2008 Men's Soccer Season Outlook; home games on TEAMLINE
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — Mike Russo is looking to his players to raise their game.
Preparing for his 30th season, Russo knows he has a talented group back, but just how talented remains to be seen. The veteran coach is hoping to bring the best out of them this year.
“How we will do this year depends on several players at key positions really raising their game and becoming dominant at those positions,” Russo said. “We’ll need to focus on every single NESCAC game and take each opponent seriously.”
Russo (355-86-44, .777) has a number of returning starters back from a team, which finished 12-5-2 one year ago and advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Eight seniors dot the roster, including senior tri-captain Sam Empson, a Second Team All-NESCAC selection.
Empson will be one of the players at the heart of Russo’s belief that some players will need to raise their level of play, if only because he was one of the leading goal scorers of the ’07 season with four tallies.
The Ephs averaged just 1.65 goals per game last year, something that will have to be improved upon if they plan on navigating their difficult schedule. Empson and fellow tri-captain Daniel Curbelo-Zeidman (2 goals, 2 assists) will anchor the midfield for Williams and will be joined by a host of candidates that include junior Alex Johnson, junior Ben MacKinnon, senior Peter Gordon, senior Alex Kramer and a transfer from UC-Santa Cruz, junior Colin Ainsworth. Senior Will Whiston will also vie for time as an outside midfielder.
“Sam (Empson) and Daniel (Curbelo-Zeidman) are two very skilled players who both have great vision,” Russo said. “I think they should work well together. I like our depth, but these players are all of similar skill so we really do need a few of them to raise their level.”
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Up front, Russo is watching senior Sam Denton-Schneider, senior Pierre Meloty-Kappella, junior Peter Houston and sophomores Gaston Kelly and Charlie Romero.
“I want to make sure we’re able to get some scoring out of this group,” Russo said. “I think all of them have potential to have very good years, but I think we will have a lot of goal scorers on this team and not just one dominant player.”
The Ephs’ leading goal scorer from last season was Conor Smith with five. Now a junior captain, Smith and his 6-foot, 4-inch frame will help anchor the Ephs backline along with senior Chris Gocksch and senior Brian Dolezal. Russo is hopeful he can keep Smith in the back, instead of bringing him forward on restarts and late in games in which the Ephs trail.
Other candidates for playing time in the back include senior Jay Ingram, sophomores Gordon Atkins and Joe Vella and first years Phil Vestaguard and Angus Kennedy.
In goal, junior Andrew Graham returns after posting a 1.11 goals against average last season and a .764 save percentage in 19 games. He will be pushed by sophomores Jeffrey Laurer and Andrew Lyons-Berg.
“We’re going to go with a clean slate and have an open competition,” Russo said.
The goal, as is it is every year, says Russo, is to “do as well as we can. We have a good nucleus. Mentality is always very important and we lost, in last year’s senior class, some very good leaders. I’m hoping this group of seniors will be able to provide the same type of leadership on and off the field.”
Williams will open its season Saturday, September 6 at home with Castleton State. Game time is 1:30 p.m.
Home Games on TEAMLINE
The Williams men's home soccer games during the 2008 season will
air on TEAMLINE again this season.
TEAMLINE is a pay to listen service. You can listen over your
telephone or over the Internet.
To listen on the Internet go to TEAMLINE.
The Eph access code is: 0126.
To listen on your telephone dial 1-800-846-4700 and follow the
prompts. Eph access code is 0126.
Schedule
9/6 – Castleton State – 1:30 PM
9/20 -- Bowdoin – 11:00 AM
9/21 – Wheaton – 1:30 PM
10/4 – Trinity – 12:00 PM
10/5 – Babson – 1:30 PM
10/11 – Wesleyan – 1:30 PM
10/31 – Middlebury – 2:30 PM
