Aug. 21, 2008

LAS VEGAS -

UNLV Game notes vs. Loyola Marymount/UC Irvine

UNLV will begin the 2008 campaign on the road, as the Rebels will play a pair of California teams this weekend. First up is the season-opener in Los Angeles against Loyola Marymount on Friday, followed by a Sunday contest at UC Irvine.

Four-time defending MWC champions, the Rebels were picked to finish second in the MWC preseason poll, but have alot to replace on offense, as five senior starters graduated, including the top three scorers.

The first opponent, Loyola Marymount, posted a 12-6-1 record in 2007, and are hoping for another strong season as it returns nine starters, including four all-West Coast Conference selections. The Lions have been selected to finish fourth in the preseason WCC coaches poll. This will be the second meeting between the schools, as LMU claimed a 1-0 win on Aug. 27, 2000, also in Los Angeles.

UC Irvine, selected to finish fourth in the Big West, brings back seven starters from a squad that finished at 11-7-2 last season. UCI and UNLV have met twice, with the Anteaters claiming a 2-0 win in Irvine on Sept. 25, 2005, while the Rebels returned the favor with a 3-0 win on Sept. 2, 2006 in Las Vegas.