49ers’ soccer teams host weekend exhibitions

The nationally ranked Charlotte 49ers’ men’s soccer team and its women’s counterpart will host exhibition matches this weekend in advance of regular-season openers later this month.

The women’s team, picked to finish third in Conference USA, entertains Georgia State at 2 p.m. Saturday. The men’s squad, ranked 17th in the preseason coaches’ poll and the Conference USA favorite, is home against Elon at 7 p.m. Sunday.

Both matches are at the 49ers’ Transamerica Field, and there is no admission charge.

Coach John Cullen’s women’s squad is led by sophomore Martha Thomas, the 2014 Conference USA Freshman of the Year. The 49ers are young, with 11 freshmen on the roster.

The men’s game pits a 49ers’ team that finished 14-4-1 and won Conference USA last season against an Elon squad that was 9-6-4 last fall but has seven starters and 17 players returning. Charlotte senior forward Kyle Parker is the preseason pick as Conference USA Player of the Year.

This story was originally published August 14, 2015 at 5:50 PM with the headline "49ers’ soccer teams host weekend exhibitions."