GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's soccer team (2-1-4) hosts the Liberty Flames (2-3-1) at UNCG Soccer Stadium on Saturday in The Southern Conference (SoCon) opener for both squads. Kickoff in Greensboro is set for 7:00 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
 
Head Coach Chris Rich and the Spartans are coming off a 5-0 win over South Florida last time out, UNCG getting goals from five different players in the team's return to the win column. They're looking to carry that momentum into Saturday against a Liberty side in the midst of a five-game road stand, most recently falling 3-2 to Virginia in Charlottesville. 
 

Game 8: UNC Greensboro (2-1-4, SoCon) vs. Liberty (2-3-1, SoCon)
Date & Time	Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Location	Greensboro, N.C. | UNCG Soccer Stadium
Tickets	Free Admission
Coverage	Live Stats: Live Stats Live Broadcast: ESPN+
Promotions	Food Truck in attendance, postgame autographs, first 100 students receive a free straw hat
Social Media	Follow the UNC Greensboro men's soccer team on Instagram (@uncgsoccer), Twitter (@UNCGsoccer), and Facebook (UNCGMensSoccer) to keep track of all the action and updates!

 
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. LIBERTY
Saturday's matchup will be the 12^th all-time between the Spartans and Flames, UNCG holding a 9-2 edge in the series. The pair met in Lynchburg last season, a brace from Steven Hernandez powering the Blue & Gold to a 3-1 win.  
 
Saturday's game is the first SoCon matchup between the two teams.
 
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
Former UNCG associate head coach Scott Wells is in his first season at the helm of the Liberty program, having taken over after a successful stint at Gardner-Webb. During the 2025 season, Wells led the Runnin' Bulldogs to the No. 7 national ranking, the first time any Gardner-Webb program ever reached the top 10 in a national poll. 
 
Sophomore forward Samson Kpardeh is the danger man for Liberty, ranking third in Division I in goals (six) and a nation-leading 5.80 shots per game. Kpardeh's 12 points, an average of 2.40 per game, ranks fifth in the country. Ronnie Gorman (one goal, three assists) and Pablo Matavele (one goal, two assists) have also been key offensive factors for Liberty early. 
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR UNCG
The Spartans rolled to a 5-0 win over USF in the team's first home game of September, returning to the win column for the first time since hammering VCU 4-1 on Aug. 20. Seven different Spartans tallied at least a point in the win as the Blue & Gold bounced back from a 1-0 loss to now-No. 4 South Carolina on Sept. 11.
 
Tuesday's win was the largest margin of victory for the Spartans since Oct. 19, 2021 when Rich's side beat USC Upstate 7-1. It was also the first game that UNCG allowed just one shot on goal since Nov. 20 of last season, against Elon in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. 
 
FIRSTS CARRY THE SPARTANS AGAINST USF
First collegiate goals for Mason Dancy and Malo Jungling buoyed UNCG in the win over USF, part of a series of firsts in that match. Transfers Keaviano Francis and Caleb Borneo recorded their first assists in Blue & Gold, while fellow newcomer Lasse Dahl opened the scoring with his first as a Spartan. 
 
Dancy and Jungling join Bautista Schmidt as Spartans to score their first collegiate goals so far this season. Defender Gavin DeHart also tallied his first collegiate assist as part of his first start against the Bulls. 
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK WATCH
The Spartans have had four players earn SoCon weekly recognition this season, most recently goalkeeper Seth Wilson on Sept. 15. Named the Defensive Player of the Week after producing seven stops against the Gamecocks, Wilson went on to post his second shutout of the season that evening. 
 
He joins Trym Linberg (Aug. 25) as UNCG's second defensive recipient this season. Former Offensive Players of the Week Keaviano Francis (Sept. 1) and Caleb Borneo (Sept. 8) were heavily involved against USF, both scoring and assisting the other's goals for three-point nights. 
 
SPARTANS IN THE SOCON RANKINGS
Entering SoCon play, UNCG leads the conference in goal differential (+7), save percentage (.813), shutouts (two) and goals against average (.857), while ranking top three in 10 other categories.
 
Individually, Francis (third, nine points) and Borneo (fifth, seven) occupy top-five spots in the conference offensively. Defender Trym Linberg's three assists tie him with seven others for the high mark in the SoCon. 
 
Wilson continues to build off of a 2025 campaign where he logged seven shutouts. The redshirt senior ranks sixth in DI in goalkeeper minutes played (630:00) and has anchored a defense that ranks 24^th in save percentage, at 0.813. He also leads the SoCon in both goals against average (.857) and save percentage (.806). 
 
UNCG VS OPPONENTS – BY THE NUMBERS

• Goals: 13-6
• Shots: 85-79 (12.1 – 11.3 per game)
• Shots on Goal: 41/85 – 31/79 (0.482 - 0.392)
• Assists: 12-3
• Saves: 25-28
• Corners: 30-34

INCOMING PRODUCTION CONTINUING TO BOOST UNCG
After Tuesday's win, transfers and freshmen for this season have now contributed 26/38 points on the year for the Spartans. Seven games into the season, the Blue & Gold have had 11 players record at least a point. 
 
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UP NEXT     
SoCon play continues for the Blue & Gold as the team heads to Macon, Georgia, to take on Mercer on Sept. 26. Kickoff against the Bears from Betts Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+.