Aug. 25, 2003
FAIRFAX, VA ... With nearly two weeks of two-a-day practices behind it as classes begin today, the George Mason men's soccer team is ready and looking forward to its 2003 season opener.
The Patriots will play Charlotte at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, in the first round of the JMU/Comfort Inn Invitational in Harrisonburg, VA. Host James Madison meets Stony Brook in the second game at 7:30 p.m., then George Mason and the Dukes switch opponents for Sunday, with the Patriots facing Stony Brook at 1 p.m.
"We've had a terrific preseason," said George Mason head coach Fran O'Leary, who enters his third year at the helm of the Patriot program. "I've been impressed with the leadership of the upperclassmen and the mature attitude displayed by the newcomers. If we continue to improve on a daily basis, I'm certain a successful season lies ahead."
George Mason has made progress under O'Leary each of the last two seasons, finishing strong for an 8-9-1 mark in 2001 and posting the program's first winning season in four years with an 8-7-4 record last fall. This season, O'Leary expects the progression to continue. Playing one of the most competitive schedules in the South Atlantic Region and, perhaps, in the country, he expects the Patriots to be in a position to challenge for the Colonial Athletic Association championship when all is said and done.
What has O'Leary so optimistic? George Mason returns a solid corps of defenders who made the Patriots one of the more formidable foes in the conference and region last season. Add to that nucleus a group of skillful newcomers and O'Leary believes the recipe is right for success.
"We feel that we have a very sound defense and with the addition of some quality attacking players, we will become more competitive in the CAA," said O'Leary, who has a 16-16-5 overall record at George Mason and a 142-79-25 mark in 14 years as a head coach. "After proving we were tight defensively last year, we focused our recruiting efforts on upgrading the midfield and the attack, and we have added some players with terrific attacking ability. I am confident that will translate into exciting games with plenty of goals."
One thing O'Leary should not have to worry about in 2003 is the play of his defense. Led by a quartet of returning veterans, the George Mason defense allowed just 21 goals in 19 games last season, the fewest goals allowed since 1990, and gave up just 10 goals in nine CAA games. The Patriots posted eight shutouts, including a 0-0 tie against CAA champion Virginia Commonwealth, which was seeded eighth in the NCAA College Cup.
Senior Keith Nakai, junior Danny Climo and sophomore Damian O'Rourke return to anchor the back line for the Patriots. Nakai is a three-year starter in the backfield and is one of the top central defenders in the CAA and the region, and Climo has developed into a solid left-sided defender while contributing a team-high five assists last season with his well-placed free kicks. O'Rourke was the co-CAA Rookie of the Year and an All-CAA second-team selection last year in addition to being selected to the Freshman All-America third team by College Soccer News. He was outstanding as a central defender and moved forward on set plays to contribute three goals and three assists to rank tied for second on the team with nine points.
Joining them in the back could be a combination of players. Senior Mirza Kurspahic, a solid midfielder who was fourth on the Patriots with seven points (two goals, three assists) last season, will get a look as the right-side defender, while freshmen Jacob Weitz (a first-team All-Metropolitan Washington selection by The Washington Post) and Sedeke Dunzo will also challenge for the starting role.
Behind the defensive line, George Mason possesses one of the top goalkeepers in the country in junior John O'Hara, who was named the Goalkeeper of the Year in the Premier Development League over the summer. O'Hara, the 2001 CAA Rookie of the Year, was a first-team all-conference and second-team All-South Atlantic Region pick last year after posting a 1.05 goals-against average (ranked nationally for the first half of the season) and 81 saves in 19 games. Senior Roger Wimmer, a transfer from Charleston Southern, will provide a quality backup for O'Hara.
While the offense has struggled a bit the past two seasons (22 goals in 2001 before 28 last season), there is talent returning to the Patriots. Sophomore Steve Alabi established himself as a quality goal-scorer as he led George Mason with eight goals and 17 points last season, earning All-CAA second-team honors, while junior midfielder David Quinn proved to be a solid playmaker in the central midfield as he contributed four assists (second on the team) and added a goal.
A host of players, both veterans and newcomers, will be in competition for the other six starting positions. Along the forward line, Alabi will be challenged by veteran sophomore Kephern Fuller (one goal last season), redshirt freshman Joe Pancotti and newcomers junior Karim Manneh, sophomore Teba McKnight and freshman Matt Pepin for the two starting roles. In the midfield, Quinn joins veteran senior Paul Ondiak (one assist) in competing with newcomers junior Matt Mendy, sophomores Neema Doroudian, Anthony Noreiga and Juan Pablo Leon and freshmen Jean-Pierre Goncalves and Chris Mills for four starting positions.
The majority of the newcomers bring solid experience. McKnight and Noreiga, natives of Trinidad who have represented their country at the full international level, come to George Mason after a year at the University of Mobile, where they helped lead the Rams to the NAIA national championship. Manneh and Mendy are transfers from Alabama A&M and both have played on the Gambia under-23 national team. Doroudian arrives from Pima (AZ) Community College.
As usual, George Mason's schedule is full of quality opponents, including nine teams that qualified for last season's 48-team NCAA College Cup field. These include 2001 national champion North Carolina and fellow Atlantic Coast Conference powers Maryland (a "Final Four" team last year) and Wake Forest, along with CAA champion Virginia Commonwealth and conference members Old Dominion and William & Mary. Traditional local rivals American, George Washington and Loyola (MD) return to the schedule as the Patriots will meet nine foes from the South Atlantic Region.
Among the nine teams on the schedule from last year's NCAA College Cup, six will come to George Mason Stadium - American, George Washington, North Carolina, Loyola (MD), William & Mary and Old Dominion. Add a solid field for the annual George Mason/Comfort Inn Soccer Classic, which features the Patriots and CAA rival James Madison taking on Appalachian State and Georgia Southern in early September, and the 11-game home slate is quite formidable.
"We feel we will play one of the better schedules in the country this year, and with our returning players having an extra year in the system under them, we will be better prepared heading into the season," said O'Leary. "Few teams can boast playing nine NCAA Tournament teams, and it's my hope these opponents will help prepare us for our CAA schedule.
"The CAA is one of the better conferences in the nation. The top teams in the CAA are generally nationally ranked, so in order to compete for a conference championship, we will have to be among the top 20-30 teams in the country. VCU, ODU and William & Mary did a terrific job and were fine representatives of the conference last season. We hope to catch and surpass them in the near future."
