HACKETTSTOWN, NJ -- Liam McLoughlin scored in the 51st minute to give the King's College men's soccer team a 1-0 victory in their season opener at Centenary University in Hackettstown, NJ.

The Monarchs (1-0-0) handed head coach John Velasco his first win in his first match leading the squad. It also marked the first time the Monarchs have begun the year with a victory since defeating Ursinus 2-0 in 2015. Oddly enough, that is also the last time King's began the year on the road.

King's won a defensive battle win Centenary (0-2-0) in a match that saw just eight combined shots on goal. The Cyclones put the first two shots on goal of the match in the 20th and 24th minute as Jesse Mendieta and Kevin Lopez sent shots to the bottom right corner. Monarch keeper Pat Hughes made easy work of both shots to keep the match scoreless. King's put their only shot on goal of the first half in the 26th minute as Aidan Oyler sent a ball to the bottom left that was saved.

The Monarchs came out of the halftime break strong earning a pair of corner kicks in the first five minutes of action. On the second corner kick, the Cyclones were unable to clear the ball away and the ball found the feet of McLoughlin who put it into the back of the net for his 15th career goal. Kyle Shalvey nearly doubled the lead in the 68th minute when his shot hit the right post. The Cyclones were unable to solve the Monarch defense for the rest of the match and King's picked up the clean sheet.

Centenary held a 13-7 shot advantage with five shots on goal compared the three for the Monarchs. They also held an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks. Hughes equaled his career high with four saves while earning his first career shutout and improved to 5-0-0 in his career.

King's will now turn their attention to their home opener on Wednesday when they will take on Elizabethtown College at 7:00 pm in McCarthy Stadium.