The Georgia Southern Eagles Men’s Soccer team are readying themselves for a season to remember as they chase the golden prize of a Sun Belt Championship and a NCAA tournament berth. Led by their seniors Jack Falle, Matt Melton, Chase Park, Emmanuel Raji, Eric Dinka, and Dalton Churchwell, they whole heartedly believe they are the team to make Georgia Southern history as the first ever team to win a conference championship and get to the NCAA tournament.

Talking with them after their intense practice Tuesday morning, they are convinced they have the leaders and an excellent supporting cast to complete a task never accomplished by Georgia Southern Men’s soccer. After starting the season (2-4-1) they know they could have done better in the closer games, but know the tough opponents they played like South Carolina and South Florida, who are ranked 15th and 18th respectively in the NCAA, helped them become a stronger team in the long run.

“The season didn’t start off the way we wanted it to, we’re kind of a young team and people are playing different positions but we’re starting to peak at the right moment starting conference and it will turn around for us,” Falle said about the record.

“We played some tough opponents and unfortunately had more losses than wins, but it’s prepared us for moments like this,” Park said. “Non-conference games are important but winning our conference games is what it’s all about.”

Their first conference game is against Hartwick, the team they lost to in the finals of last year’s conference championship game. “We’re hungry, we’re excited about it and getting three points is our main goal in every game we play no matter who it is,” Melton said about their upcoming “revenge” game. “But Hartwick is a game with a little bite to it that we’ve been looking forward to all season.”

Beating last year’s champions would definitely put the Eagles in a great starting position to accomplish the goals they have set for themselves. “Those three points on Friday will be huge for our season to get the ball rolling. This is the best team we’ve had in years, we’re not showing it right now but if you look inside our team we know this is the best opportunity we have” said Falle. He has all the confidence in the team’s ability to secure a win on the road to start off their conference slate en route to their ultimate goal: the Sun Belt Championship. Their first conference game of the season will be this Friday, October 9th on the road at Hartwick at 7p.m.