Sports NewsMutterings,

CalendarSports News Elsewhere  (fresh daily from the Web)

Wednesday, Aug. 25

Lincoln College men's soccer preview     Send a link to a friend

[AUG. 25, 2004]  Lincoln College men's soccer coach Ben Massena is hoping for a .500-plus season from his squad this season. The Lynx finished last year with a 5-11-1 record, and Massena said, "We are a far superior team to last season’s squad; however, we play a much tougher schedule this season."

"We play three schools in the St. Louis area that are ranked in the top 25 in the nation, and we play East Central, ranked third, along with Springfield College and Lewis & Clark, both rated in the top 25," said Massena. "Playing the tougher schedule makes us a better team for regional. We have a much larger squad and have a lot more physical talent than last season."

The Lynx mentor continued: "We had a good recruiting year, and I look for us to be twice as good as last season. Our starting 11 should be as good as anyone we play. If we can avoid injury, it should be a good season. We also have some talent coming off the bench that will help us later in the season."

Augistine Barboza, Moline, is a returning starter from last season and is one of the captains on the squad. Barboza was all-conference last season and is a phenomenal player who possesses the midfield skills to dictate a game. Chris Pettineo, Naperville Central, is serving as the other captain for the Lynx. "We are looking for Chris to shut out a lot of our opponents from the goalie position," said Massena. "He has worked hard all summer and has shown a lot of improvement."

Ryan Metz, Bloomington, returns at the midfield slot and has greatly improved from last season, when he spent a lot of time on the injured list. "He will be a physical force and a big key to our defensive play," Massena said. "He will be joined by Seth Bishop, Bloomington, as an outside midfielder. Bishop understands the game and came to practice in great shape. Taylor Gilliland, Chatham, is technically sound and very quick. He is a vocal leader and keeps us together. He was a redshirt last season and has two years remaining."

Massena continued: "One of our top recruits is Adrian Contreras, Argo, who has scored in each of our preseason games. He is very fast, knows the game and knows how to score. Santos Omar Rodriguez, Bartlett, is another of our top recruits who is very physical and very creative. We look for both of these young men to score between 10 and 15 goals this season.

 

[to top of second column in this article]

"Leandro Jones, Madison, Wis.., is a possession-type player who will play in the midfield area. He is very unselfish and is able to move the ball quickly. He will set up our scorers and is also capable of scoring on his own. Ryan Hudkins, Hoffman Estates, is an outstanding defender with good speed. He is a scrappy-type player and a hard-nose kid. He is making the transition from high school to college soccer.

"Others who will help throughout the year are Colin Smith, St. Johns, Antigua, who is very fast and physical. He is still learning the game, and he will see action as a right-side defender. Miguel Orozco, St. Joseph, is a very solid midfielder who can boot the ball 50-60 yards. Carl Bartholomay, Glen Ellyn, was a goalie in high school, and we are transferring him to the field. He is a smart player with a lot of physical talent. Paul Davis, Mount Prospect, was a diver and did not play soccer last season, but he played in high school and is a quick, scrappy-type player."

"Pat Maxwell, Gurnee, Ryan Hoyt, Lincoln Christian College transfer, and Luca Andreuccetti, Elmhurst, all will be coming off the bench for some playing time. Chris Bruce, Maize, Kan., and Cole Clapper, Tuscola, are both goalies who will be pushing for playing time. Both are solid players. Charles Schwartz, Peotone, is one of the hardest workers on the team. Jacob Donovan, Yorktown, Ind., is one of those players every coach loves to have on the team, as he is an extremely hard worker and willing to put in the extra time to learn. Chris Tourloukis, Maine South, will play the midfield area and is a team player."

[Bill Martinie, Lincoln College]


sponsor of the week

LDN sports sponsored by:

 

< Sports index

Back to top


 

News | Sports | Business | Rural Review | Teaching & Learning | Home and Family | Tourism | Obituaries

Community | Perspectives | Law & Courts | Leisure Time | Spiritual Life | Health & Fitness | Teen Scene
Calendar | Letters to the Editor