DeLAND, Fla. — After four consecutive road matches to open the 2026 season, Stetson men's soccer will finally get its opportunity to play in front of the home crowd Tuesday night when the Hatters welcome Georgia Southern to the Athletic Training Center.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the match streaming live on ESPN+.
Tuesday was not originally scheduled to serve as Stetson's home opener. The Hatters were set to host Webber International on Aug. 26, but that match was canceled due to weather. As a result, Stetson's first four matches of the season have all come away from DeLand.
The Hatters return home following Saturday's 1-0 setback at Bellarmine in their ASUN opener. Despite the result, Stetson controlled much of the attacking pressure, outshooting the Knights 12-6 and holding a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT STETSON
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8 • 7 P.M.
ATHLETIC TRAINING CENTER • DeLAND, FLORIDA
WATCH: ESPN+ • LIVE STATS: GoHatters.com
BACK TO CAMPUS NIGHT • HOME OPENER
Home, Finally
It took a little longer than expected, but the Hatters are finally coming home.
Stetson was scheduled to make its home debut Aug. 26 against Webber International before weather forced the cancellation of the match. That extended an already road-heavy opening stretch and left the Hatters to play their first four regular-season contests away from DeLand.
The stretch included a two-match swing through Texas against No. 15 SMU and UTRGV, followed by trips to Coastal Carolina and Bellarmine.
Tuesday begins a dramatic change in the schedule. Stetson will play each of its next five matches at the Athletic Training Center, hosting Georgia Southern, West Florida, Presbyterian, Queens and UCF over a 15-day span.
Home Stretch Begins
5 STRAIGHT HOME MATCHES | 15 DAYS
Georgia Southern • West Florida • Presbyterian
Queens • UCF
Chances Are Coming
Stetson's 0-3-1 record doesn't tell the entire story of its opening four matches.
The Hatters have attempted 43 shots while allowing 41 and have generated a 24-11 advantage in corner kicks. Stetson has also increased its attacking output after halftime, producing 27 of its 43 shots in the second half.
That pressure was particularly evident Saturday at Bellarmine. Stetson held a 12-6 advantage in shots and generated seven corners to Bellarmine's one, but was unable to turn those opportunities into a goal in the 1-0 defeat.
Stetson has now attempted at least 12 shots in each of its last two matches after putting 15 shots on Coastal Carolina on Aug. 29.
Creating Pressure
43 SHOTS | 24 CORNER KICKS
27 SECOND-HALF SHOTS
Stetson has outshot its opponents 43-41 through the opening four matches.
Looking for the Breakthrough
The next step for the Hatters will be turning that pressure into goals.
Stetson has scored twice through four matches, with both goals coming during its season-opening trip through Texas.
Mauricio Restrepo scored Stetson's first goal of 2026 in the season opener at No. 15 SMU, while William Mills found the net three days later to help the Hatters earn a 1-1 draw at UTRGV.
Since then, Stetson has been held scoreless by Coastal Carolina and Bellarmine despite combining for 27 shots and 15 corner kicks across the two matches.
Valentin Fontaine currently leads the Hatters with seven shots, while Maurice Hauser has five. Andre Casas and Daniele Mastroianni have each attempted four.
McCall Settles In
Matthew McCall has emerged as Stetson's primary goalkeeper during the opening weeks of the season.
After Murillo Mello started the season opener at SMU, McCall has appeared in each of the Hatters' first four matches and has played 315 minutes in goal.
The Daytona State transfer has recorded 12 saves while posting a .706 save percentage. He made five saves at Coastal Carolina before allowing just one goal and stopping two shots in Saturday's conference opener at Bellarmine.
McCall has now played all 90 minutes in three consecutive matches.
Between the Posts
315 MINUTES | 12 SAVES
.706 SAVE PERCENTAGE
McCall has played all 90 minutes in each of Stetson's last three matches.
Depth in the Attack
While Stetson continues searching for its next goal, opportunities have come from throughout the lineup.
Fourteen different Hatters have already recorded a shot this season, while seven different players have put an attempt on target.
