St. John's University Athletics
Previewing The 2009 St. John's Men's Soccer Team
8/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
QUEENS, N.Y. - After a run to the NCAA College Cup a season ago, the St. John's men's soccer team enters the 2009 campaign with high expectations. The Red Storm was 19-3-3 in 2008 and led the nation with 16 shutouts. With returning players accounting for 94.9 percent (37-of-39) of the goals scored last year and the return of the entire defensive line, the Red Storm is the preseason favorite to win the BIG EAST Red Division and has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the preseason polls.
"As is the case every year, our expectations are to maximize our talent and improve as a team by making sure that each player strives to fulfill their potential," said head coach Dr. Dave Masur. "We certainly hope to build on the success of our 2008 campaign."
Forwards
A core of talented and experienced attacking options should help the 2009 squad match the offensive firepower of a season ago. Juniors Adam Himeno and Sverre Wegge Gundhus will look to lead the attack, while senior Jara Habib, and sophomores Walter Hines and Cristian Gonzalez round out a skilled front line.
Himeno tallied three goals, two game-winners, in the first six games of 2008 before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Himeno has nine career goals and has a flair for the dramatic, having totaled six game-winners. Wegge Gundhus, meanwhile, stepped onto the scene and finished with four goals and five assists, including three goals in NCAA Tournament play.
Hines utilized his speed to provide a spark off the bench and finished a productive freshman campaign with one goal and five assists, while Gonzalez had two goals, both game-winners, and made nine starts. The veteran Habib will look to recapture the production of his sophomore season.
Sophomore Joakim Helland has a year of experience and showed potential in limited playing time a year ago, while Omar Edwards and Marc Godelman, a pair of talented newcomers, will look to make an immediate impact.
"We have some exciting new faces up front that should complement our strong veterans very nicely," said Masur.
Midfield
Led by senior Nelson Becerra, the reigning BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year and a NSCAA All-Region selection, a deep and talented midfield should be the strength of the 2009 squad. Becerra led the team in goals (8), assists (7), points (23) and game-winning goals (5) a year ago and enters 2009 as a Preseason All-BIG EAST selection.
A NSCAA All-Region selection and an All-BIG EAST honorable mention, Tadeu Terra scored three goals, including one game-winner, and tallied three assists. Trevor Chiduku was an All-BIG EAST third team selection after a breakout sophomore campaign in which he tallied seven goals and an assist.
Junior Ale Ivo appeared in every game and had a pair of game-winning goals to go with two assists, while sophomore Pablo Punyed saw action in 22 games a year ago. Junior Kyle Hoffer appeared in 10 games in his first season with the Red Storm.
A junior transfer from Clemson, John Tardy adds experience to the midfield, while redshirt freshmen Matt Bienkowski and Josh Faga as well as freshmen Adrian L'Esperance, Nick Matthews and Jimmy Mulligan add plenty of depth.
"The midfield is a very experienced group," Masur stated. "We have both talent and depth at this very important position."
Defense
A perennial strength of the Red Storm, the defensive unit looks to be strong once again this year. Senior Joel Gustafsson, the reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and a 2008 NSCAA All-American will anchor a defensive unit that posted a nation-leading and school-record 16 shutouts. Seniors Ben Clack and David Reed each started all 25 games, while sophomore Connor Lade made 24 starts in an impressive freshman campaign.
Gustafsson, the BIG Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST Preseason Team, tallied a career-high three goals and added an assist to notch a career-high seven points in 2008. The defender has also been named to the 2009 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Watch List.
Clack led the team in minutes played (2,269), while Reed (2,267) and Lade (2,126) were second and third, respectively. Clack tallied one goal on the season and Lade totaled three assists.
Sophomore Bjorn de Hoop tallied two goals in 14 appearances and is a defender that can find the back of the net, while freshman Troy Hall will add depth at the position.
"The back line features an experienced core of returning players," Masur added. "With the leadership of three seniors on the defensive unit, I expect a focused group that plays with intensity."
Goalkeepers
Goalkeeping was once again a strength for St. John's in 2008 as the squad led the nation and set a new-school record with 16 shutouts.
With the graduation of Neal Kitson, a third round selection in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, the position is up for grabs, however. Redshirt senior Derby Carrillo figures to get the starting nod, but will face competition from solid freshmen Nunzio Belfiore, Rafael Diaz and Alex Naples.
Kitson had one of the best seasons in St. John's history in 2008, posting a 19-3-2 record to go along with a 0.48 goals against average and a .888 save percentage. A first team Soccer America MVP, Kitson set a new individual school-record with 15 shutouts on the year and had the second-best goals against average in school history.
A transfer from Division II powerhouse Cal State Dominguez Hills, Carrillo posted a 0.75 goals against average in two appearances, including one start, in his first season with St. John's. The keeper made three stops in a 1-1 draw against then-No. 2 Boston College in his debut and played the final 10:23 against Villanova to combine on a 3-0 shutout.
Belfiore, a redshirt freshman, returns having gained valuable experience learning from Kitson, Carrillo and the coaching staff. A highly-decorated keeper, Diaz earned NSCAA New Jersey Player of the Year honors as a senior and was also a two-time NSCAA High School All-American. Naples, meanwhile, was an all-state selection and helped St. Anthony's win state and league championships as a senior.
"There should be some great competition for the spot in goal," Masur added. "With four talented keepers, I expect a battle as each works hard to improve themselves and each other."
Schedule
The 2009 schedule once again figures to be on of the toughest in the country. St. John's will play six teams that participated in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, including three of the top 12 national seeds. Three of the squad's first four games, in fact, are on the road against tournament teams from a year ago.
"We have a very challenging schedule this season," said Masur. "The BIG EAST is one of the toughest leagues in the country and we have assembled a difficult schedule of non-conference games to complement the conference slate."
The Red Storm will open with a pair of games in Bloomington, Ind., as part of the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic. St. John's will open play against Indiana, the tournament hosts and seven-time National Champions, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4. The season-opener will mark the first time that the teams have played since Dec. 6, when the Red Storm defeated the Hoosiers, 3-2, to advance to the College Cup. The Red Storm will conclude play in the classic with a matchup against BIG EAST foe Notre Dame at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6.
St. John's opens play at Belson Stadium with an 8 p.m. game on Friday, Sept. 11 with the first-ever meeting against local squad Stony Brook. After traveling to Boston on Sunday, Sept. 13 to play Boston University, the Red Storm returns to Queens to open BIG EAST play.
The conference schedule opens at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18 as the Red Storm hosts Georgetown. St. John's remains home and welcomes Seton Hall for a 7:30 p.m. game on Sunday, Sept. 20.
The Red Storm takes to the road for the next three contests; all conference matches. After a 7 p.m. tilt against Connecticut on Friday, Sept. 25, St. John's heads to Providence for a 3 p.m. game on Sunday, Sept. 27. After five days off, the Red Storm will travel to Villanova for a noon game on Saturday, Oct. 3.
After hosting Rutgers at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday Oct. 7, St. John's heads to Florida to face USF, the 2008 BIG EAST Tournament Champions, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. The Red Storm then travels to New Jersey for a 6 p.m. non-conference match against Princeton on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
The Red Storm next welcomes Louisville for a 7:30 p.m. matchup on Saturday, Oct. 17 before hosting Brown at Belson Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. game on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
A 7 p.m. game at Cincinnati on Saturday, Oct. 24 is next on the schedule before the squad travels to Syracuse for a 7 p.m. match on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
St. John's closes regular season play at home against DePaul at 7:30 p.m. on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31.
