Conway, Ark. - The No. 1 Central Methodist men's soccer team is set to open regular season play this spring with a road matchup against NCAA Division I Central Arkansas, Friday night in Conway. 

Friday's match marks the first meeting between the two teams. 

"UCA is a well-coached group of talented student-athletes," said Head Coach Alex Nichols. "They are a very dangerous and aggressive team who can beat you in a lot of different ways. We will have to be sharp in all areas to come away with the result."

The Bears, a member of the Southland Conference, are coming off a 0-0 draw against Belmont and a 2-1 victory against Kansas City. In both matches, the Bears have held strong defensive play while still making chances often.

CMU is coming off a 12-0 Fall season, and a 4-1 exhibition victory over Creighton on Feb. 24. The Eagles average 22.8 shots per game and scored 45 goals in their 12 matches.

"Playing a team like this is a unique and exciting challenge," said UCA Head Coach Ross Duncan. "This may be the best team we play all year. They are back-to-back NAIA National Champions and bring a wealth of competitive experience. They will force us to put together our strongest performance to date."

Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. at the Bill Stephens Complex in Conway.

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