WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Unless you win the NCAA championship the team goal from one year to the next is to improve. Returning to the NCAA Tournament in 2009, after a rare miss in 2008, Mike Russo's Ephs posted a record of 16-3-1/ 6-2-1 NESCAC. The 2009 Ephs won the NESCAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, where the season ended in the national semifinals with a 2-1 loss to Messiah.
The Ephs will be looking to go further this
fall, but it will not be easy as the NESCAC is the strongest
conference in Division III and the non-conference schedule for the
Ephs is demanding. Three years in a row a NESCAC team has advanced
to the Final Four.
"Four NESCAC teams made the NCAA tournament last fall which is
indicative of the strength of the league," notes Russo. "In
addition to those four teams, Trinity has become a force in NESCAC
and Bates, Colby, Connecticut College, and Tufts (a new coach) all
will be vastly improved. Outside of the league, Wheaton and Babson
will be legitimate contenders for the number one spot in the
region."
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| Colin Ainsworth '11 |
Last fall after winning the NESCAC title the
Ephs were on the road for all of their games in the NCAA
Tournament. At RPI in the first and second rounds the Ephs defeated
Husson 3-0 and then tipped RPI 1-0 to move on to sectional play at
York (PA) College.
The Ephs edged host York 7-6 in the PK Shootout after playing to a
1-1 tie, and then won another shootout the next day over
Christopher Newport. After another 1-1 tie the Ephs downed
Christopher Newport 4-1 in the shootout to advance to San Antonio.
The Ephs scored 14 goals in post-season play and allowed just four
in eight games, while out scoring regular season foes 37-12. The 51
teams goals was a NESCAC best and gave the Ephs an average of 2.32
goals a game. Williams fired off 21 shots a game and 460 on the
year. The Ephs also registered an impressive 45 assists (.882 of
all goals) on the year and led NESCAC with 147 points.
Russo lost six players to graduation including the 2009 NESCAC
Player of the Year and All-American Conor Smith, a back. All-NESCAC
and second leading goal scorer, F Pierre Meloty-Kapella (8g, 3a),
MF Will Whiston (6g, 3a), and starting keeper Andrew Graham.
Fighting to take over the spot vacated by Graham in the net will be seniors Jeff Lauer, Andrew Lyons-Berg, sophomore Than Finan and first year candidate Peter Morrell (Brunswick, ME). Andrew Graham was second in goals against average in NESCAC in 2009 at 0.67.
Of the returning keepers Lyons-Berg played the most minutes (272:33), recorded four saves and compiled a goals against average of 0.67. He was 1-0-1 on the year. Next in minutes played was Finan with 268:36 and he stopped four of seven shots for a .571 save percentage and recorded a goals against average of 1.01. Finan was the Ephs PK shootout specialist goalie last fall and was key in the sectional play in helping the Ephs advance to the national semifinals with stellar play in both of the pressure filled situations. Lauer notched 50:34 in goal last fall, made two saves, and did not allow a goal.
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| Joe Vella '11 |
Senior co-captain Joe Vella (2g, 2a), a Second Team All-NESCAC and Second Team NSCAA All-New England West honoree in 2009, will anchor the Eph backline along with starting wide backs Phil Vestergaard a junior and sophomore Matt Ratajczak (2g, 1a). Competition for the fourth spot will be keen with a trio of sophomores battling -- Joe Haddad, Andrew Trainor and Doug Weinrib, who missed all of last season due to injury. Trainor appeared in seven games last fall, while Haddad played in two. This summer Trainor's club team FC Delco finished second nationally. The backline will be very strong in the air and tough to penetrate on the ground. "This year's back four will also be expected to get forward in the attack with more frequency than last year," says Russo.
There is plenty of experienced depth in the Ephs central midfield with seniors Colin Ainsworth (3a) and Alex Johnson (1g), juniors Angus Kennedy (1a) and Nick Pugliese (2g, 3a), and sophomore Peter Christman all vying for time. All of the returnees logged many quality minutes on the field last year and Ainsworth was one of the Eph standouts in San Antonio, contributing perhaps his most complete game to date.
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| Phil Vestergaard '12 |
The flank midfielders feature seniors Gordon Atkins and
Kiel
Bonhomme, and sophomore Caleb
Hoffman-Johnson. "This year's cast of midfielders will be
expected to play well on the defensive side of the ball, but also
they will be asked to get forward to support the front players and
to score more goals than last year's midfield contingent," says
Russo.
Up front Russo will pair the top two point producers in NESCAC in
2009 in seniors Gaston Kelly and
Charlie Romero. Co-captain Gaston Kelly who moved from the
frontline to midfield last season and recorded a NESCAC and
team-best assist total of 15, while netting six goals (27 points)
is returning to the frontline to join the explosive Charlie Romero.
Kelly earned Second Team honors from both NESCAC and the NSCAA.
Romero posted a breakout season in 2009 with a conference-leading
12 goals to go along with 6 assists, making him the top point
producer on the squad and in NESCAC with 30. Eight of Romero's 12
goals were game-winners. Romero earned First Team NESCAC honors and
joined Vella and Kelly on the NSCAA New England West Second
Team.
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| Nick Pugliese '12 |
Russo will be counting on Kelly and Romero to create havoc for opposing defenses. Junior Dan Morrisroe (1g, 1a) and dynamic sophomore Patrick Ebobisse (1g, 2a) will also be used up front. Ebobisse showed continued improvement all last season and with his speed and outstanding 1 V 1 skills he pressured the Messiah defense and caused a host of problems. "Kelly and Romero have played together for four years and their skill, pace, and tactical understanding will make them a formidable pairing for opposing defenses to shut down."
Promising newcomers include Dan Lima
(Naugatuck, CT) who is a big, fast target striker, User
Kushaina (Mutare, Zimbabwe), a wide player, along with central
midfield candidates Noah Cadet
(Saratoga Springs, NY) and Tucker Dayton (San Francisco, CA).
Entering his 31st year directing the Ephs, Russo (378-94-49,
.773/359-80-47, .787 vs. Div. III) always builds his teams from the
back forward and again this year the Ephs will be solid,
experienced, and deep in the back third of the field. With depth
and experience throughout the midfield and two proven scorers and
an emerging force up front this Eph team has all the makings of a
powerful squad.
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| Gaston Kelly '11 |
"The Williams booters biggest strength will be a
strong central axis as there is much experience through the middle
of the field," offers Russo. "Also, depth will again be a positive
as there will be much competition for the starting positions. As
always a major concern is not losing key players to injury."
The Ephs will open preseason training on September 1st in
preparation for their season-opener and first NESCAC encounter on
September 11th at Wesleyan. Wesleyan hosted the NESCAC Tournament
last fall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament and will provide a
stern test from the start.
|
| Charlie Romero '11 |
