The Basics
Drake men's soccer is set to open its 2025 campaign with high expectations. The Bulldogs travel to the Lone Star State for matchups against Houston Christian (Aug. 21) and Incarnate Word (Aug. 24).
Bulldog Breakdown
Drake finished with a 9-5-3 overall record and an impressive 5-1-2 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play, good for second place in the MVC. The Bulldogs scored 27 goals (1.59 per game) while conceding 18 (1.06 per game), outshot opponents 167 to 125, and led the conference in penalty-kick efficiency—6 goals on 6 attempts.
The Bulldogs were selected as the preseason favorite in the 2025 MVC Preseason Poll released earlier this week. Bulldog standouts
Ryder Barrett,
Preston Kipnusu, and Eskil
Gjerde were named to the Preseason All-MVC Team. Gjerde added that honor to his inclusion on the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch list.
Key Returners
Damian Segura – 11 points, 5 goals, 1 assist
Preston Kipnusu – 9 points, 4 goals, 1 assist
Dalton Visconti – 7 points, 3 goals, 1 assist
Jackson Kirsch – 6 points, 2 goals, 2 assists
Eskil Gjerde – 5 points, 2 goals, 1 assist
Tomas Butkovic – 41 saves, 18 goals allowed, 6 shutouts
Scouting Houston Christian
Houston Christian posted an 8-7-5 overall record and a 5-2-3 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play The Huskies scored 28 goals while conceding 19, averaging 1.40 goals per game versus 0.95 for opponents. They outshot opponents 240 to 190 (12.0 versus 9.5 per game), earned 100 corner kicks to opponents' 75 and collected 31 assists to their opponents' 21. In goalkeeping, they made 77 saves compared to 64 by opponents.
Key Returners
Ryan Okerayi – 16 points, 5 goals, 6 assists
D'Alessandro Herrera – 9 points, 3 goals, 3 assists
Morgan Worsfold-Gregg – 7 points, 2 goals, 3 assists
Alex Aitken – 70 saves, 15 goals allowed, 8 shutouts
Drake and Houston Christian have met twice previously. The Bulldogs are 1-0-1 against the Huskies with a win in last year's meeting at Mediacom Stadium.
Scouting Incarnate Word
The Incarnate Word Cardinals concluded the 2024 season with a 6-6-6 overall record and a 3-2 5 mark in OVC play. In their OVC quarterfinal match, UIW defeated Liberty 2-0, advancing to face top-seeded SIUE in the semifinals.
On the offensive front, UIW tallied 22 goals and 13 assists over the season, drawing 216 shots (114 on goal, for a 52.8% shots-on-goal rate), while their opponents managed 19
goals, 13 assists, and 189 shots. In goal, Alejandro De La Torre made 60 saves with a .759 save percentage, conceding 19 goals in 1,620 minutes, while opponents' keepers posted a .804 save percentage on 90 saves.
Key Returners
Sello Diphoko – 17 points, 8 goals, 1 assist
Peleg Armendariz – 10 points, 5 goals
Miles Merritt – 7 points, 2 goals, 3 assists
This weekend's tilt in San Antonio will be the first-ever meeting between Drake and Incarnate Word.
Up Next
Drake will remain on the road for its third contest of the season when the Bulldogs visit Marquette on Aug. 28. The Dogs will then close the month of August with their home opener against Graceland on Aug. 31.
