0, in West Hartford on Sept. 6, to remain unbeaten in 2014 with a 2-0-1 record
• Javoni Simms ('16) netted the golden goal 76 seconds into the match to lead the Hawks to the victory

 
LAST TIME OUT

• Hartford and Holy Cross played to a 1-1 draw in both teams' season openers this past Thursday on Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium
• Senior Tomer Drimmer quickly capitalized on a Holy Cross red card in the 48th minute, putting the Hawks ahead on a direct kick six minutes later
• The Crusaders broke up Hartford's shutout in the 82nd minute when Evan Jones drew the teams even on a short-handed goal
• Hartford held a 2-0 advantage in shots during the two extra sessions, but was unable to convert on the go-ahead tally

 
MILESTONE WATCH

• Amidst his 11th season at the helm of the Hawks, head coach Tom Poitras is one win shy of reaching the three-quarter century mark at Hartford
• Boasting the second-most wins in the program's Division I era with a 74-74-32 record, his 265 victories over 27 seasons as a head coach are the 25th-most among active Division I coaches

 
SEASON DEBUTS

• The Hawks have had success on opening day, posting a 17-15-6 record 
• After tying Holy Cross, Hartford has gone unbeaten in its past two season openers, as it opened its abbreviated 2021 spring campaign with a 2-0 victory against visiting UAlbany
• The Hawks have also fared well in home openers, as they are 24-9-3, which includes a 6-2-3 mark under Poitras

 
NEXT ON TAP

• Hartford returns home to host Brown on Friday, Sept. 3
• Kickoff between the Hawks and Bears is set for 7:30 p.m. from Al-Marzook Field at Alumni Stadium