The Shadow
LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Men’s Soccer travels for the first time in 2025, hitting the road up to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for a battle against Saint Joseph’s on Saturday night. The Keydets (0-1) look to rebound from their season-opening loss to Canisius on Thursday, while the Hawks (1-0) are riding high off their road victory over Merrimack.
Keys to the Keydets
Offensive Opportunities. The Keydets’ offense was neck-and-neck with the Griffins, posting an equal 10 shots with six corner kicks.
Shots On Goal. VMI was able to muster a pair of shots on target from Yeirin Mejia and Thimson Duolo.
Keydets On the Rise. VMI continues to move upward each season, earning five or more wins in back-to-back seasons since 2004-05.
D-I Success. VMI recorded three straight results against an NCAA Division I program for the first time since 2010. The Keydets also posted a result against the same D-I opponent (Radford) in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013-14.
Rebuild & Regroup. The Keydets lost 10 seniors after 2024, but gained a strong 11-man class, including one D-I transfer.
Road Warriors. VMI is searching for a result in its season-opening road match for the first time since 2022 and its first victory since the 2021 spring.
Home Field Advantage. Last season, the Keydets became 4-0 at home for the first time since 1994 and the first time the Keydets have ever started a season 4-0 at home. At the time, VMI also recorded a result in four straight matches for the first time since 2007.
Goalkeeper Goals. VMI conceded the fewest goals in a regular season since 1990. Keydet goalkeepers combined for four shutouts, the most in 17 years, and helped lead to the highest win percentage in 16 seasons.
Division I Rankings. By the end of the 2024 season, VMI was ranked 12th in saves per game with over five and 24th in shots per game with nearly 15 among all D-I schools. The Keydets ranked number one in saves per game in the conference.
Life Saver. Zack Murphy was key between the posts, ranking fifth in total saves with 85 and seventh in saves per game with five in the nation. Both stats were first in the SoCon. He also collected one clean sheet and two combined shutouts.
Key Returners. Eight of VMI’s 12 goal scorers from last season have passed, but Jesse Lee returns, who had the second-most goals in 2024 with four and produced four assists. Also returning are Colin Blandford, Timofey Dovgalyuk, and Conner Reid, who combined for over 3,500 minutes.
Stat Keeping. The Keydets collected 25 goals off 261 shots, with 100 on-goal, including 27 assists.
Year 4. Head Coach Nick Regan returns for his fourth season at the helm. Regan has collected 12 victories, ranking fourth all-time and just two wins shy of third.
Roster By Class. VMI will welcome back 17 members from the 2024 roster and introduce 11 newcomers to this season’s roster. The Keydets have seven seniors, seven juniors, three sophomores, and 11 freshmen.
Oh Captain, My Captain. VMI’s captains are Zack Murphy, Colin Blandford, and Timofey Dovgalyuk. Blandford returns as captain for the second-straight season.
2025 Schedule. The Keydets, who will play a 17-game slate, have nine home matches and eight road matches, including contests against future SoCon member, Liberty, and Big East affiliate, Villanova.
