Previewing The 2010 Men's Soccer Team

8/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Aug. 31, 2010

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2010 Schedule
2010 Roster
Recruiting Class Ranked No. 12 By College Soccer News
St. John's Selected To Win BIG EAST Red Division Title

QUEENS, N.Y. - A season after winning a conference-record eighth BIG EAST Tournament crown and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the 17th time, the St. John's men's soccer team enters the 2010 campaign with high expectations.

The squad returns 11 letterwinners and six starters from a 2009 squad that went 9-3-9 and outscored its opponents 25-11. The returning players, which accounted for 80.0 percent (20-of-25) of the goals scored a year ago, are joined by an impressive 15-member recruiting class that was ranked No. 12 in the country by College Soccer News. Ranked No. 17 and No. 15, respectively, in the NSCAA and Soccer America preseason polls, St. John's was selected to win the Red Division according to the annual BIG EAST preseason poll.

"We have a tough schedule and we know that each game will be a battle," said head coach Dr. Dave Masur. "Our players know the expectations we have for them and they have been working hard preparing for the season. I expect our veterans to lead what is a talented group of newcomers and I expect us to continue to improve as a team."

Forwards
A talented unit of forwards should provide the squad with plenty of offensive firepower. Redshirt senior Adam Himeno (3g, 1a) and junior Walter Hines (2g, 2a) lead the group.

Himeno had another productive year in 2009, despite missing the latter half of the season with an injurytand has a flair for the dramatic with seven game-winning goals in his career. Hines, meanwhile, was named the BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player, made a career-high 19 starts and had a pair of game-winning goals

Omar Edwards, who gained valuable experience in 11 appearances as a rookie, is joined up front by a trio of newcomers. Junior Bruce Ayala, a transfer from Nassau C.C., tallied 12 goals and 14 assists in two seasons with the Lions and earned first team NJCAA All-America honors in 2008. Freshman Dom Sarle earned All-America honors from both the NSCAA and Parade and has played with both the U-20 and U-17 U.S. National squads, while sophomore Andres Vargas is a speedy forward that comes to Queens from the Universidad Santa Maria in Venezuela.

"We have a lot of options up front," said Masur. "We have a talented group of newcomers that should complement our veterans quite well."

Midfield
Perhaps the deepest position, the midfield is led by a pair of preseason All-BIG EAST selections in redshirt senior Tadeu Terra (5g, 2a) and senior Sverre Wegge Gundhus (5g, 8a).

A two-time All-BIG EAST honoree, including a selection to the second team in 2009, Terra had five goals and two assists a season ago. Wegge Gundhus, who is back in his natural position, had a team-best 18 points and earned first team All-BIG EAST honors and was an All-BIG EAST Tournament Team selection.

Junior Pablo Battuto Punyed (1g, 0a) was one of four players to start in all 21 games, while senior John Tardy (1g, 1a) provided a spark off the bench in his first season with the Red Storm. Redshirt junior Ale Ivo, who tallied two goals and two assists as a sophomore in 2008, returns to the pitch after missing the entire 2009 season with an injury.

With a year of experience in the system, redshirt freshmen Adrian L'Esperance, Nick Matthews and Jimmy Mulligan add more depth and experience.

The midfield also welcomes six talented newcomers, including one transfer and five freshmen. A second team NSCAA Junior College All-American, Ido Ligety totaled six goals and 10 assists in two seasons at Mercer County C.C.

Tyler Arnone was the Nassau County Player of the Year as a senior, while Alex Bramall was the 2009 Gatorade New York Player of the Year and a NSCAA All-American. Danny DiPrima was the Mid-Penn Colonial Division Most Valuable Player, Daniel Herrera earned NSCAA All-Region honors and Kovi Konowiecki was a 2009 NSCAA Youth All-American as well as an adidas ESP All-Star. Erik Opsahl, meanwhile, won both the Maryland State Cup and the Surf Cup with the Pachuca Internationals club team.

"There is a lot of depth and versatility in our midfield," Masur added. "Our midfielders will be covering a lot of ground to help out up front and solidify the back line as needed."

Defense
A perennial strength of the program, the back line figures to be strong once again with a pair of returning starters to lead the unit.

