2008 season preview

August 27, 2008

NORTON, MA- As all 14 recruits from the Class of 2011 return to the Wheaton College men's soccer team this fall, its nine-player freshman contingent looks small in comparison. But with only six upperclassmen filling out a 29-member roster, the continued influx of youth will be integral in helping 15th-year head coach Matt Cushing's team remain prominent on regional and national stages.

"The freshmen will all make a pitch to play somewhere this year," said Cushing, who has a career 214-58-25 record. "They've really made it more competitive and added depth to the program. We start the best 11 players. I don't care if it's 11 freshmen; whoever gives us the best chance to win is who we play."

Wheaton has sustained success as one of 11 teams to qualify for the past five NCAA Tournaments, as the Lyons have captured New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season and tournament titles each of the past three years, going 19-2-3 against league foes. At 14-6-3 overall, including 4-1-1 in conference play, they earned at least a share of their fourth straight regular season crown in 2007.

In 2008, the Blue and White returns five of its top six scorers, three starting defenders and all three goalkeepers. The freshman class set a school record with 34 assists last fall while collecting 28 goals, the most by a first-year class since 1990. At one point, freshmen played a hand in 20 consecutive tallies. Thanks to additional experience and maturity since its arrival, the class will affect success at both ends of the field.

"When you return nine starters from a team that won a NEWMAC Championship and went to the NCAA Tournament, the obvious thing is to think you can accomplish that again," said Cushing. "Whether that happens or not, you need a lot of luck, you need to stay healthy. But talent-wise, I think we are in position to compete for a conference championship and make the NCAA Tournament."

Cushing is joined on his staff by second-year assistant coach Matt Ristuccia '05, a former all-region player during his four seasons as a Lyon, and first-year goalkeeper coach Keith Boudreau. According to Cushing, Boudreau, an All-New England netminder and 2005 graduate of Merrimack College, has a strong goalkeeping corps to work with in sophomores Cole Davidson (Needham, MA/Salisbury School), Chris Smart (Brookfield, CT/Brookfield) and Stefan Viragh (Columbus, OH/Wellington School).

"The chain of command is Cole and Chris at the top with Stefan not far behind them," said Cushing. "Cole does some things well that Chris doesn't do as well, and Chris does some things well that Cole's not as good at. So they complement each other." Davidson returned from injury midway through last season and finished with a 1.32 goals against average and four shutouts, including three straight toward the end of the fall, while Smart was 7-1-2 with a 1.05 GAA.

Anchoring the defense in front of the sophomore trio is senior co-captain Ben Resnicow (Newton, MA/Newton North), who has made his past 35 appearances as a starter in the backfield. After playing alongside a seasoned veteran during his first three years, Resnicow has emerged as the team's defensive leader. Joining him for their final fall on the Keefe Field pitch are Akeem Layne (Brooklyn, NY/Packer Collegiate Institute), who should provide depth on the offensive side of the ball, and David Wadsworth (Carver, MA/Carver), who will jump into a reserve role as a defender during his initial college season.

Tyler Ostholthoff (Hopkinton, NH/Hopkinton), Matt Snider (Topsham, ME/Mount Ararat) and Adam Sussman (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott) comprise the junior class. Ostholthoff and Sussman will provide offensive firepower off the bench for the third straight fall, with Ostholthoff also possibly seeing time in the midfield. Two of Sussman's three goals last year came in the NEWMAC Tournament, as he netted the game-winner during a semifinal victory. Snider lends Wheaton another athlete with the ability to appear in the backfield.

Beyond the Lyon keepers, 11 sophomores return, among them the vast majority of the team's offensive contributors, with co-captain Yuri Moreira (Marlboro, MA/Northfield Mount Hermon School), Josh Solomon (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro Regional) and Kyle Sye (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxboro Regional) all being put in position to score. Tristan Back (London, England/King Alfred School), who is overcoming an injury, and Jason Lewis (Chelsea, MA/Worcester Academy) should each see time as reserve forwards.

Solomon matched team highs last year with 19 points and seven assists while netting six goals, Moreira recorded seven markers, and Sye tied for the squad lead with seven helpers while being named NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and to the all-conference second team. Moreira is the first underclassman in his coach's tenure to earn a captain's band, as Cushing said he has shown an innate ability to help lead the youthful team.

Eric Driscoll (Lexington, MA/Lexington) and Jake Wagner (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) are two defensive-minded midfielders, with Driscoll serving as the team's quarterback after starting 18 games last year, tying for the squad lead with seven assists and netting the game-winning marker in the NEWMAC Tournament title game. Wagner is on the cusp of starting in the midfield or backfield.

Rarely is a team afforded the opportunity to move its top scorer into another role and remain competitive, but Cushing has done exactly that in sliding David Ferriero (Medway, MA/Medway) from the forward line to his natural position in the backfield, where he replaces his brother Jim, who was lost to graduation. David led the squad with eight goals while tying for the team lead with 19 points and three game-winners last year.

Dean Hollands (Scituate, RI/Wheeler School) and David Winrow (South Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) each started all 23 games last season and remain mainstays in the backfield, while Steven Zerbini (Wethersfield, CT/Wethersfield) adds depth to the defense but could make an impact between now and his junior year.

The nine members of the Class of 2012 come from as far away as California and El Salvador, as Nick Addeo (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional), Jordan Costello (West Hartford, CT/Hall), Matt Darling (Charlton, MA/Saint John's), Matt Flaherty (Westlake Village, CA/Worcester Academy), Rory McGonigle (Los Angeles, CA/Loyola), Pablo Mena (San Salvador, El Salvador/American School of El Salvador), Kevin Patnode (Coventry, RI/Providence Country Day School), Matt Solomon (Avon, CT/Avon Old Farms) and Chris Thomas (Cumberland, ME/Phillips Academy) join the squad.

Mena and Thomas are early favorites to crack the starting lineup in the midfield, while Addeo and Costello will come off the bench at the position. Darling, Patnode and Solomon should gain experience as forwards, and Flaherty and McGonigle are both backs.

As always, Wheaton is slated to compete against several strong opponents, facing five foes who qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament, including Williams College, which advanced to the Sweet 16 and is ranked 19th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's (NSCAA) preseason poll.

The Lyons also host their first in-season tournament since 1994, Cushing's first year at the college, as Wheaton opens the campaign against Husson College on August 29 and the State University of New York at New Paltz the next day during the Adidas Kick-Off Classic.

On September 3, Wheaton travels to Bridgewater State College, a team it defeated 2-0 in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament. NEWMAC play begins on September 20, when the Blue and White hosts Springfield College, and the Lyons face Babson College in Norton during a rematch of last year's league tournament final on October 11. The NEWMAC Tournament starts on November 5.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 8/27/08.
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