Aug. 31, 2005

Heading into the 2005 season, George Mason University's men's soccer program will see many new faces on the field, as well as on the sideline, as Greg Andrulis begins his first season as head coach of the Patriots.

Andrulis stepped into the program on Aug. 17, the first day of practice, and he has quickly worked to meld a group of four returning starters, 10 returning lettermen and nine first-year players.

To improve on last season's 7-11-1 overall record (3-6 CAA) and an eighth place finish in the league, Mason will need everyone to not only stay healthy, a significant problem in 2004, but for the offensive production to increase. There was a sharp downturn in goals scored in the second half of 2004 and a lot of that had to do with the lack of a consistent lineup on the field. One new addition that could help with the goal scoring is redshirt freshman Danny Ames, who was slated to play a large role on offense.

In spring practices, the Patriots prepared for this season with the intent of playing a zonal 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3, looking to defend as a group. It remains to be seen if that strategy will still be followed.

Less than half of the players taking the field for the season opener on September 2 at Liberty will have been starters last year. The only starters returning from 2004 are seniors Teba McKnight, Kephern Fuller, Damian O'Rourke, and Anthony Noreiga and junior Jacob Weitz.

Returning to the starting forward line is McKnight, who led the Patriots in points last season as he netted seven goals, three of which were game-winners, and dished out six assists on the year. McKnight was recognized on the All-Virginia Second Team and is also one of two returning Patriots that garnered a Colonial Athletic Association honor as he was named to the All-CAA Second Team.

For Mason to have success in 2005, McKnight will most likely need to match his production, if not improve upon it.

Fuller, also a member of the starting forward line, played in 16 of 19 games, started nine of those contests, and tallied three points in 2004, which included the game-winning goal against Towson. He struggled with illness last year but will be expected to be back in shape this season. His last healthy season, 2003, he took a career-high 19 shots and played in 23 games, starting 21 of those contests. In addition to McKnight and Fuller, senior Karim Manneh returns to Mason's squad as he played for the Patriots in 2003. Manneh closed out the season second among Patriots in goals with eight and points with 18. Ames and freshman Nick Rhodes will also be competing for playing time at the forward position.

The final three returning starters are defenders O'Rourke, Noreiga and Weitz. O'Rourke saw action in every game for Mason and started 18 of those contests. O'Rourke closed out the season with four points as he netted two goals during the year, which included one in Mason's victory against the 2004 CAA Champion, Hofstra. O'Rourke will be looking to make the jump this season, hopefully becoming one of the elite defenders in the league. Noreiga started all 16 games he saw action in and finished the year third among Patriots in goals with three and fourth in points with seven. His third goal of the season helped Mason defeat conference opponent, Delaware, by a score of 3-2.

Weitz was on the field in 18 contests in 2005, in the starting line-up on 15 of those occasions, and was a key part of the defense that helped post four shut-outs on the year. He was one of Mason's most consistent defenders last year and he was slated to start at left back this season.

Sophomore Brian Barry-Austin also returns to the defensive line and is the other veteran Patriot who earned conference honors last season as he was named to the All-CAA Rookie Team. Barry-Austin is expected to start at central defender and fans can look for a lot of solid communication on the back line between he and O'Rourke and Weitz.

Freshmen Hugh Fike, Meir Lewin and Tyler Orzak will also be challenging for playing time on the defensive line.

Sophomores Adam Lobene, Alex Nydel, Jordan Mault and Elon Backer, along with junior Josh Fleming are the veterans returning to the midfield position. Newcomers to this year's squad are freshmen Addison Bender and Jonathan Borrajo, as well as senior-transfer Francis McCardle.

One hope for the Patriots is that the return of an experienced midfield will translate to increased productivity in terms of goals and assists.

In the goalkeeping position, the starting role will be up for grabs since three-time All-CAA First-Team honoree John O'Hara played his final season with the Patriots in 2004. Vying for playing time in this position will be redshirt freshmen Jeremy Jessup and Eric Barnes, along with freshman Jason Levine.

Needless to say, O'Hara has left a gaping hole, but that simply provides an opportunity to Jessup, Barnes and Levine to prove they belong in net. Jessup finished the fall as a strong contender to replace O'Hara after showing a mature presence in goal during the spring.

Mason has 18 regular season games scheduled for 2005, including nine home games. Contained in this mix are six teams that were participants in the 2004 NCAA College Cup and two new members of the Colonial Athletic Association: Northeastern and Georgia State.

The Patriots begin the 2005 campaign on the road at Liberty on Sept. 2, which is followed by Mason's home opener two days later against Philadelphia. The following weekend, the Patriots will then travel to Providence, R.I. to compete in the adidas/Brown Soccer Classic. There, Mason will face-off against Connecticut, which advanced to the second round of the 2004 College Cup, and Brown University.

The next four games, which include three of the six teams that competed in last year's NCAA College Cup, will be played at George Mason Stadium. The Patriots will square-off against George Washington (Sept. 17), La Salle (Sept. 19) and Big Ten member school, Penn State (Sept. 24), which advanced to the second round of the 2004 College Cup. Last season, Mason defeated GWU on the Colonials home turf by a score of 2-0 and Mason ended in a scoreless tie against the then-No. 3 Nittany Lions in State College, Pa.

Rounding out the four-game homestand and opening the Patriots' league schedule is Virginia Commonwealth (Sept. 30). The Rams advanced to the quarterfinals of the College Cup last season, which included a victory over GWU in the second round.

In conference play, the Patriots were selected by the league's coaches to finish seventh. Some observers believe that any of the top eight teams in the conference have a realistic chance to win the CAA Tournament, securing the conference's automatic bid to the postseason. If nothing else, the addition of Georgia State and Northeastern to the conference will bring a new flavor to the league.

Mason begins conference play with three straight road games, including match-ups at James Madison (Oct. 2), Northeastern (Oct. 7) and Hofstra (Oct. 9). The Pride won the 2004 CAA Championship and went on to claim a victory in the NCAA College Cup, but fell in the second round to Maryland.

Of the next six games, four are home contests for the Patriots, including UNC Wilmington (Oct. 14), Georgia State (Oct. 16), Old Dominion (Oct. 28) and their final home game against William & Mary on Oct. 30. The Patriots will close out the 2005 regular season on the road as Mason will face Towson in Maryland on Nov. 5.

For the Patriots to once again contend in the CAA, they will need a number of things to fall in their favor. A smooth transition for the coaching staff and players from O'Leary's style to Andrulis'. Big seasons from the experienced players will be critical as well as strong play in goal from a first-year starter. Lack of injuries and illness. And most importantly, Mason must turn the advantage it enjoyed in shots, into an advantage in goals.