Senior Kyle Hoffer and junior Connor Lade lead a defense that posted 11 shutouts and allowed just 11 goals a year ago. One of four players to start all 21 games, Lade (1g, 0a) was named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team and led the team in minutes played. Hoffer (2g, 0a) appeared in 18 games and made 17 starts and finished tied for the team lead with two game-winning goals.

A defender that can find the back of the net, junior Bjorn de Hoop is expected to use his size to help fill out the back line and Wegge Gundhus could also see a considerable amount of time in the back.

The defensive unit also boasts new faces that should have an immediate impact. In two seasons with North Carolina, junior Chris Lebo appeared in 30 games, tallied one goal and three assists, and reached the 2008 College Cup.

A quartet of freshmen are also in the mix on the back line. As teammates on the Pachuca Internationals, Matt Harlow and Jamie Thomas won both the Maryland State Cup and Surf Cup. Joey Pinto is a former conference player of the year, while Jordan Rouse is a two-time all-conference selection and a three-time USYS Region III Champion.

"We are looking for our veterans to provide leadership and also communicate effectively in order to control a back line that will have some personnel," said Masur.

Goalkeepers
St. John's will have a new face in between the pipes this season. With the graduation of Derby Carrillo, who posted 11 shutouts and played every minute in 2009, a pair of redshirt freshmen will be vying for the starting spot. After a year of tutelage from Carrillo and the coaching staff, Rafael Diaz and Alex Naples are primed for their collegiate debuts.

A former Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year, Diaz also earned NSCAA New Jersey Player of the Year honors and was a two-time NSCAA All-American. Naples, meanwhile, was an all-state honoree and helped his high school squad win both state and league championships as a senior.

"Both of our keepers have worked extremely hard," stated Masur. "They have learned a lot about the college game and will continue to battle, compete and help each other improve."

Schedule
A 17-game slate features nine home games and six teams that participated in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including the defending NCAA National Champion Virginia Cavaliers.

"We have a very difficult non-conference schedule that begins on the road with a pair of ACC schools in Virginia Tech and Virginia, the defending national champions," said Masur. "We will also play a pair of Ivy League teams on the road and host two teams from both the Northeast Conference and the America East."

The Red Storm will open the regular season with a pair of games in Charlottesville, Va. St. John's will play Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 3 at 2:30 p.m. in the 2010 season-opener before taking on the defending champion Cavaliers at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5.

St. John's then returns home to Belson Stadium and opens a four-game homestand on Friday, Sept. 10 with an 8 p.m. contest against local foe, FDU. Boston University arrives in Queens for an 8 p.m. game on Sunday, Sept. 12.

The Red Storm then hosts Hartford for an 8 p.m. match on Friday, Sept. 17 before concluding the homestand with an 8 p.m. game against LIU.

"Our conference schedule will also be very challenging as the BIG EAST is one of the toughest leagues in the country," Masur added.

The nine-game BIG EAST schedule opens on Saturday, Sept. 25 as St. John's travels to face Notre Dame at noon in a rematch of the 2009 BIG EAST Tournament title game.

St. John's then heads to New Haven, Conn., to face Yale on Sept. 28 in an 8 p.m. contest. The Red Storm remains on the road and travels to Louisville for a BIG EAST Red Division matchup at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2.

After concluding a four-game road trip with a contest at Brown at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5, St. John's returns to Queens for three-straight home games.

St. John's hosts Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9 before Syracuse comes to town for a 7:30 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Oct. 13. Connecticut is next on the schedule as the Red Storm hosts the Huskies in a 7:30 p.m. contest on Saturday, Oct. 16.

The Red Storm returns to the road for the next two games. After a 7 p.m. matchup on Wednesday, Oct. 20 against local BIG EAST-foe Rutgers, St. John's heads to DePaul for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday, Oct. 23.

St. John's returns home to host Villanova at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27 before concluding regular season play with an 8 p.m. home game against USF on Saturday, Oct. 30.

The first round and quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament are slated for Wednesday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 6, respectively. The semifinals and finals, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 12 and Sunday, Nov. 14, will be played in Harrison, N.J. at Red Bull Arena, the brand-new home of the MLS New York Red Bulls.