Aug. 22, 2007

FAIRFAX, Va. - After appearing in the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship for the first time in a decade last season, and advancing all the way to the CAA Championship match before falling to Hofstra in a penalty kick shootout, there is an air of excitement around the campus as the George Mason University men's soccer team prepares for the 2007 campaign. The Patriots return a nucleus of key performers from last year's team, along with some talented newcomers that will certainly make an impact on the field this season as Mason attempts to reach the national tournament in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1989-1990.

As was the case last season, George Mason's defense should make it tough for opponents to find the back of the net once again in 2007. The 2006 team held opponents scoreless in 11 games, with Sean Kelley anchoring the team in goal as a freshman. Kelley started all 21 games and played like a veteran, ranking among the nation's best with a paltry goals against average of 0.64. The Lexington, Ky. native was named the CAA Rookie of the Year for his stellar performance and was also a member of the College Soccer News All-Freshman First Team, the All-South Atlantic Region Third Team, the CAA All-Rookie Team, the CAA All-Tournament Team and All-CAA Second Team.

While Kelley returns in goal, the Patriots do lose a pair of defensive standouts from last year's team in Fabien Lewis, who was an All-CAA Second Team and an All-South Atlantic Region Third Team selection last season, and Jacob Weitz, who started 58 matches during his four-year career at George Mason.

Also absent from this year's team will be a pair of midfielders, Josh Fleming and Francis McCardle. McCardle tied for the team lead in points last season with nine, with three goals and three assists. Fleming was a versatile player, even logging time in goal during his junior season. He tallied six points last season on two assists and two goals, including the game winner against CAA rival Georgia State on Oct. 1.

"That's a tough group to replace," said George Mason head coach Greg Andrulis. "All of them were very versatile players who could play a variety of positions. Francis was a dangerous attacking player that could also help us in the midfield. Josh played in the midfield and up front, as well as one game in the goal, so that shows his versatility. Jacob was a mainstay in the back for us. Fabien had a dream season as one of our center backs and leaders on the team, so those guys are not easy to replace."

Replacing those four seniors will be one of the keys to success in the upcoming season, along with the Patriots' ability to become a more consistent offensive unit than last season, as the team scored a goal or less in 18 of 21 matches.

"Our strength last year was our defense led by Fabien Lewis and Sean Kelley," Andrulis said. "Hopefully this year we've been able to add some attacking options to our team so we'll be a little bit more difficult to defend, but I do feel the strength of the team again will be our defense with Sean Kelley back in goal."

While the team's defense loses both Lewis and Weitz, two defenders with significant playing experience will return. Brian Barry-Austin, a two-year starter and 2004 CAA All-Rookie Team selection, returns for his senior season, along with junior Michael Vallie, who started all 21 contests for Mason last season after transferring from the University of Maryland. A mixture of returning players and incoming freshman will be competing for the open spots on the defensive unit. Among the returnees are junior Hugh Fike, who played in seven games last season, and redshirt junior Tyler Orzak, who sat out last season as a redshirt.

The defensive newcomers include the highly touted Fro Adu, the younger brother of Freddy Adu, and a decorated defender from Georgetown Prep., who was on the NCSCAA/Adidas All-America Team in 2002 after playing with the United States U-15 squad, and was also a member of the United States U-17 team. He was listed as one of four Prime-Time players on Rise Magazine's Greater D.C.'s All-Area Soccer Players and garnered Washington Post All-Met honors in 2006. In addition, Adu was named to the NCSCAA/Adidas All-Maryland Team following his senior year.

"Fro has excellent athletic ability, soccer intelligence and is a great fit for Mason's style of play," Andrulis said. "Although Fro has accomplished so much at a young age, the encouraging thing is that we feel he has just begun to reach his true potential. We expect Fro to make an immediate impact on Mason's soccer program."

Also joining the team is Patrick Barthold, who graduated from Westfield High School in Centreville, Va. During his senior season with the Bulldogs, Barthold was named team MVP and was named the Concorde District Player of the Year. In addition, Barthold garnered numerous honors in 2006 as he was named All-Virginia First Team, All-Northern Region First Team, All-Concorde District First-Team and was named First-Team All-Met. Eric Zuehsow is another fresh face who will challenge for playing time at defender.

Part of the reason Mason's offensive attack struggled to score goals at times last season was due to a rash of injuries suffered during the middle of the season at the forward position. A healthy Chris Carroll, who played in 16 contests but battled a bad back, and a healthy Irvin Martinez, who tore his ACL after playing in seven matches and was lost for the season, will go a long way towards making the Patriots more difficult to defend. Despite his ailments, Carroll led the team in goals with four on the season and tied for the team lead in points with nine. Adding depth at the forward position will be Jordan Mault, who returns for his senior season after making six starts last year, along with a couple of newcomers, freshman Parker Walton, from Midlothian High School in Powhatan, Va., and Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, a transfer student from St. Francis University in Loretto, Pa., who will be a junior in 2007.

"Those guys should give us more depth and allow us to be a little bit more creative offensively," Andrulis said.

During his senior season, Walton garnered numerous honors: All-Virginia First Team, All-Central Region First Team, All-Dominion District First Team and All-Met First Team. In 2005, Walton earned Second Team All-District honors.

Adjeman-Pamboe is a 2005 graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School, where he played soccer for three years. Prior to enrolling at George Mason, Adjeman-Pamboe attended St. Francis, scoring eight total goals, six of which came during his freshman season. During his senior season in high school, Adjeman-Pamboe, a Bowie, Md. native, earned All-Prince Georges' County First Team Honors.

Although Fleming and McCardle both graduated following last season, Mason returns an experienced group at midfield including senior Adam Lobene, junior Jonathan Borrajo and sophomore Richard Edgar. Lobene was a clutch performer last season, as all three of his goals were game-winners. He also tied for the team lead in assists with three. Borrajo started all 21 games and has been a starter since his freshman season in 2005. Edgar was a standout as a freshman last season, starting all 21 games and making the CAA All-Rookie squad along with teammate Kelley. Both of his goals during the season were game-winners.

The 2007 season will begin on Friday, Aug. 31 when the Patriots host the four-team D.C. College Cup at George Mason Stadium. Other teams competing in the tournament include American, George Washington and Howard. The tournament will feature four games played over a span of two days - Aug. 31 and Sept. 2. George Mason will play Howard on Aug. 31 and American on Sept. 2.

After the tournament, Mason will face five consecutive nonconference foes - Bowling Green, Maryland, Monmouth, Richmond and St. Peter's. Colonial Athletic Association play gets underway on Oct. 5 when the Patriots host UNC Wilmington at home. Andrulis expects the CAA schedule to be every bit as tough as it was last season.

"I think it's going to be a great year in the conference again," Andrulis said. "Last year we had four teams in the NCAA Tournament, and that's something as a conference we strive for, to get as many teams in the national rankings and in the tournament as possible. We have some phenomenal coaches in the conference and some very, very good teams."

Once the regular season concludes with a match at Towson on Nov. 8, the Patriots hope to be one of six teams alive in the CAA Championships, which are slated to begin with the quarterfinal round on Nov. 13 at the home of the higher seed. The winners of those matches will move onto the semifinals, scheduled for Nov. 16 at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex in Virginia Beach, Va. The final will be held on Sunday, Nov. 18. Following the CAA Championship, George Mason hopes to find itself right where it was at the end of last season, playing on Nov. 23 or 24, in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship.