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The Westminster men's soccer team opens the 2010 season with two games on Dumke Field this week. The season opener is on Thursday, August 26 against second-ranked The Master's College at 5 p.m. Then on Friday, August 27, Westminster welcomes 10th-ranked Benedictine College to Dumke for a 5 p.m. kickoff. Both games will be streamed live on Griffins TV at WestminsterGriffins.com.

Westminster enters the week after going 10-7-2 in 2009 and advancing to the semi-finals of the Unaffiliated Conference Tournament. They were 6-1-1 in games played on Dumke Field last season and have won three straight. They return 18 players from last season's team.

Dennis Sellis returns in 2010 after leading the team with eight goals and 21 points last season. Sellis attempted a team-best 52 shots as a sophomore and put 31 of those attempts on frame. Matt Jimenez also returns after a five goal season in 2009. Other key returners include Kaden Anselmo, Nikolai Dziezyc, Spencer Luczak, and Bobby Ward.

Look for Damir Sabnovic and Nathan Young to each get time between the pipes this season. Sabnovic saw time in two games last season and allowed one goal while making one save. Young saw time with the Westminster JV club in 2009.

Griffins TV
Westminster will broadcast select men's soccer games throughout the season on Griffins TV. The Westminster Athletics Department teamed up with Penn Atlantic to offer fans the opportunity to watch Westminster home events on the internet for FREE. For the complete Griffins TV schedule check out www.WestminsterGriffins.com/GriffinsTV.

Live Stats
All home games this season will feature Live Stats. The feed goes live shortly before kickoff so fans can get all the action directly on their computer or mobile device. Visit www.WestminsterGriffins.com to access the Live Stats

Dumke Field
All Westminster men's soccer home games are played at Dumke Field on the campus of Westminster College. Gates open one hour prior to the start of the game. The spectator entrance is located on the northwest side of the field. Pets are NOT allowed into the Dumke Field facility at any time.

First Kick
• The Griffins are 17-7-2 all-time in home openers and have won eight straight.

• Westminster went 2-2 against ranked opponents in 2009.

• Westminster has gone 7-1 in the last eight season openers.

Scouting No. 2 The Master's College
The Master's College opens the 2010 season against the Griffins after advancing to the NAIA National Championship game last season. They finished 2009 with a 19-3-3 record and ranked 33rd nationally with 33 goals scored. The second-ranked Mustangs return 18 players and seven starters from last season's team including NAIA Second Team All-American Jacob Marchesani.

Series Record: The Master's leads, 10-3-1
Last Meeting: Westminster tied The Master's 1-0 (9/19/09)

Scouting Benedictine
Benedictine College begins the 2010 season in Salt Lake City with a No. 10 national ranking. The Ravens finished 2009 with a 16-3-1 overall record and won the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship. They lost in the first round of the NAIA National Championship to Notre Dame College.

Series Record: First meeting

Dumke Advantage
Since starting play on Dumke Field in2006, Westminster has compiled a 25-7-2 record on its home field. They haven't lost more than once on the field since 2007 and have won three straight home contests. The Griffins have outscored the opposition 85-30 in the 34 games played at Dumke Field.

Postseason Appearances
Westminster has made 19 postseason appearances in the 27 seasons they have competed. The Griffins have qualified for postseason play every season since 2005. The last two seasons they have qualified for the Unaffiliated Conference Tournament where they have lost in the semi-finals each season.

On the Agenda
During the 2010 season, the Griffins will face six teams that qualified for the 2009 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship, including four that advanced to the final site of the tournament. They also play seven teams that are either ranked or received votes in the NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. Of those seven, four will be played on the road with the only other to visit SLC after this week is Olivet Nazarene on September 4.

Unaffiliated Information
The Dakota Athletic Conference, Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference, and Frontier Conference will combine to offer one automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships in 2010. The top-4 teams in this group will advance to the Unaffiliated Conference Tournament with the winner receiving the automatic berth.

Looking Ahead
Westminster returns to action on September 3 when they welcome Northwestern (Iowa) to Dumke Field for a 5 p.m. contest. Olivet Nazarene makes the trip to Salt Lake City for a contest on September 4 at 4:30 p.m.