LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The regular season has arrived for the Bellarmine University men's soccer team, and a pair of championship contenders is awaiting the Knights.

Bellarmine will open the 2015 season at the University of Indianapolis, where the Knights will debut at 1:30 p.m. (ET) on Thursday against reigning Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament champion Cedarville before meeting G-MAC runner-up Davis & Elkins at noon Saturday.

The set of games marks the first in a four-year agreement between Bellarmine, UIndy, Cedarville and Davis & Elkins to compete on opening weekend. The Great Lakes Valley Conference schools (BU, Indianapolis) will meet the G-MAC teams.

"The four-year agreement has allowed us to set our future schedule against quality opponents," BU Coach Tim Chastonay said. "These two teams have been the top teams in the G-MAC and should ready us for our GLVC conference regular season play. It's always hard to schedule in-region out-of-conference opponents and this solidifies our schedule for some time."

In the G-MAC preseason coaches' poll, Cedarville was the consensus pick to win the conference, garnering the maximum amount of first-place votes. The Yellow Jackets went 14-4-2 overall last season, including 7-0-1 in league play. Cedarville is led by reigning G-MAC Offensive Player of the Year Connor Gilmour, a senior forward who recorded 14 goals and four assists last season. Fellow senior forward Christian Alexander is also back after scoring 10 goals with six assists in 2014.

In the preseason poll, Davis & Elkins was tabbed to finish third in the G-MAC. The Senators went 9-8-1 last season, including 6-3 in conference play. Junior Lukas Grosse-Puppendahl is the leading returning goal scorer with six last year.

"I expect this weekend to be very challenging," Chastonay said. "Both these teams are coming off a solid year in 2014, and I am expecting them to be very good once again. We are really not familiar with Cedarville and Davis & Elkins, so we are just trying to concentrate on our own squad and how we would like to play. We'll definitely have to be ready to make some adjustments as the games go on. We will try and prepare the best we can."

Bellarmine went 1-1-1 in its three preseason exhibition matches. The Knights opened with a 2-1 loss to Division I Evansville before defeating Georgetown College 2-1 and tying Spalding 1-1. Sophomore forward Luke Mocherman, freshman midfielder Christian Lister, junior midfielder Jared Kemper and sophomore forward Joe Workman scored a goal apiece for the Knights in the preseason.

"We had an up-and-down exhibition season," Chastonay said. "We did see some positive things but also struggled in some areas. The injuries have been plenty but it has given other guys a chance to step in and play. The experience they are getting is positive, so we are trying to remain upbeat as a team."

Bellarmine went 8-8-3 last season and qualified for the GLVC Tournament for the eighth straight season. The Knights return roughly eight starters, including several key members from a defense that allowed the third-fewest goals (21) in a single season in program history.

Entering the regular season, the Knights will already get an idea of how they react as a unit to adversity.

"The injuries in preseason have definitely challenged the players and coaching staff," Chastonay said. "We understand we are not coming out of the gate at full strength. The players have been adjusting and we feel like we can get better as the season goes along. It's definitely going to be an uphill battle, but I think these guys will respond."

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BU vs. Cedarville
Date: Thursday, Sept. 3
Time: 1:30 p.m. (ET)
Venue: University of Indianapolis
Live Stats
Video

BU vs. Davis & Elkins
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
Time: Noon (ET)
Venue: University of Indianapolis
Live Stats
Video