2008 UMASS MEN’S SOCCER PREVIEW A - CBS...
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2008 UMASS MEN’S SOCCER 2007 Atlantic 10 Champs • 2007 NCAA Semifinalists 10 Season PREVIEW Mike DeSantis was named to the 2008 Preseason All- Atlantic 10 Team. A new excitement fills the air in Amherst heading into the 2008 fall season. Thanks to one of the most magical and memorable athletic seasons ever in UMass history, that palpable energy is justified as the men’s soccer team prepares for a new year. The Minutemen are coming off their best season ever as they won the Atlantic 10 Tournament and progressed through the NCAA Tournament all the way to the National Semifinals. The team’s first-ever College Cup experience caught the attention of not just local and statewide media and fans, but had the entire country talking about the upstart UMass team that won four straight NCAA Tournament games after entering the field unseeded. As coaches say, that was last year and this is a new team. Except in many ways, it is the same team with a bit more experience and a new set of goals that, as always, starts with earning a berth into the six-team Atlantic 10 Tournament come November. UMass returns eight of 11 starters from 2007’s school- record 17-win season. Included in those returners are tri- captains Chris Brown, Mike DeSantis, and Zack Simmons. Each were named to the 2008 Atlantic 10 Preseason All- Conference Team and will be the main cogs in the UMass engine. After earning UMBRO/College Soccer Net National Player of the Year and NSCAA/adidas Third-Team All- America honors, Simmons was named a Preseason All- American heading into the 2008 season. No longer the underdog but a team circled on opponents schedule, the Minutemen earned their highest ever preseason ranking at No. 13 in the first NSCAA Top 25 poll of the new year. “It’s a new season and we know that team’s are going to be giving us their best shot,” said head coach Sam Koch who enters his 18th season at UMass. “Having that bulls-eye on your back is a new type of pressure for us and it is a challenge we are going to have to overcome if we are to make our first goal of qualifying for the A-10 Tournament. It all starts with that - from there anything can happen for any team.” Gone from 2007 are seniors Greg Cirillo, Kenny Cook, Doug Rappaport and Trevor Singer. The quartet will be hard to replace from both leadership and athletic abilities. Sophomore Chris Vaccaro will fill Cirillo’s right midfield spot, while junior Stuart Thomson and senior Tony Bassett will take over Cook and Rappaport’s defensive responsibilities. Despite Singer missing nearly all of last season with a knee injury, his presence during the year helped motivate and lead the Minutemen. Offensively, UMass returns six of its top seven offensive players with both forwards Bryan Hogan and Mark DeSantis in the lineup. Along with Mike DeSantis, starting sophomore midfielders Stuart Amick and Ben Arikian, both Soccer America All-Freshman selections, return to the midfield. In the back, junior Dan Lepone will man the right flank once again after switching to the position last year. The Minutemen have depth in each position, particularly at forward where senior Prince Ofosu and junior Michael Jejna have had extensive minutes throughout their careers. A talented group of newcomers will push the veteran players throughout the season. Forwards UMass returns all four of its primary forwards from last season in starters Hogan and Mark DeSantis and reserves Ofosu and Jejna. Joining the team this year will be Bryant Craft and Chris Roswess who each add speed and scoring punch. Hogan was the team’s top scorer with a career high 18 points on eight goals and two assists. Three of his goals were game-winners and he notched a pair of scores against Central Connecticut in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. At 6-2, he is a big target on set pieces, but athletic enough to win one-on-one battles. Mark DeSantis was the team’s second-leading scorer a year ago with 14 points on four goals and six assists. He tied Arikian for the team lead in helpers. DeSantis is an aggressive forward who can stretch a defense on the counter attack and has good passing ability to find open teammates. Ofosu and Jejna will play key roles this season just as they did in 2007. Ofosu notched four goals last season and is one of the fastest players on the team making him a threat whenever he touches the field. Jejna is another big target at 6-1 who made his first career goal special as it was the game-winner against Boston University in the NCAA Tournament. Craft and Roswess enter their collegiate careers with impressive credentials and will add depth and flexibility to the front runners. Craft was an All-Massachusetts player in 2007 and a four-year member of the ODP squad. Roswess was a two-time All-New England pick earning MVP honors in 2007. Midfielders Mike DeSantis will start in the midfield for the third consecutive year and is one of the key players on both offense and defense. While he gets the most notice for his offensive play with six career game-winning goals, according to Koch, it is what DeSantis does that is not reflected in box scores that make him so special. “Mike is not a loud, vocal leader; he doesn’t have to be because players respect him for his play and hustle,” said Koch. “He is all over the field, winning 50/50 balls, and doing the little things that make