Fontaine's seven shots lead the team, followed by Hauser with five. Casas and Mastroianni have four apiece, while Benjamin Donato and Matthew Perez have each attempted three.
Casas leads Stetson with two shots on goal, while Mills, Restrepo, Fontaine, Desmond Bullard, Mastroianni and Perez have each put one on frame.
Series History
Tuesday will mark the 13th all-time meeting between Stetson and Georgia Southern in a series that has remained closely contested since the first matchup in 2006.
Georgia Southern holds a narrow 6-5-1 advantage in the all-time series, while Stetson owns a 3-2-1 record against the Eagles in DeLand.
The teams have met in each of the last two seasons. Georgia Southern earned a 2-1 victory at the Athletic Training Center in 2024 before taking a 1-0 decision in Statesboro last season.
Stetson's most recent victory in the series came in 2021, when the Hatters earned a 1-0 road win in Statesboro.
All-Time Series
GEORGIA SOUTHERN LEADS 6-5-1
Stetson is 3-2-1 against the Eagles in DeLand • First meeting: Sept. 3, 2006
Scouting Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern arrives in DeLand with a 2-1-1 record following a 1-1 draw against Liberty on Wednesday.
The Eagles opened the season with a 3-1 victory over FGCU before falling 2-0 at UNCW. Georgia Southern responded with a 2-0 road victory over Jacksonville before earning the draw against Liberty.
Georgia Southern has scored six goals through four matches while allowing four.
Three players have accounted for all six Eagle goals. Broden Beorlegui leads the team with three goals and seven points, while Mitch Picksley has scored twice and Lior Holtz has added one goal and one assist.
Beorlegui has been especially efficient, scoring three times on six shots and putting four attempts on target. Picksley has scored on two of his five attempts.
The Eagles have used two goalkeepers through four matches. Nicolas Aristizabal owns a 0.50 goals-against average and .875 save percentage across two appearances, while Luca Maxim has a 1.50 goals-against average in two matches.
Eagles Through Four
2-1-1 | 6 GOALS | 4 ALLOWED
Broden Beorlegui • 3 Goals
Mitch Picksley • 2 Goals
Quality Over Quantity
Georgia Southern has made the most of its opportunities through four matches.
The Eagles have been outshot 48-31 this season, an average of 12.0 opponent attempts compared to 7.8 of their own. Despite that disparity, Georgia Southern has outscored its opponents 6-4.
More than half of the Eagles' attempts have been on target, with Georgia Southern putting 16 of its 31 shots on frame for a .516 shots-on-goal percentage.
That presents an interesting contrast Tuesday. Stetson has generated 43 shots and 24 corner kicks through four matches, while Georgia Southern has produced fewer shots but converted its opportunities at a significantly higher rate.
Five Things to Know
1. THE WAIT IS OVER
Tuesday will officially be Stetson's 2026 home opener. The Hatters were scheduled to host Webber International on Aug. 26 before the match was canceled due to weather.
2. HOME FOR A WHILE
The Georgia Southern match begins a season-long five-match homestand. Stetson will not play another road match until Sept. 26 at North Florida.
3. PRESSURE WITHOUT THE PAYOFF
Stetson has outshot its opponents 43-41 and holds a 24-11 advantage in corner kicks through four matches. The Hatters are looking to translate that pressure into more goals after scoring twice so far.
4. SECOND-HALF SURGE
Twenty-seven of Stetson's 43 shots this season have come after halftime. The Hatters have also recorded nine of their 12 goalkeeper saves in the second half.
5. A CLOSE SERIES
Georgia Southern holds a 6-5-1 advantage in the all-time series, while Stetson is 3-2-1 against the Eagles in DeLand.
How to Follow
Tuesday night's match will kick off at 7 p.m. from the Athletic Training Center in DeLand. The match will stream live on ESPN+, with live statistics available through the men's soccer schedule page at GoHatters.com.
Admission to Stetson men's soccer home matches is free.
For the latest news and updates on Stetson men's soccer, visit GoHatters.com and follow @StetsonMSoc and @StetsonHatters on social media for additional content throughout the 2026 season.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
