Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Soccer Opens 2009 Season Tonight at Home vs. La Salle
9/1/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 1, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Bucknell men's soccer team has high hopes in 2009, and Tuesday night at Emmitt Field Bison fans can get their first look at this new-look squad that features both returning all-stars and a bevy of freshman talent. The Bison open their campaign with a home game against La Salle at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and the team will be welcoming members of the North Union United soccer club throughout the evening.
Brendan Nash's squad is coming off a successful scrimmage against Susuehanna in the rain on Friday night, and now they are set to host a La Salle team that finished 2-14-3 a year ago. One of those ties came against Bucknell, however, in a mid-season, mid-week game in Philadelphia.
Bucknell is 4-2-3 all-time against the Explorers. The first meeting came in the 1974 East Coast Conference championship game, when the Bison won 2-1 to claim the title. Three days later they beat Penn State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. La Salle's wins over Bucknell came in 1982 and 2004. The Bison are 1-0-3 against the Explorers since 2005.
In the Patriot League preseason poll, Bucknell was picked fifth in a tightly bunched field. Colgate was named the preseason favorite with 95 points and 12 first-place votes. American received the other four first-place nods and was picked second with 86 points. Lafayette (60), Holy Cross (58), Bucknell (57) and Lehigh (49) were separated by a mere 11 points for the third through sixth spots, while Navy (26) and Army (17) rounded out the poll.
Below is a more in-depth season outlook:
Much of the discussion surrounding the Bucknell men's soccer team this past offseason was focused on Brendan Nash's heralded recruiting class. And with good reason, as this year's batch of newcomers was ranked 30th nationally by College Soccer News, and two members of that class — Jermaine Jarrett and Josh Plump — were listed among the top 100 freshman prospects in Division I. But while a number of those rookies are expected to play significant roles in 2009, it is the presence of a host of well-established veterans that has Nash so enthusiastic heading into the season.
The Bison return 19 lettermen from last year's 8-8-3 squad that fell one win shy of a Patriot League Tournament berth. Headlining that list are senior co-captains Conor O'Brien and Patrick Selwood, who not only rank among the Patriot League's best at their respective positions, but who have also drawn kudos from the coaching staff for their leadership in successfully indoctrinating the large freshman class. Mix in another all-conference-caliber defender in Ross Liberati, a rapidly emerging sophomore midfielder in Luke Joyner, two versatile veterans in Sean King and Tommy McCabe, and two experienced keepers in Tommy Caso and Will Byrne, and the ingredients for strong leadership are in place.
“We are so excited about this year,” Nash proclaimed during preseason training in August. “Our returning group had a great spring, and last year's freshmen have really grown up. We have some very good younger players to go with great leadership, and our team chemistry has been outstanding.”
Nash also noted that with all but four positions open for full competition, preseason camp has been as spirited and competitive as any during his 11-year tenure as head coach. Heading into the new year there are still some unknowns personnel-wise, but Nash knows exactly the style this group must play in order to be successful.
“I think last year we may have lost sight of what made us so successful in the past,” said Nash. “We have to grind it out, play like underdogs and rally together. We have to get back to our high defensive standards, be tough to score on and not press so much about who is going to score for us. That adds up to a pretty vanilla style, but we want to be that way. With so much parity in the Patriot League, we have to be prepared to play either 90 or 110 minutes in each one of those seven games. One mistake can lead to one goal, which all of the sudden can put you in fifth place.”
The most decorated returnee is O'Brien, the crafty center midfielder who has been named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List for the second straight campaign. O'Brien followed up a 19-point 2007 season with 22 points on seven goals and eight assists last year. He led the Patriot League in points and assists and ranked No. 3 in the league in goals en route to Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honors. He later earned second-team all-region honors, and this summer he had a very successful year playing with the Premier Development League's Cary Clarets, leading that team to the national semifinals while producing two goals and three assists in 15 matches.
“Conor knows that he is the leader of this team, and he is very comfortable in that role,” said Nash. “He has a target on his back everywhere we go, but he really relishes that challenge. The bigger the game, the better he plays. I know he would like one more shot at a Patriot League championship, and his teammates are really committed to helping him get there.”
If O'Brien is seen as the leader of the team, then Selwood is certainly the skipper of the defense. Intense and vocal in the back, Selwood earned All-Patriot League honors for the first time last season. He was also the MVP of the Days Inn Classic and an All-Tournament pick at the Penn State Classic, a pair of tournaments won by the Bison in back-to-back weekends.
“Pat was injured in the spring but he is fit and ready to go,” said Nash. “There is no question that he is the leader of our defense, and as intense and committed as he is, I would not be surprised if he ends up in consideration for Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year.”
