North Carolina State University Athletics
Mens Soccer Starts Season This Weekend
8/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Raleigh, N.C. - The NC State men's soccer team will begin its 2006 campaign with two home contests this weekend. The Wolfpack will take on St. Francis (N.Y.) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m., then on Sunday host Hartford at 1:00 p.m. Both games will be played at Method Road. Looking to build upon last years No. 18 final nation ranking and a NCAA tournament appearance, the 2006 NC State men’s soccer team comes into the season looking to have another strong season. The Pack will return seven starters, a group that has experienced defenders and explosive players who have the potential to score goals. Head Coach George Tarantini and his staff also welcome in nine newcomers, some who could see the starting lineup in the Pack’s season opener.
The Forwards
NC State lost its top two forwards from last season, but has three strong players which the Wolfpack staff believe can find the back of the net this season.
Junior El Hadj Cisse will be pushed up top a little more this year, as he was an attacking center midfielder each of his first two seasons. Cisse has started all 31 games he has played in during his career, and is the Pack’s top returning scorer from last season with four goals and three assists.
Two newcomers will be expected to contribute right away as targets up front. Sean Campbell was a first-team All-america selection in high school in New York, and he also has experience playing in Jamaica and he attended AC Milan’s junior training camp. Ben Ward was his teams leading scorer three of his four years in high school, and trained with the Wrexham Reserves in Wales in 2005 and 2006.
The Midfielders
The Pack’s midfield this season will have a strong mix of experienced players and youth. The midfielders this season are all very skilled on the ball, and will be looked upon to create scoring opportunities.
NC State has had playmakers come from Argentina, and a pair of current Pack players from Buenos Aires have certainly carried on that tradition. Senior Santiago Fusilier has started as a center midfielder in each of his three previous seasons, and finished last season with one goal and four assists. Junior Ernesto Di Laudo stepped into the Pack’s starting lineup last season with 16 starts as an outside midfielder, and had one goal and three assists.
The NC State coaches will look to two newcomers to come in right away and compete for playing time in the midfield. Jorge Mora earned NSCAA/adidas All-America honors, and was the 2004 and 2005 Newsday Player of the Year in New York after combining for 36 goals those two seasons. Alan Sanchez was named All-Dade county in high school in Miami, and he competed at the Adidas Elite Soccer Program in 2005.
Two players who saw some action last season as freshmen will be looking for increased roles this season in the midfield. Alberto Ramos saw action in 11 games mostly as a center midfielder, and started the NCAA Tournament contest against Clemson. Jack Weedon played seven games as a reserve forward last year.
A trio of Wolfpack players have seen action during various stages of their careers in the midfield. Senior Kevin Averette has played in 16 games, while sophomores Marianito Montero and Clint Pires saw limited action last season.
The Defenders
One part of the 2006 Wolfpack that will not be lacking experience is one of the most crucial areas, the defense. NC State returns all four starters from last season’s team, as those four players started 72 of a possible 74 games on the backline.
Returning as one of the anchors on the Pack’s defense is senior Rami Ghanayem, who has started all 37 games as an outside defender over the previous two seasons. The other outside spot will be manned by sophomore Ronnie Bouemboue who was named to the ACC’s All-Rookie team last season while starting 17 contests and notching two goals.
The Pack will also have capable backups on defense in senior Matthew Lytle and sophomore Nathaniel Weiss. Lytle appeared in eight contests last season, including notching the game-winner against No. 7 St. John’s with just five seconds left. Weiss played in 11 games last year, with four starts, seeing time as an outside defender and midfielder.
Senior Haddon Kirk and junior Hugh Cronin each started all 19 games as the Pack’s two central defenders. Kirk is one of the Pack’s best players in the air, and last season he provided an assist on the game-winner against No. 7 St. John’s. Cronin made a smooth transition in his first year as a full-time starter, and is one of the Pack’s leaders on defense.
Two newcomers could also see time playing on defense this season, both having experience together playing with the CASL Elite in high school. Orry Powers earned all-conference honors in high school after scoring 83 career goals, and Daniel Fish was a NCHSAA all-state selection as a junior and senior at local Athens Drive High School. Sophomore Daniel Shields also joins the team, having earned all-conference honors at Millbrook High School in Raleigh.
The Goalkeepers
None of NC State’s netminders on the current squad have seen college action. Although last time the Pack was in that situation, an NC State goalie earned first and second-team All-ACC honors over their first two seasons in net.
Christopher Widman is the only Pack goalkeeper that was with the Pack last season, as he redshirted and did not see action. Widman earned all-state honors as a senior in high school, and saw extensive practice time last season.
Junior Tom DeStefano transfers to NC State from Mercer Community College where he started in 2005. He finished second nationally with a GAA of 0.402, and earned all-conference honors in posting 14 shutouts for Mercer which finished the regular season No. 1 nationally. Sophomore Devin O’Rourke joined the Pack in the spring to add depth in goal.
The Schedule
One of the top soccer conferences in the country, the Atlantic Coast Conference provides tough competition every year. Last season the ACC had eight of the nine teams play in the NCAA Tournament, and had two advance to the College Cup including the eventual national champion. This season will be no different, as 6 ACC teams are ranked in the top-25 in the NSCAA/Adidas preseason poll. NC State will host home ACC affairs with Virginia, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Duke this season.