him a strong player.” Amick and Arikian both enjoyed strong freshman seasons in the midfield. Arikian, like DeSantis, is an aggressive player who is seemingly all over the field on offense and defense. He had six assists last year and was one of the primary set piece players. Amick, who runs the left flank, scored the most goals of any freshman (5) and was the team’s third leading scorer last season. He earned additional experience following the season by playing in two games with U.S. Under-20 National Team. Vaccaro will start on the right flank and adds speed to the midfield. He played in 24 games as a freshman and saw significant minutes throughout the Atlantic 10 and NCAA Tournaments. Adding depth will be sophomore Matt Hess, UNC Greensboro transfer Chris Ethier, freshman Colin Monkiewicz and freshman Jason Villagomez. Defenders Chris Brown anchors the defense and will start his 66th consecutive match when UMass opens the season at Holy Cross. He is considered one of the top defensive players in the league and region due in part to his athleticism and his experience. Along with Brown, Dan Lepone returns after his first full season on the back row in 2007. Originally a mid- fielder, Lepone made great strides as a sophomore helping UMass allow just 0.79 goals against for the season. New to the line this year will be Thomson and Bassett. Thomson has proven a versatile player in his time at UMass playing both forward and on defense. The 6-1 2008 Season OUTLOOK
Transcript of 2008 UMASS MEN’S SOCCER PREVIEW A - CBS...
2008 UMASS MEN’S SOCCER
2007 Atlantic 10 Champs • 2007 NCAA Semifinalists10
Season P
REVIE
W
Mike DeSantis was named to the 2008
Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Team.
A new excitement fills the air in Amherst heading into the 2008 fall season. Thanks to one of the most magical and memorable athletic seasons ever in UMass history, that
palpable energy is justified as the men’s soccer team prepares for a new year.
The Minutemen are coming off their best season ever as they won the Atlantic 10 Tournament and progressed through the NCAA Tournament all the way to the National Semifinals. The team’s first-ever College Cup experience caught the attention of not just local and statewide media and fans, but had the entire country talking about the upstart UMass team that won four straight NCAA Tournament games after entering the field unseeded.
As coaches say, that was last year and this is a new team. Except in many ways, it is the same team with a bit more experience and a new set of goals that, as always, starts with earning a berth into the six-team Atlantic 10 Tournament come November.
UMass returns eight of 11 starters from 2007’s school-record 17-win season. Included in those returners are tri-captains Chris Brown, Mike DeSantis, and Zack Simmons. Each were named to the 2008 Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Team and will be the main cogs in the UMass engine.
After earning UMBRO/College Soccer Net National Player of the Year and NSCAA/adidas Third-Team All-America honors, Simmons was named a Preseason All-American heading into the 2008 season.
No longer the underdog but a team circled on opponents schedule, the Minutemen earned their highest ever preseason ranking at No. 13 in the first NSCAA Top 25 poll of the new year.
“It’s a new season and we know that team’s are going to be giving us their best shot,” said head coach Sam Koch who enters his 18th season at UMass. “Having that bulls-eye on your back is a new type of pressure for us and it is a challenge we are going to have to overcome if we are to make our first goal of qualifying for the A-10 Tournament. It all starts with that - from there anything can happen for any team.”
Gone from 2007 are seniors Greg Cirillo, Kenny Cook, Doug Rappaport and Trevor Singer. The quartet will be hard to replace from both leadership and athletic abilities. Sophomore Chris Vaccaro will fill Cirillo’s right midfield spot, while junior Stuart Thomson and senior Tony Bassett will take over Cook and Rappaport’s defensive responsibilities. Despite Singer missing nearly all of last season with a knee injury, his presence during the year helped motivate and lead the Minutemen.
Offensively, UMass returns six of its top seven offensive players with both forwards Bryan Hogan and Mark DeSantis in the lineup.
Along with Mike DeSantis, starting sophomore midfielders Stuart Amick and Ben Arikian, both Soccer America All-Freshman selections, return to the midfield.
In the back, junior Dan Lepone will man the right flank once again after switching to the position last year.
The Minutemen have depth in each position, particularly at forward where senior Prince Ofosu and junior Michael Jejna have had extensive minutes throughout their careers. A talented group of newcomers will push the veteran players throughout the season.
ForwardsUMass returns all four of its primary forwards from
last season in starters Hogan and Mark DeSantis and reserves Ofosu and Jejna. Joining the team this year will be Bryant Craft and Chris Roswess who each add speed
and scoring punch.Hogan was the team’s top scorer with a career high
18 points on eight goals and two assists. Three of his goals were game-winners and he notched a pair of scores against Central Connecticut in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. At 6-2, he is a big target on set pieces, but athletic enough to win one-on-one battles.
