The host Cougars (1-2), who are ranked No. 4 in the NAIA preseason poll after going 18-4-2 last year and advancing to the NAIA National Tournament semifinals, will take on Bluefield (Va.) College at 4:00 p.m. on Friday and will be back in action for the first time in nearly a week after a three-match swing through California. Junior midfielder Cody Snouffer leads the team with two goals and an assist, while senior goalkeeper Alex Stout posted his 27th career shutout in the team’s 2-0 win at Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) University last Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Ramblin’ Rams of Bluefield will enter Friday’s match with an 0-2 record after a 3-0 loss at Randolph (Va.) College on Tuesday. Last season, Bluefield posted a 2-13-1 overall record.

The first match on Friday will feature Campbellsville (Ky.) University taking on Spring Arbor (Mich.) University at 2:00 p.m. The Tigers will be playing their season opener after posting a 17-7 record last year that included a win over MVNU in the second match of the season. Spring Arbor will enter Friday’s match with a 1-2 record after being shutout in the Cougars’ last two matches. Spring Arbor compiled a 10-7-3 record a year ago.

"We are looking forward to kicking off our First-Knox Cougar Invitational this weekend,” said MVNU head coach Paul Furey. "We are so thankful for our friends over at First-Knox National Bank for making this tournament possible and for their generosity and support over the years. It has just been a great relationship and we are just so grateful to Barb Barry and all the great people there.”

"The tournament should be a very competitive one,” Furey continued. "Campbellsville had a very strong year last year and was one of our four losses a year ago. Spring Arbor also finished strong and beat Cedarville in the postseason. And Bluefield, we played a couple years ago and they have some very legitimate players. All in all, it should be a good weekend of soccer. With the Christian universities, we plan on once again having a time to get together and fellowship with the other teams on Friday night.”

"For us, this tournament has always been an important springboard for our season,” Furey added. "We hope this year that we can get into the finals and once again have this as an opportunity to go forward, especially after a very challenging trip to California.”

On Saturday, the consolation match of the tournament will take place at 1:00 p.m. as the losers from each of Friday’s matches will square off followed by the championship match at 3:00 p.m. An all-tournament team will also be announced following the championship match.