North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Soccer Opens Season with Winthrop
8/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
NC STATE Vs. Winthrop
Thursday, September 1
7:00 P.M.
Dail Soccer Stadium
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State men’s soccer team will begin its 2009 campaing hosting Winthrop Tuesday night at the Dail Soccer Field at 7:00 p.m. The Pack is fresh off a 3-1 exhibition win over UNC Greensboro last week, and NC State has not lost in its season opener since the 2005 season and has gone 4-1-1 over the last six years to kick off the season.
Winthrop is also playing in its first game of the season. The Eagles were 15-61 in 2008 and captured both the Big South regular season and tournament titles. Winthrop also played in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, and was once again voted to finish first in the Big South preseason poll.
A strong finish to the 2008 season, combined with a strong spring campaign that saw many positive results, are just a couple of reasons head coach George Tarantini is excited for his 24th season in 2009.
NC State finished its 2008 campaign as one of the hottest teams in the nation, as the Pack won eight of the final 11 games on the season, with all three loses coming to teams ranked in the top-five nationally. The offensive firepower was on full display as well, as the Pack finished 10th nationally and second in the ACC in scoring offense.
NC State looks to carry that momentum into 2009, as all 11 starters from last season return. The Pack also has the luxury of returning 93.9 percent of its offense from a year ago, and the Pack will be an experienced squad, as the returning players combined to start 201 of a possible 209 games last season.
THE GOALKEEPERS
Senior Christopher Widman (Greensboro, N.C.) returns to the Wolfpack nets, having started 43 games over his first three seasons. Widman started the final 16 games of the season last year, posting a career-best five shutouts and a GAA of 1.61. Sophomore Will Mackvick (Raleigh, N.C.) will challenge for playing time once again this season. Last season, Mackvick started the first three games of the season. Sophomore Vasilios Dimopoulos (Wilmington, N.C.) also returns in goal.
THE DEFENDERS
Returning for the Pack’s backline as central defenders are senior Romulo Manzano (Caracas, Venezuela) and junior Tyler Lassiter (Wake Forest, N.C.). Manzano started 18 of the 19 games last season, his first with the Pack, and Lassiter has started all 34 games he has played in during his Wolfpack career.
NC State’s two outside starting defenders also return from last year’s squad. In his first season with the Pack last season, senior Korede Aiyegbusi (London, England) started all 19 games, and this past summer played with England at the World University Games in Serbia. Junior Lucas Carpenter (Apex, N.C.) started 18 of the 19 games at right outside defender a season ago.
A trio of youngsters will be looking to add to the mix of returning talent. Sophomore Farouk Bseiso (Raleigh, N.C.) got extensive playing time in the spring as a central defender, while classmate Zane Tharakan (Raleigh, N.C.) saw action in six games last season. Chandler Knox (Charlotte, N.C.) redshirted last season, but he will make a push for playing time on the right side after he was named to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy’s Best XI for the Atlantic Region as a senior in high school.
Senior Chris Franczkowski (Ellicott City, Md.) and sophomore Jelani Allen (Raleigh, N.C.) round out the Pack’s defenders.
THE MIDFIELDERS
Senior Alan Sanchez (Miami, Fla.) leads this group, playing as an attacking central midfielder. Last year, Sanchez earned All-ACC second-team honors for the second time in his career, as he finished second in the ACC in assists per game and fifth in points per game. On the year, he had eight goals and 10 assists for 26 points.
The Pack employs two defensive center midfielders to run along Sanchez, and both starters from last season are back for the 2009 campaign. Senior Chrystel Bakong (Douala, Cameroon) was only of only two players to start all 19 games last season, his first after transferring from Louisburg College. Junior Chris Zuerner (Charlotte, N.C.) was perhaps the Pack’s most improved player, starting 15 games and scoring four goals.
The Pack also returns its two starting outside midfielders from last season. Senior Federico Nachmann (Buenos Aires, Argentina) started 18 games in his first season with the Pack, and finished with four goals and three assists. After missing 2007 with an injury, sophomore Kris Byrd (Huntersville, N.C.) won the left midfield position and finished with two goals and four assists.
A pair of second year players will also be vying for playing time in the midfield. Watt Williams (Raleigh, N.C.) came off the bench as an outside midfielder last season, playing in all 19 games, Williams finished fourth on the Pack with nine points and his three goals were fifth. Bryan Booth (Colleyville, Texas) came off the bench in six games as an outside midfielder.
THE FORWARDS
The Pack’s second all-ACC selection returning for his senior season is Ronnie Bouemboue (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Bouemboue returned to action last season, after missing the 2007 season with a knee injury. He tied for first in the ACC in goals per game, and led the Pack with his 32 points and 14 goals. He was strong down the stretch, scoring seven goals in the final five games, and also being named to the ACC All-Tournament team. Fellow senior Amar Brkic (Winston-Salem, N.C.) will help provide depth this season. In his first season with the Pack last year after transferring from Lenoir-Rhyne, Brkic played in 11 games and got five starting nods at forward.
THE NEWCOMERS
Transfer Akil DeFreitas (Port of Spain, Trinidad) will be looking to add depth in the Pack’s midfield early on. DeFreitas comes to the Pack after spending the last three seasons at North Florida. Last season he was named Atlantic Sun first-team all-conference, as he was second on his squad in points (14) and goals (6). Prior to playing at North Florida, DeFreitas had playing experience with the U-17 to U-23 Trinidad and Tobago National Teams, and was called up to train with the national squad prior to the 2006 World Cup.
A pair of players will also be looking for playing time in the midfield, Daniel Comer (Chester, Va.) and Michael Smith (Cary, N.C.). Comer earned all-state honors in helping his team win the district championship as a senior, and Smith led local Apex High School in scoring in each of his last two seasons and also played for the national finalist CASL Elite. Sophomore Omar Asad (Raleigh, N.C.) also joins the team this season.
David Brown (Raleigh, N.C.) will provide depth for the Pack’s defense, as Brown will see action as a central defender. At local Millbrook High School, Brown earned all-region and all-conference honors as a junior and senior.
NC State also brought in goalkeeper Jeff Basey (Summerfield, N.C.) to add depth. Basey earned all-conference honors his last three years, and finished with 43 career shutouts and a GAA of just 0.56.
A pair of newcomers will miss the 2009 season each with a knee injury. Midfielder Michael Mastriano (Liverpool, N.Y.) and forward Andrew Carey (Charlotte, N.C.) will both be looking to bounce back and make contributions next season.