Mark DeSantis was the team’s second-leading scorer a year ago with 14 points on four goals and six assists. He tied Arikian for the team lead in helpers. DeSantis is an aggressive forward who can stretch a defense on the counter attack and has good passing ability to find open teammates.
Ofosu and Jejna will play key roles this season just as they did in 2007. Ofosu notched four goals last season and is one of the fastest players on the team making him a threat whenever he touches the field. Jejna is another big target at 6-1 who made his first career goal special as it was the game-winner against Boston University in the NCAA Tournament.
Craft and Roswess enter their collegiate careers with impressive credentials and will add depth and flexibility to the front runners. Craft was an All-Massachusetts player in 2007 and a four-year member of the ODP squad. Roswess was a two-time All-New England pick earning MVP honors in 2007.
MidfieldersMike DeSantis will start in the midfield for the third
consecutive year and is one of the key players on both offense and defense. While he gets the most notice for his offensive play with six career game-winning goals, according to Koch, it is what DeSantis does that is not reflected in box scores that make him so special.
“Mike is not a loud, vocal leader; he doesn’t have to be because players respect him for his play and hustle,” said Koch. “He is all over the field, winning 50/50 balls, and doing the little things that make him a strong player.”
Amick and Arikian both enjoyed strong freshman seasons in the midfield. Arikian, like DeSantis, is an aggressive player who is seemingly all over the field on offense and defense. He had six assists last year and was one of the primary set piece players. Amick, who runs the left flank, scored the most goals of any freshman (5) and was the team’s third leading scorer last season. He earned additional experience following the season by playing in two games with U.S. Under-20 National Team.
Vaccaro will start on the right flank and adds speed to the midfield. He played in 24 games as a freshman and saw significant minutes throughout the Atlantic 10 and NCAA Tournaments.
Adding depth will be sophomore Matt Hess, UNC Greensboro transfer Chris Ethier, freshman Colin Monkiewicz and freshman Jason Villagomez.
DefendersChris Brown anchors the defense and will start his 66th
consecutive match when UMass opens the season at Holy Cross. He is considered one of the top defensive players in the league and region due in part to his athleticism and his experience.
Along with Brown, Dan Lepone returns after his first full season on the back row in 2007. Originally a mid-fielder, Lepone made great strides as a sophomore helping UMass allow just 0.79 goals against for the season.
New to the line this year will be Thomson and Bassett. Thomson has proven a versatile player in his time at UMass playing both forward and on defense. The 6-1
2008 Season OUTLOOK
2008 MEN’S SOCCER
Zack Simmons was named to the 2008 College Soccer News All-America Team.
11 2007 Atlantic 10 Champs • 2007 NCAA Semifinalists
Season P
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Wjunior has played in 30 matches during his career and his play will be integral to UMass’ success defensively. Bassett is transitioning to the right full back position after playing central and right midfield for the previous three seasons. A talented player who has strong footwork and vision, Bassett’s ability to control flanking players will also be a key to UMass’ success.
Koch has several reserve defensive players who will fight for playing time in 2008. Redshirt freshmen Billy Collins and Sam DeNormandie each earned valuable experience last season on the practice squad and at 6-1 and 6-2, respectively, add size to the back row.
Freshmen Chris Gilbert, Andrew Henshaw and David Key each had outstanding prep careers and played well in preseason camp.
GoalkeeperAt the conclusion of the 2008 season, Zack Simmons
could very well put every UMass goalkeeping record out of reach for a very long time. Already the school record holder for career wins, career shutouts, and career saves, Simmons will etch himself into the program record book as the best player at the position in 76 years of UMass soccer if he turns in a season similar to his last two. With 19 shutouts in the last two years, 25 wins, and a 0.86 goals against average, the three-year starter is the back bone of the UMass defense.
Backing up the All-American candidate will be sophomore Shane Curran-Hays and sophomore Chris Piekos. Curran-Hays backed up Simmons last year and is very capable with good size and athleticism. Piekos joins the Minutemen after a four-year stint with the Marine Special Forces Recon. He played soccer collegiately at Rivier College in 2002 before going into service.
ScheduleUMass opens the season at Holy Cross on Aug. 29 at
Boston University on Aug. 31. The home opener at Rudd Field, where UMass went 9-1 in 2007, will be on Sept. 6 against Siena.
The Minutemen will only have seven home games this season, but four of those will be among the final six regular-season games. That could be pivotal given the Minutemen’s home field record if it is again a tight race for the Atlantic 10 Tournament.