Selwood should have plenty of help on the back line. His most experienced sidekick is Liberati, a junior who has been a regular for two seasons already. Liberati was the MVP of the Penn State tournament last fall, when Bucknell allowed just one goal in a win over the host Nittany Lions and a tie with No. 10 Ohio State. At 6'3” he is one of the Patriot League's best in the air — all five career goals are on headers — and is a dangerous player on any set piece or corner kick. Depending on the development of some of the freshmen defenders, Nash said Liberati could move up to center midfield if needed.
King, a senior, and McCabe, a junior, have both played multiple positions during their Bucknell careers, and this year the coaching staff would like to find both a stable home. King is a very solid player who has played both back and midfield, but Nash feels he would be even better with one established role. The same goes for McCabe, who has a big left foot and can play either left back or left midfield. McCabe had a two-goal game against NJIT late last season after moving up to midfield.
Sophomore Nader Sawtarie can also play both midfield and defense. Sawtarie was having a very productive rookie year until going down with a foot injury midway through the season. Once he is back to 100 percent physically, he will be in a primary role as well.
That promising recruiting class features a handful of first-year players capable of lending strong defensive support. Jermaine Jarrett, who came up through the Jamaican National Team system, will likely have the most immediate impact. Fast, tough and strong in the air, Nash feels Jarrett has the potential to become a special player. Big center back Collin Costello and tough-nosed New Jersey native Vinny Cinotti are also battling for time on defense.
Behind the defense, Bucknell carries three goalkeepers on the roster, including two with game experience. Caso started 12 games as a rookie last year and made 51 saves while allowing 17 goals. He went 5-4-3 in those 12 starts and posted shutouts against Penn State, Cornell and Army. He came back for year No. 2 brimming with confidence after leading his club team, the powerful Casa Mia Bays of Baltimore, to a national championship over the summer. Byrne started the other seven matches — the first seven of his career — and went 3-4 with 30 saves and 12 goals against. Sophomore Marc Hartmann did not make a game appearance last year but is also in the mix.
“In the preseason we have had an open competition among the three keepers, and each guy brings something different to the table,” said Nash. “Tommy Caso played like a freshman last season because everything was so new to him, but he has had a very productive offseason highlighted by winning a national championship this summer. Tommy and Marc Hartmann both got significant minutes in the spring and both have matured considerably as goalkeepers.”
When it comes to scoring goals, the Bison do return their top 2008 scorer in O'Brien, but they must replace another 21 goals and 52 points after graduating Chris Hennings (7-4-18), Mark Schmiegel (5-2-12), Anthony Ferraro (5-2-12) and Alex Russo (4-2-10).
One player Nash is counting on for increased scoring production is sophomore midfielder Luke Joyner, an imposing presence in the middle at 6'5.” Joyner logged two goals and four assists last season and was in on scoring chances seemingly every game.
“Luke had the best spring season on the team,” lauded Nash. “He really showed his upside and solidified his spot at center midfield for us. He is someone that the opposition must be aware of at all times.”
Also keep an eye on another sophomore midfielder in Ryan Sappington, who is vying for one of the outside positions. Sappington also had a very good spring and summer, and his understanding of the game has risen significantly since last season. Senior Alex Meisel, juniors Eric Ferson and Travis Rand and sophomore Andrew Powell are also looking to make a mark in the midfield.
Left midfielder CK Kumah and forwards Brendan Burgdorf and Josh Plump have the potential to be impact offensive players as freshmen. Kumah, the Accra, Ghana native, will bring a new dynamic to the left midfield position vacated by the graduation of the hard-working Schmiegel. An active, athletic talent, Kumah has quickly proven to be a gifted all-around player.
Burgdorf, a first-team all-state player from New Jersey, has great speed and a feel for the game, and Nash predicts he will be a handful to defend. Plump, the New Jersey Player of the Year and an ESPN RISE Honorable Mention All-American, could already be one of the fastest players in the Patriot League, according to Nash, and he has star potential once he gets used to the offensive system. Burgdorf and Plump were teammates on the Match Fit Chelsea U18 Academy Team.
Freshman Phil Parsons, a native of Bermuda and a member of that country's national team, is a hard-working center midfielder who will benefit from a year playing behind O'Brien. Fleet-footed Michael Alpogianis will compete for playing time at forward. Two more freshmen, Charlie Pirc and Ryan Foreman, a teammate of Alpogianis at New Trier High outside Chicago, are capable of playing forward, midfield or back, and the coaches are trying to identify where they fit best.
Bucknell scored 34 goals in 19 games and extended a school-record scoring streak to 28 games last season, but at times the Bison struggled in their own end and yielded 29 goals of their own. The result was four one-goal losses — two coming in overtime — in Patriot League play. Nash says missing the postseason could serve as extra motivation for the veterans coming back in 2009.
“In 2005 we missed the playoffs on the final day of the season, then came back the next year and won the championship,” recalled Nash. “In that case the disappointment carried into the offseason, and we worked so much harder the next year. I can sense the same spirit in this team. We have set the bar, now we need to push ourselves so much harder to go above the bar.”
