Aug. 22, 2008

Greenville, S.C. - The 20th-ranked Furman men's soccer team plays its only preseason contest Saturday when it travels to defending national champion Wake Forest for a 7 p.m. exhibition match at Spry Stadium.

The Paladins return to the location of their last match when the Demon Deacons eliminated the Paladins 1-0 in NCAA Tournament second round play last November. Wake Forest finished 2007 with a 22-2-2 record while Furman fashioned a 19-4-0 worksheet.

The Demon Deacons, ranked preseason No. 1 by College Soccer News, return eight starts from the national championship squad, including MAC Hermann Trophy candidates Cody Arnoux and Marcus Tracy. Furman, ranked 20th by College Soccer News, return six starters, including Hermann Trophy candidate and CSN Preseason All-American pick Patrick Murray.

The exhibition will be available via GameTracker at both www.furmanpaladins.com and www.wakeforestsports.com.

Furman will open its regular season August 31, at UNC Wilmington.