NEWBURGH, N.Y. – Coming off its first Skyline Conference Regular Season Championship, and now two seasons removed from its first-ever Skyline Conference Championship, the Mount Saint Mary College men's soccer team enters the 2015 campaign with less of a target on its back, but just as much drive to return to prominence.
Entering the 2014 Skyline Conference Championship Tournament as the top seed, and looking to defend their 2013 Skyline Title, the Knights faced off with the only conference foe to defeat them during the regular season, St. Joseph's College (L.I.). Unfortunately, the result was the same, as the Knights fell to the Golden Eagles in the semifinal round of the tournament, ending their hopes of repeating as champions. Head coach
Kevin Longacre admits that this was a bitter pill to swallow, but the result was not surprising.
"As a coaching staff, we weren't completely shocked by it because we don't think we played to our ultimate potential even during the regular season," said Longacre. "Certainly for the returning players, they understand what happened last year, and the things they need to avoid so it doesn't happen again."
While the Knights went 8-1 against Skyline opponents in 2014, the road to first place was not as easy as the team's record may imply. Longacre explains that entering the season as champions comes with its own difficulties.
"The adage is true, when you get to the top, it's harder to stay there than it is to get there because the guys get overconfident," said Longacre. "Being champions, everybody was trying to take their shots at us."
The Knights head into 2015 without the title of "defending champions" hanging over their heads. In addition, Longacre introduced a large incoming class of players that have yet to experience what some of the veteran Knights have gone through over the past few seasons. Longacre believes that this mix of the old guard and the rookies will pay dividends for the 2015 squad.
"I would say one of the issues we had last year was that there wasn't enough competition within the team," said Longacre. "Everybody's starting to understand the dynamics of the quality of the class that we have coming in, so the upperclassmen are definitely looking over their shoulders knowing someone is ready to take their place."
The Knights graduated numerous student-athletes after the 2014 season that were key contributors to the success of the team the past two seasons. However, an experienced group of returning players helps keep the Knights confident, while the addition of 11 new players reassures the team of its chances to get back to the top of the conference.
GOALKEEPERS Senior
Austin Peluso (Farmington, Conn.) returns for his second season after transferring from Endicott College. An impressive first season that saw Peluso go 8-4-2 overall led to his first designation to the Skyline Men's Soccer All-Conference Second Team. He finished 2014 ranking third in the conference in shutouts (4) and goals-against average (1.47). Junior
Tyler Biscone (Garden City, N.Y.) returns as well after going 3-1 with a shutout in four starts a year ago.
FORWARDS Senior
Michael Ennis (Carmel, N.Y.) is the leading offensive returner for the Knights, having tallied 16 points on six goals and four assists in just 14 games in 2014. His 20 career goals leave him just eight shy of tying the program record of 28.
The Knights have plenty of depth on the attack this season, but 2015 will be the first opportunity for many Knight forwards to make a larger impact. Junior
Michael Zanfardino (Saint James, N.Y.) provided the Knights with four assists last season, while sophomore
Eric Hayes (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.) totaled three points on a goal and an assist in 2014. Sophomore
Joseph Sadofsky (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) dished out a pair of assists in his first season with the Knights.
Junior
Cole Niemec (Rochelle Park, N.J.) started 14 of the 15 games in which he played for the Knights in 2014, and now has a chance to take on a greater striker role for the team. Senior
Adam Palumbo (East Islip, N.Y.) did not score in limited time in 2014, but managed to net three goals in 2013 in just 10 games.
Adding to the mix are freshmen
Bereket Watts and
Jonathan Schefer. Watts and Schefer were both two-time All-Conference players at McGann Mercy High School and John Glen High School, respectively.
MIDFIELDERS Junior
Matthew Minniter (Mahopac, N.Y.) leads a very young pack of midfielders for the Knights. Minniter had a career year in 2014, scoring five times and adding an assist for 11 points.
Four freshmen will vie for time along with Minniter in the midfield.
Fred Stark (Hollis, N.Y.) missed all of the 2014 season, and will now participate in his first year of collegiate action. In addition,
Michael Blaauboer (Latham, N.Y.),
Connor Lynch (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and
Demoy Solomon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will all get a chance to mix in and earn their spots.
DEFENSE The backline has the most depth for the Knights in 2015, with a good mix of veterans and rookies all looking to make an impact. Senior
Ivan Dorador (Valley Stream, N.Y.) leads the pack, returning after an injury-shortened 2014 campaign. Dorador was impressive in his limited action, scoring game-winning goals in back-to-back games to lead the Knights to the Fredonia Blue Devil Classic championship and earn himself the tournament's MVP award.
Senior
William Ryan Winski (Goshen, N.Y.) was a staple on defense in 2014, helping the Knights become one of the best defensive teams in the Skyline Conference. Junior
Elmer Moran (Brentwood, N.Y.) has had limited opportunities with the Knights so far in his career, and looks to take the next step in 2015.
Sophomore
Jay Marchese (Cold Spring, N.Y.) only saw time in three games in 2014 behind a deep Knight lineup, but has a chance to improve this number on a young team this season.
Five freshmen will vie for playing time and ever-increasing roles with the backline in 2015.
Joseph Dolan (New Paltz, N.Y.),
Matthew Fuge (Avon, Conn.),
Shacore Graham (Mount Vernon, N.Y.),
Robert Coronia (Ossining, N.Y.) and
Francis Ferreira (Shirley, N.Y.) all contribute to a deep Knight defense, but all have the opportunity to carve out a long-term niche with the team.
The Knights put together a tough non-conference schedule in 2015, which includes highly ranked teams such as Rutgers-Newark and Amherst College. The Knights faced off with both teams in 2014, narrowly falling to Rutgers-Newark, 2-1, and drawing with Amherst, ranked No. 10 in the nation at the time, 2-2, after a highly competitive matchup in which the Knights came 49 seconds from a regulation victory.
The Knights' schedule is such to prepare them for a deep run this season. Coach Longacre explains that the team's goal for this year has not changed from the last few.
"[The goal is] the same as always, win the title," said Longacre. "It wasn't easy two years ago when we won it. It certainly wasn't easy trying to repeat this past year, but I think there's a little bit of a renewed challenge for the returning group."
The Knights open the new season on Tuesday, Sept. 1, when they take a short trip over to SUNY New Paltz for a matchup with the Hawks. Following a tough weekend up at the Union Soccer Classic in Schenectady, N.Y., over which they will take on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Union College, the Knights will play their home opener at Kaplan Field on Wednesday, Sept. 9, with an 8 p.m. matchup with Bard College.
Follow the Knights on Twitter at
@MSMCKnights
