VILLANOVA, Pa. - For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Villanova Wildcats will open the fall campaign on the road when they visit the Marist Red Foxes on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

The Wildcats are 3-1-0 in those road season openers, with wins over Loyola, Bucknell and Manhattan. The lone loss came last season at eventual NCAA College Cup semifinalist New Mexico.

"The first thing for us (tonight) is just the first half," states Villanova head coach Tom Carlin. "Let's see where we're at after 45 minutes. We looked good in pre-season. Let's see if we can bring that into the regular season."

The Wildcats won a pair of pre-season scrimmages, downing Fordham on the new turf at the Higgins Soccer Complex 5-0 on Aug. 16 and picking up a 4-2 win with two late goals at George Mason on Aug. 19.

"You have to put the pre-season behind you in a sense," states Carlin. "We have to apply everything we have been putting into place with our attacking schemes and defensive schemes during the first half. If we can do that, it will be a good start for us. That's really where our focus is right now."

Villanova (8-9-1 overall in 2013) will look to veterans Aaron Dennis and Oscar Umar, who have played in key situations through the course of their first three seasons in the Blue and White, to help set the tone. The Wildcats will also lean on a defensive back four led by central defenders Colton Bryant and Willis Griffith that made significant strides over the course of 2013. Veterans Matt Wiltse and Chris Hill are expected to hold down the outside back positions and jump into the attack when the opportunity presents itself.

Marist, meanwhile, is looking to rebound after posting a 3-15 record in 2013. Kickoff at Tenney Stadium is set for 7:00 p.m.

This is the first of three consecutive road dates for the Wildcats, who visit Philly Soccer Six rival Drexel on Tuesday night in Philadelphiha.