CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State University men's soccer team will face outside competition for the first time this season this weekend with its first of three exhibition matches.

The Vikings will host St. Bonaventure Saturday, Aug. 11, at 5:00 p.m. in its first preseason friendly. CSU will then travel to preseason No. 4 Akron Monday, Aug. 13, before returning home to host Notre Dame (Ohio) Sunday, Aug. 19.

PHOTOS FROM PRESEASON TRAINING

Cleveland State opened its preseason camp with its first training session this past Wednesday morning. In doing so, the Vikings welcomed 12 student-athletes to the program for the first time while Rushoy Brown and Stephen Milhoan took part in their first fall camp after joining the team in this past spring semester.

Ten Vikings return that started at least eight matches last season, with all of those players competing in at least a dozen matches in 2017. CSU's top three leaders in points all return while three defenders that started at least 10 matches are back in the fold for 2018.

Head coach Kirk Harwat led the Vikings to the Horizon League Tournament semifinals in his first season at the helm in 2017. It was CSU's sixth trip to the semis in the current tournament format, the most among all League schools.