By Danny Contreras
The Men’s Soccer Blue Devils look to impress again this year after an astounding season in 2011 where hey finished as co-champions and semi-finalists.
The Blue Devils, who fell to eventual champions Monmouth in the NEC tournament semi-final, formed a surprise team package last season after an abysmal 2010 performance where they finished last in the NEC and only managed one conference win.
Coach Green, however, rebuilt the whole team around a 4 player spine with Occhialini in between the posts, and the Dioubate Brothers with Aaron Durr on defense and midfield. An attack trident was created with Reece Wilson leading the line and Thomas Obasi and Steven Bailey both supporting him.
While six seniors graduated, including Durr and Vice-captain, Ognen Stamenkovik, the spine and trident have remained largely untouched. The team, though, recruited ten players this season from around the state, the country, and the world.
On defense, freshman Ben Knight will take over Durr’s gap as a 5’11” defender from Burton Albion FC. The defender won the 2011 BAFC Youth Player of the Year, and has been described by Coach Green as, “a top class person on and off the field. Ben has natural pace and is a tenacious ball winner.” The coveted defender is a native of Nottingham, England.
The men’s soccer midfield is crowded with senior Jesse Menzies expected to hold down a definite starting place, and Bailey shifting between left-back and left-winger. Competition for these two is not far off with new recruit Myles Clohessy joining the Blue Devils from Soccerplus. A natural midfielder, Clohessy joined the NY Red Bulls U-18 team, and won accolades as All-Berkshire League first teamer with his time at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.
“Myles will add immediately to our team and is projected to be critical to our success over the next four years,” Coach Green said about the precocious midfielder. He trained in the Connecticut Olympic Development Program.
Although the attack seems solid with Wilson, Obasi and Eddy Bogle guaranteed starting line-ups following their performances last season, Coach Green brought freshman forward Frederick Metellus to boost his trident attack. Coach Green says he is looking forward to developing the young player.
“We are so excited to have him commit to CCSU and we look forward to taking his game to another level,” says Green. “The 5’1” player led his team to a Connecticut Southwest championship and won all All-area Team honors this past year.”
With a rejuvenated and talented team, the fixtures are the most important part of this year’s competition as the local derbies intensify, and other teams seek to usurp Monmouth’s supremacy on the NEC conference.
The Blue Devils will take on Yale University for the first game of the regular season at home on August 31. Yale defeated CCSU in last year’s fixture 0-2. In three days’ time, September 3, the Blue Devils enter the Greater Hartford Derby away to University of Hartford, seeking to avenge their 1-0 lost last year at home..
On September 23, the Blue Devils begin their NEC campaign taking on Stony Brook before facing NEC Champions Monmouth at home two days later. The New Jersey school will try to settle the score against CCSU as they have not been able to win cleanly over Central Connecticut. Last year’s fixture ended with victory for the Blue Devils (1-2) and their semi-final leg ended 1-1 with Monmouth winning on PKs.
The ending of the NEC campaign pits the Blue Devils against Sacred Heart at home and Quinnipiac away on October 21and November 2, respectively. Both teams defeated the Blue Devils in last year’s regular season. Quinnipiac won by a goal, while Sacred Heart managed a routine 2-0 win over Central Connecticut. Sacred Heart was seeded third in last year’s semi-final with CCSU winning second seed. The season culminates with a home game against Bryant University on November 4.
The Blue Devils are seeded fifth for this year’s campaign; nevertheless, Coach Green will seek to win the regular season as this is the second year of his 4 year plan. With a strong back-line, a solid midfield and a killer attack, it is very much possible for this team to end in the first spot. But in the game anything goes, and a finish below the fourth spot will be seen as disappointing and abysmal.