Following the Siena game, UMass will head to Norfolk, Va., for the Old Dominion STIHL Classic where the Minutemen will face ODU and William & Mary.
After traveling to regional rival New Hampshire, the Maroon & White will host the UMass Classic where they will face Hartford and Vermont.
UMass kicks off October with defending national champion and preseason No. 1 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Atlantic 10 play kicks off with a three-game road stretch that will not be easy: at Rhode Island, at St. Bonaventure, at Duquesne.
On Oct. 24 and Oct. 26 the Minutemen will host Richmond and George Washington for their first home A-10 matches.
A brief trip to La Salle and Fordham will bring UMass into the final weekend of play where the Minutemen will host A-10 preseason favorite Saint Louis and Charlotte to close out the regular season.
The top six teams in the league standings will qualify for the A-10 Conference Championship Tournament which is held this year at Duquesne. The winner of the A-10 Tournament receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
How To Say ItStuart AMICK A-mickBen ARIKIAN uh-RICK-e-anSam DeNORMANDIE deh-nor-MAN-deeChris ETHIER eeth-EE-urMichael JEJNA YAY-naSam KOCH COKEDaniel LEPONE LEH-poneColin MONKIEWICZ MONK-ee-witzPrince OFOSU oh-FOE-sooChris PIEKOS pee-KOHZChris ROSWESS ross-WESChris VACCARO vuh-CARE-ohJason VILLAGOMEZ vill-uh-GO-mezZack SIMMONS SIM-mons
By PositionForwards (6): Craft, Mark DeSantis, Hogan, Jejna,
Ofosu, Roswess Midfielders (8): Amick, Arikian, Mike DeSantis, Ethier,
Hess, Monkiewicz, Vaccaro, VillagomezDefenders (10): Bassett, Brown, Collins, DeNormandie,
Ethier, Gilbert, Henshaw, Key, Lepone, ThomsonGoalkeeper (3): Curran-Hays, Piekos, Simmons
By ClassFreshmen (7): Craft, Gilbert, Henshaw, Key,
Monkiewicz, Roswess, Villagomez Sophomores (9): Amick, Arikian, Collins, Curran-Hays,
DeNormandie, Ethier, Hess, Piekos, VaccaroJuniors (5): Mark DeSantis, Hogan, Jejna, Lepone,
ThomsonSeniors (5): Bassett, Brown (RS), Mike DeSantis, Ofosu,
Simmons (RS)
By StateArizona (2): Brown, JejnaCalifornia (2): Bassett; ThomsonColorado (1): KeyConnecticut (1): VillagomezIndiana (1): AmickMassachusetts (10): Craft, DeNormandie, Mark
DeSantis, Mike DeSantis, Ethier, Gilbert, Henshaw, Monkiewicz, Ofosu, Roswess
New Hampshire (1): SimmonsNew Jersey (2): Collins, VaccaroNew York (1): ArikianPennsylvania (5): Curran-Hays, Hess, Hogan, Lepone,
Piekos
BirthdaysJanuary: Koch (3), DeNormandie (9), Arikian (13)February: Villagomez (4), Bassett (26), Mark DeSantis (27)April: Piekos (20), Amick (24)May: Curran-Hays (26), Ethier (28)June: Monkiewicz (1), Craft (4)July: Hess (31)August: Thomson (6), Roswess (29)September: Key (21), Collins (24)October: Ofosu (11), Lepone (12), Simmons (12)November: Hogan (1), Henshaw (9), Mike DeSantis (30)December: Vaccaro (10), Gilbert (11), Jejna (18),
Brown (21)Bold denotes game on birthday
2008 UMASS MEN’S SOCCER
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Mark DeSantis is one of the top
returning scorersin 2008.
