DENVER - The University of Denver men's soccer team will play its first-ever game at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium, when the Pioneers host defending Atlantic-10 champion Dayton under the lights on Friday at 7 p.m. DU also will welcome Belmont to the stadium on Sunday at 2 p.m.

"All of us at Denver are excited to open the stadium and play under the lights," said head coach Bobby Muuss, who was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year for the second-straight season in 2008. "The new playing surface is in excellent shape, and it is as nice as any college soccer field in the country."

The Pioneers won the 2008 MPSF championship last season and earned their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1970. Leading Denver this season are senior captain and All-MPSF First Team midfielder Collin Audley (Fort Collins, Colo.), All-MPSF First Team goalkeeper Joe Willis (St. Louis, Mo.) and two-time All-MPSF Second Team defender Kris Banghart (Fort Collins, Colo.).

Dayton is 0-1-1 to start the season after being edged on penalty kicks in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament last year. The Pioneers are 0-2 all-time against the Flyers, although both of those games were on the road, including a 3-1 defeat in Dayton last season.

The Pioneers beat the Bruins in 1999 in their only meeting with Belmont, who started this season 0-2-0.

Denver dropped a pair of games to ACC powerhouses North Carolina State and Duke last weekend, after which both teams shot into the nation's top 20. Senior defender Kris Banghart (Fort Collins, Colo.) and freshman defender Drew Beckie (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) earned spots on the All-Tournament Team.

Season, group and individual game tickets are on sale now. Please visit the Denver Soccer Ticket page for more information.