In addition to playing the final season at Method Road, NC State will move into a new on-campus complex for the 2007 season, the Wolfpack will play a pair of games at SAS Soccer Park. NC State will host perennial top-25 South Carolina (September 20) and Gardner-Webb (October 25), at the new home of the Carolina RailHawks of the USL.
The Forwards
NC State lost its top two forwards from last season, but has three strong players which the Wolfpack staff believe can find the back of the net this season.
Junior El Hadj Cisse will be pushed up top a little more this year, as he was an attacking center midfielder each of his first two seasons. Cisse has started all 31 games he has played in during his career, and is the Pack’s top returning scorer from last season with four goals and three assists.
Two newcomers will be expected to contribute right away as targets up front. Sean Campbell was a first-team All-america selection in high school in New York, and he also has experience playing in Jamaica and he attended AC Milan’s junior training camp. Ben Ward was his teams leading scorer three of his four years in high school, and trained with the Wrexham Reserves in Wales in 2005 and 2006.
The Midfielders
The Pack’s midfield this season will have a strong mix of experienced players and youth. The midfielders this season are all very skilled on the ball, and will be looked upon to create scoring opportunities.
NC State has had playmakers come from Argentina, and a pair of current Pack players from Buenos Aires have certainly carried on that tradition. Senior Santiago Fusilier has started as a center midfielder in each of his three previous seasons, and finished last season with one goal and four assists. Junior Ernesto Di Laudo stepped into the Pack’s starting lineup last season with 16 starts as an outside midfielder, and had one goal and three assists.
The NC State coaches will look to two newcomers to come in right away and compete for playing time in the midfield. Jorge Mora earned NSCAA/adidas All-America honors, and was the 2004 and 2005 Newsday Player of the Year in New York after combining for 36 goals those two seasons. Alan Sanchez was named All-Dade county in high school in Miami, and he competed at the Adidas Elite Soccer Program in 2005.
Two players who saw some action last season as freshmen will be looking for increased roles this season in the midfield. Alberto Ramos saw action in 11 games mostly as a center midfielder, and started the NCAA Tournament contest against Clemson. Jack Weedon played seven games as a reserve forward last year.
A trio of Wolfpack players have seen action during various stages of their careers in the midfield. Senior Kevin Averette has played in 16 games, while sophomores Marianito Montero and Clint Pires saw limited action last season.
The Defenders
One part of the 2006 Wolfpack that will not be lacking experience is one of the most crucial areas, the defense. NC State returns all four starters from last season’s team, as those four players started 72 of a possible 74 games on the backline.
Returning as one of the anchors on the Pack’s defense is senior Rami Ghanayem, who has started all 37 games as an outside defender over the previous two seasons. The other outside spot will be manned by sophomore Ronnie Bouemboue who was named to the ACC’s All-Rookie team last season while starting 17 contests and notching two goals.
The Pack will also have capable backups on defense in senior Matthew Lytle and sophomore Nathaniel Weiss. Lytle appeared in eight contests last season, including notching the game-winner against No. 7 St. John’s with just five seconds left. Weiss played in 11 games last year, with four starts, seeing time as an outside defender and midfielder.
Senior Haddon Kirk and junior Hugh Cronin each started all 19 games as the Pack’s two central defenders. Kirk is one of the Pack’s best players in the air, and last season he provided an assist on the game-winner against No. 7 St. John’s. Cronin made a smooth transition in his first year as a full-time starter, and is one of the Pack’s leaders on defense.
Two newcomers could also see time playing on defense this season, both having experience together playing with the CASL Elite in high school. Orry Powers earned all-conference honors in high school after scoring 83 career goals, and Daniel Fish was a NCHSAA all-state selection as a junior and senior at local Athens Drive High School. Sophomore Daniel Shields also joins the team, having earned all-conference honors at Millbrook High School in Raleigh.
The Goalkeepers
None of NC State’s netminders on the current squad have seen college action. Although last time the Pack was in that situation, an NC State goalie earned first and second-team All-ACC honors over their first two seasons in net.
Christopher Widman is the only Pack goalkeeper that was with the Pack last season, as he redshirted and did not see action. Widman earned all-state honors as a senior in high school, and saw extensive practice time last season.
Junior Tom DeStefano transfers to NC State from Mercer Community College where he started in 2005. He finished second nationally with a GAA of 0.402, and earned all-conference honors in posting 14 shutouts for Mercer which finished the regular season No. 1 nationally. Sophomore Devin O’Rourke joined the Pack in the spring to add depth in goal.
The Schedule
One of the top soccer conferences in the country, the Atlantic Coast Conference provides tough competition every year. Last season the ACC had eight of the nine teams play in the NCAA Tournament, and had two advance to the College Cup including the eventual national champion. This season will be no different, as 6 ACC teams are ranked in the top-25 in the NSCAA/Adidas preseason poll. NC State will host home ACC affairs with Virginia, Clemson, Virginia Tech and Duke this season.
In addition to playing the final season at Method Road, NC State will move into a new on-campus complex for the 2007 season, the Wolfpack will play a pair of games at SAS Soccer Park. NC State will host perennial top-25 South Carolina (September 20) and Gardner-Webb (October 25), at the new home of the Carolina RailHawks of the USL.
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