2008 ROSTERNUMERICAL ROSTER# Name Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Previous School1 Zack Simmons R-Sr. GK 6-2 185 Durham, N.H./Oyster River HS2 Dan Lepone Jr. D 5-6 145 Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest HS3 Mike DeSantis Sr. M 5-11 165 Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham HS4 Ben Arikian So. M 5-7 150 West Islip, N.Y./West Islip HS/Berkshire Prep5 Chris Brown R-Sr. D 6-1 170 Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic HS6 Sam DeNormandie R-Fr. D 6-2 190 Lincoln, Mass./Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS8 Matthew Hess So. M 6-0 170 New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot HS9 Michael Jejna Jr. F 6-1 185 Scottsdale, Ariz./Pinnacle HS10 Prince Ofosu Sr. F 5-9 160 Worcester, Mass./South High Community School11 Bryan Hogan Jr. F 6-2 185 Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township HS12 Bryant Craft Fr. F 5-8 140 Worcester, Mass./Saint Peter-Marian HS13 Chris Ethier R-So. M 6-0 165 Beverly, Mass./Beverly HS/UNC Greensboro14 Chris Roswess Fr. F 5-7 150 West Springfield, Mass./West Springfield HS15 Stuart Thomson Jr. D 6-1 180 Laguna Beach, Calif./Long Beach Polytechnic HS16 Billy Collins R-Fr. D 6-1 186 Union, N.J./Union HS17 Stuart Amick So. M 5-9 155 West Lafayette, Ind./William Henry Harrison HS18 Mark DeSantis Jr. F 5-11 170 Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham HS19 Tony Bassett Sr. D 5-11 170 San Francisco, Calif./Marin Academy20 Jason Villagomez Fr. M 5-8 155 Stamford, Conn./Westhill HS21 David Key Fr. M 5-7 145 Parker, Colo./Chaporral HS22 Shane Curran-Hays So. GK 6-2 175 Camp Hill, Pa./Camp Hill HS23 Chris Vaccaro So. M 5-6 150 Stockton, N.J./Hunterdon Central Reg. HS24 Chris Gilbert Fr. D 6-0 187 Andover, Mass./Brooks School25 Andrew Henshaw Fr. M 6-0 168 Marlborough, Mass./Marlborough HS26 Colin Monkiewicz Fr. M 6-0 160 Montgomery, Mass./Gateway Regional HS30 Chris Piekos So. GK 6-1 220 Sinking Spring, Pa./Wachusett Reg. HS/Rivier College
ALPHABETICAL ROSTER # Name Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Previous School17 Stuart Amick So. M 5-9 155 West Lafayette, Ind./William Henry Harrison HS4 Ben Arikian So. M 5-5 150 West Islip, N.Y./West Islip HS/Berkshire Prep19 Tony Bassett Sr. M 5-11 170 San Francisco, Calif. / Marin Academy5 Chris Brown RS-Sr. D 6-1 170 Tucson, Ariz. / Salpointe Catholic HS16 Billy Collins So. D 6-1 186 Union, N.J./Union HS12 Bryant Craft Fr. F 5-8 140 Worcester, Mass./Saint Peter-Marian HS22 Shane Curran-Hays So. GK 6-2 175 Camp Hill, Pa./Camp Hill HS6 Sam DeNormandie R-Fr. D 6-2 190 Lincoln, Mass./Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS18 Mark DeSantis Jr. F 5-11 170 Stoneham, Mass./Stoneham HS3 Mike DeSantis Sr. F 5-11 165 Stoneham, Mass. / Stoneham HS13 Chris Ethier R-So. M 6-0 165 Beverly, Mass./Beverly HS/UNC Greensboro24 Chris Gilbert Fr. D 6-0 187 Andover, Mass./Brooks School25 Andrew Henshaw Fr. M 6-0 168 Marlborough, Mass./Marlborough HS8 Matt Hess So. M 6-0 170 New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot HS11 Bryan Hogan Jr. F 6-2 185 Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township HS9 Michael Jejna Jr. F 6-1 185 Scottsdale, Ariz./Pinnacle HS21 David Key Fr. M 5-7 145 Parker, Colo./Chaporral HS2 Daniel Lepone Jr. M 5-6 145 Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest HS26 Colin Monkiewicz Fr. M 6-0 160 Montgomery, Mass./Gateway Regional HS10 Prince Ofosu Sr. M 5-9 160 Worcester, Mass./South High Community School30 Chris Piekos So. GK 6-1 220 Sinking Spring, Pa./Wachusett Reg. HS/Rivier College14 Chris Roswess Fr. F 5-7 150 West Springfield, Mass./West Springfield HS1 Zack Simmons RS-Sr. GK 6-2 185 Durham, N.H. / Oyster River HS15 Stuart Thomson Jr. D 6-1 180 Laguna Beach, Calif./Long Beach Polytechnic HS23 Chris Vaccaro So. M 5-6 150 Stockton, N.J./Hunterdon Central Reg. HS20 Jason Villagomez Fr. M 5-8 155 Stamford, Conn./Westhill HS
Head Coach: Sam Koch (Colby ‘79 / 18th year at UMass, 24th year overall), 245-177-45 overall recordAssistant Coach: Roy Fink (Univ. of Tampa ‘03 / 1st year at UMass)Volunteer Asst. Coaches: Christian Pulver (xxx ‘xx), Walker Boyd (xxx ‘xx)
