The Matchup: Towson (1-0-1, 0-0-0 CAA) vs. Navy (1-0-1, 0-0-0 Patriot)
Place: Tiger Field – Towson, Md.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 26, 7 p.m.
Broadcast: FloSports ($)
Live Stats: towsontigers.com
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team will play its next three games at home, beginning with a Thursday night contest against reigning Patriot League champion Navy at 7 p.m. on Aug. 26th.
 
All Towson women's soccer games at Tiger Field are free to attend.  Due to Towson University parking rules, fans in attendance who do not have a campus parking pass will need to use the ParkMobile app to park in Unitas Stadium overflow lots before 8 p.m.  Download the app on your mobile device and use the code 31089St any time to be able to park in all Unitas Stadium overflow lots after 6 p.m. for this game (Note: the parking code will be different each game).
 
The game will be broadcast on FloSports, available via subscription.  Visit FloSports.tv/CAA to view the full Colonial Athletic Association schedule and sign up today.
 
Four of the next five games for Towson, all non-conference contests, will be under the lights of Tiger Field.  In addition, this is Towson's second straight game against a member of the Patriot League.
 
Both teams stand unbeaten in their first two games, each coming in a 1-0-1.  Towson, out of the Colonial Athletic Association, is coming off a 1-1 draw against Bucknell on Sunday.  Navy also had a Sunday draw with a 2-2 tie at home vs. George Washington.
 
These two programs meet for the first meeting since 2012 and for the first time in Towson since 1995.  Navy has won the last six games, the last a 2-1 victory in Annapolis on Sept. 9, 2012, to lead the all-time series 6-1.  Towson won the first match of the series 3-2 in Annapolis on Sept. 22, 1994.  The lone meeting in Towson on Sept. 21, 1995, Navy took a 3-0 victory.
 
MELENDEZ EARNS PRESEASON ALL-CAA HONORABLE MENTION
Riley Melendez was voted as a 2021 CAA All-Conference Honorable Mention in the preseason coaches poll.  Earning Second Team All-CAA in the spring, Melendez was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week with 31 saves on the season, allowing just five goals in the first seven games.
 
ALL STARTERS RETURN
Every Towson player who made at least one start during the spring 2021 campaign has returned for the fall.  Seven players who started all eight games are back, including Riley Melendez, Maja Hansson and Phoebe Canoles, who played all 785 minutes of the year.  In total, Towson brings back 14 of 15 letterwinners from last season.
 
FORMERLY FANTASTIC FRESHMEN FOUR
In spring 2021, Towson placed four freshmen on the All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie Teams, the most all-conference players in a single season in program history.  Demi Pierre (M) and Riley Melendez (GK) earned All-CAA Second Team while Nia Christopher (F) and Phoebe Canoles (D) were All-CAA Third Team.
 
LAST TIME: TOWSON DRAWS AT BUCKNELL
Towson nearly got off to a 2-0 start on the season, but a 90th minute goal by Bucknell led to a 1-1 draw in the pouring rain.
Top Towson offensive player:
--Phoebe Canoles: 1 G (52'), 4 shots, 3 SOG
Towson goalkeeper:
--Riley Melendez (D): 1 GA, 7 saves
 
BLANK HAS NO BLANK SLATE
Jenna Blank may be going for some records during the 2021 campaign.  She has eight career goals in 41 games, including 29 starts at forward.
 
The junior has three career game-winning goals with the Black & Gold.  One more ties her for 12th all-time in Towson history.
 
Välkommen till Towson universitet
Towson sports two starters from Sweden: redshirt sophomore Demi Pierre, from Gävle, All-CAA Second Team midfielder in the spring, and Maja Hansson, from Sandviken, a sophomore who played for the U18 Swedish National Team.
 
In addition, Nia Christopher is also from outside the U.S., being a member of the Senior National Team of Bermuda.
 
REPPING THE HOME STATE...
Towson keeps close roots to home with seven players from the state of Maryland, including three players from the home city: Towson local Chiara Menegatti plus Baltimore natives senior Riley Rumbley from Mercy H.S. and redshirt sophomore Phoebe Canoles from Perry Hall H.S., as well as another from Baltimore County, Danielle Maggio from Hereford H.S.  The other three from Maryland are Camryn Anderson (Columbia), Danielle Campbell (Ellicott City) and Caroline Macdonald (Bethesda).
 
MELENDEZ EARNS CAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Riley Melendez was selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the week after leading Towson to a pair of unbeaten games, combining for 10 saves and one goal allowed.  It is Melendez's fourth CAA weekly honor.  Towson is undefeated through the first two games for the first time since 2017 and first time under Katherine Vettori.
 
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 1996 AMERICA EAST TITLE TEAM
2021 marks the 25th year since the Towson women's soccer team won its first league title as a program, winning the America East that season.  The Tigers needed back-to-back four-overtime games to win the tournament, capped by a 142nd minute goal by Christi Landi to defeat Delaware 2-1 and take the league title.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
Navy has won the last two Patriot League championships and is the league favorite this year in the preseason coaches poll.  The team is led by Preseason Midfielder of the Year senior Victoria Tran.  In goal is sophomore Mattie Gallagher, who has a 76.9% save rate and 1.35 goals allowed average in the first two games.