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Men’s Soccer Ready for 2010 Campaign
The Ducks are coming off a season in which they made their sixth trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship, won their seventh-straight conference title, and finished with a mark of 17-3-2.
The Ducks will be led by a quartet of experienced and battle-tested seniors in goalkeeper Zach Carr (Carmel, Ind.), back Bryan De Faria (Hillside, N.J.), midfielder/back Michael Quijano (Jersey City, N.J.), and the reigning Empire 8 Player of the Year midfielder Nolan Sandberg (Grayslake, Ill.).
Carr is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the country and is coming off a season in which he was 17-3-2 in goal, recorded 16 shutouts and had a goals-against average of 0.31. He was a first-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-American and a first-team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in addition to earning all-conference and all-region nods as well. Carr is already the program leader in goals-against average and shutouts (38), and he has an overall record of 53-7-8, accumulating 182 saves in his career.
De Faria is one of the Ducks’ most consistent performers and had an excellent junior season after earning more and more time as a sophomore. The Hillside, N.J. native was a fixture in the Stevens defense throughout 2009 and was a huge reason the Ducks were ranked third nationally in goals-against average (0.31) and shutout percentage (0.73). He started 22-of-22 games and recorded one assist last year.
Quijano has seen substantial time throughout his time in Hoboken and had a solid junior season for the Ducks, scoring three goals and handing out one assist in 22 games (14 starts). A versatile player that will see action in the midfield and along the back line, Quijano has been a strong leader since the end of last year. For his career, he has seen action in 50 games, tallying four goals and recording four assists.
Sandberg came on strong for the Ducks in their run to the National Championship match and continued to be a force for the Ducks in ’09. He made 18 starts in 22 games last season and finished with 11 goals – a team-high five game-winners - and three assists. The Illinois native got better and better as the year progressed and was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year in addition to receiving all-conference and all-region honors. Sandberg has tallied 45 points over the last two years, tallying 18 goals and notching nine helpers.
Four juniors will also be expected to lead the Ducks in 2010 in midfielder/back Peter Bednarsky (Hackettstown, N.J.), forward Zach Bowman (La Plata, Md.), midfielder/back Benjamin Hirsch (Montvale, N.J.), midfielder Tarik Kramcha (Denver, Colo.), and back/midfielder Anthony Roden (Red Creek, N.Y). Bednarsky has started 44 games and played in all 47 over his first two seasons in Hoboken, recording three goals and five assists. Bednarsky was all-conference as a freshman and sophomore and received an all-region nod in ’09. Bowman saw action in 17 games as a sophomore and should see more of a role with the graduation of Terrence Johnson and Todd Sheridan. His great work ethic and athleticism will lead to time up front and in the midfield for head coach Tim O’Donohue (Hoboken, N.J.). Hirsch has seen limited action in his first two years but put in a great deal of hard work in the offseason and has looked good in camp. His skills and increased strength should lead to more time. Kramcha is another player that has improved greatly over his first two seasons on the squad and he will help fill the void left in the midfield and defense by Sheridan, John Radvany, and Josh Williams. Roden was a starter last season in the middle of the Stevens defense and had an excellent season. He played in and started 19-of-19 contests and was another big part of a Duck “D” that was ranked third in NCAA Division III.
Sophomore Zach Adler (McKinney, Texas) is another Duck that will be a big factor this season. Adler was all-conference as a rookie and was one of Stevens’ top scoring threats in 2009. He had 22 points on seven goals and eight assists and three of his tallies were game-winners. Adler put in a lot of work over the summer and will be looking at even more of an important role this year.
Sophomore Victor Daza (North Plainfield, N.J.) is an explosive scoring threat with great speed. Daza played in 21 games, tallying four goals and recording three assists as a freshman and is another player that will be looked upon to fill the scoring void left because of graduation. Sophomore back Tim Schaake (Southbury, Conn.) showed a lot of improvement over the spring and summer and should see time along the back line for the Ducks.
Several newcomers have shown a great deal of promise in the preseason. Freshman Leonardo Casas (Kearny, N.J.) has impressed the staff and will see time as a midfielder and back, while fellow rookie Zeke Hemme (Louisville, Ken.) should contribute in the central midfield. Freshman Stephen Dunbar (Atlanta, Ga.) has been impressive across the front line for the Ducks and should see action early on.
Stevens has made seven-straight trips to the NCAA’s and has won the Empire 8 all three years it has been a member of the conference. Overall, the Ducks outscored the opposition 45-7 in 2009 and took 414 shots while allowing just 187.
After a tough opener with NYU, Stevens will visit SUNY New Paltz before hosting the Stevens College Cup on September 10 and 11. The Ducks will take on William Paterson University and North Carolina Wesleyan College. Stevens will then welcome in-state rival The College of New Jersey on Wednesday, September 15 before hosting York College (Pa.) on September 17. The Ducks defeated TCNJ in a thrilling overtime contest a year ago and York gave Stevens one of its three losses.
After a match with Manhattanville College, the Ducks will open conference play on Homecoming weekend against St. John Fisher College (September 25). They will then play three-straight conference road games up in northern New York – taking on Rochester Institute of Technology and Nazareth College on October 2 and 3 before heading to Ithaca College to take on the Bombers on October 9. All three teams will be tough as Nazareth hosted the conference tournament a year ago and Ithaca the previous season.
Stevens host the United States Merchant Marine Academy on October 13 in a contest that will renew a rivalry formed when the two teams played in the Skyline Conference and the Ducks will close out their conference slate with three home games. They will take Elmira College (October 13), Alfred University (October 23), and Utica College (October 30). Stevens will also visit Rutgers University-Newark on October 19 and host SUNY Colege at Old Westbury on October 27 to round out its non-conference schedule.
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