University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Aims To Build On Success
August 26, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2003
Sam Koch faces one of the biggest question marks entering his 13th season at UMass that he has faced in his time at the helm: How do you replace the school's all-time leading scorer and the most productive senior class in school history?
Koch believes he has the answer with a blend of returning starters that are ready to step up and talented youngsters who are anxious to prove their abilities.
Gone are All-American Jeff Deren and All-New England selections Yuri Morales and Derek Rhodes who led the Minutemen to three Atlantic 10 Championships (two regular season, one tournament), a 52-25-5 record and the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth and win in 2001.
Returning are All-Atlantic 10 performer Ptah Myers and a solid midfield corps, headlined by seniors Dan Colwell, Andrew Eicher and Devlin Barnes.
"We are replacing almost our whole team that made the 2001 NCAA Tournament, and several key players that are hard to replace," said Koch. "We have an awful lot to replace, but we feel very confident in the players we have returning and that our young players will step up."
FORWARDS
Despite losing UMass' all-time leading scorer in Deren (113 career points), UMass' offense will again be solid.
Senior Ptah Myers scored 23 points (8 g, 7 a) last season, and has shown explosive scoring ability. He is one of nine UMass players to tally four goals in a game (Temple; 2001) and scored six points against St. Bonaventure last season. He was a 2002 second team All-Atlantic 10 selection and had a six-game scoring streak late in the year (6-3-15). Myers has 49 career points and needs just 11 to enter UMass' all-time top 10 scoring list.
"Ptah is our top returning forward," commented Koch. "He has great speed, a hard shot and is a strong finisher. When he has the ball on his foot, he is a very dangerous player."
Junior Oral Bullen figures to push for a starting role. Bullen appeared in all 20 games, and despite scoring only one goal in a 6-0 win over Hartford, Bullen could be the offensive spark Koch is looking for.
"Oral had a tremendous spring. He is a very dangerous player, and we really don't know what he can accomplish," said Koch.
Sophomore Ernie Billittier also expects to boost the UMass offense. Billittier scored five points (1 g, 3 a) while playing in 17 games last season. By comparison, Deren had eight points as a freshman, showing that Billittier has the potential to be a good one at UMass.
"Ernie is probably the best finisher of the three," said Koch.
"We feel very comfortable with the trio of forwards we have," said Koch. "Ptah is a proven player in the A-10, and Oral and Ernie just need some more game experience to become very good players."
MIDFIELD
The Minutemen's strength may come from their midfield. Four starters return in the midfield, accounting for 125 starts between the quartet.
Senior co-captain Andrew Eicher has played in every game in his three years at UMass, drawing 59 starts in his 62 career games. He has scored 15 career points (5 g, 5 a), including a career-best six points (2 g, 2 a) last season.
"Andrew will be the anchor of the midfield," said Koch. "He is a good ball-handler, and how well he performs defensively will determine how well our team performs defensively."
Dan Colwell missed four games with an injury last season, but still managed to score nine points (1 g, 7 a), while playing in 16 games. Colwell, who handles most of UMass' throw-ins and corner kicks, dished out two assists in wins over Dayton and Fordham. He scored his only goal in a 6-0 victory over Hartford, in which he also dished out an assist.
"Dan is a great passer and a good finisher. I expect him to have a very good senior season," added Koch.
With Eicher playing the middle and Colwell holding down the left side, the right side is up for grabs. Four players (Gabe Barnard, Zach Barnard, Smith Utubor and Marco Tuesta) that have seen playing time and three newcomers (Ian O'Donnell, Richie Higa and Ralph Pace) all figure to compete for the starting role.
Devlin Barnes will man the defensive midfielder position with a wealth of experience for Koch. Barnes played in all 20 games in 2002, drawing 19 starts. He has appeared in 52 career games, tallying five points (2 g, 1 a), with both of his netters coming last season against Hartford and Richmond. Barnes will be pushed by sophomore Jason Scudamore, who had a terrific freshman campaign with four points (1 g, 2 a).
"Devlin had a great spring and has really improved," commented Koch. "Jason had a strong season last year and we are expecting big things from both of them." Koch mentioned that whoever doesn't earn the starting spot at defensive midfield could be moved to the right midfield position or to a defenseman position.
DEFENSEMAN
UMass' defensive unit will be a young, but a talented, deep unit. The Minutemen return only 30 games of experience, and graduated All-Atlantic 10 performer Derek Rhodes.
The leader of the defense will be junior Chris Camerota. Camerota played in all 20 games last season, drawing starts in 17 of them. He distributed assists in the 3-3 tie with Duquesne and a 3-1 victory over Saint Joseph's.
"Chris is a great 1-on-1 marker," said Koch. "He will likely draw the assignment of marking the other team's top player."
The only other Minuteman with playing time in the back is sophomore Tim Kitchell. Kitchell played in 13 games last season, drawing three starts. He registered one shot, and adds a physical presence in the back, as he stands 6-3, 190 pounds.
"Tim had a great spring after a decent fall last year," said Koch. "He is a big, physical player that we expect a lot out of this fall."
Another player that figures to play a significant role in the back is sophomore Craig Canavan. Canavan has a wealth of experience, playing at New Hampshire for a year, before enrolling with the United States Navy for five years. Canavan will bring almost six years of experience to the table, and Koch expects him to contribute right away.
"He should be able to step in right away and contribute," said Koch. "He brings in some experience that we are looking for back there."
Newcomer Todd Skelton figures to be in the mix as well. Koch also implied that O'Donnell and Scudamore can slide to a backer position if needed.
"We have very good depth on the defensive end this year," said Koch. "This could be a strength of our team this year."
GOALIES
UMass lost its top goalie, Enzo Altomare, to graduation, but returns two goalies who both played significant roles last season.
Senior Colin Burns appeared in five games last season with three starts. Although he posted an 0-3-0 record, he showed flashes of stellar play, stopping a career-best seven shots in a 3-0 loss to Michigan State in the title game of the UMass adidas Classic. He finished with a 2.17 GAA and a .682 save percentage.
Senior Dave Doucette played in only one game last season, but made that appearance count, making three saves in earning the victory over Maine, 4-1.
Sophomore Lester Melendez has a wealth of international experience and is also in the mix.
"The job is Colin's to lose," said Koch. "He got some experience last season and he should be much improved this season.
"Dave worked very hard over the summer. Lester also has had a good summer and is a very capable goalkeeper as well," added Koch.
Koch mentioned that freshmen Nick Billman and Ryan Walsh could also push for time.
"They are coming in with the mentality that they are going to start. They are ready to challenge for the starting role," said Koch.
SCHEDULE
The Minutemen have once again loaded up on a strong non-conference schedule to prepare for the weekly rigors of an Atlantic 10 season.
UMass opens the season with an exhibition game at home against the University of Montreal and then in Chicopee against St. John's, which spent much of the 2002 season ranked No. 1, and is ranked No. 3 in this year's preseason national poll.
"These two opponents are outstanding teams and will give us a great boost heading into the season, just playing teams of that caliber," said Koch.
After a road game at regional rival Hartford, the Minutemen head to muggy Alabama for games in the UAB Nike Classic. UMass will battle an improved Birmingham Southern team, before taking on a UAB squad that figures to be ranked in the nation's top 15.
"Hartford is always a battle, and will have a definite vendetta on us after last season," said Koch. "UAB is a great team that will get better as the season goes on, because it has one of the country's top recruiting classes."
The following weekend comes the UMass adidas Classic and games against a good Mercer team and Navy, which defeated UMass, 3-2 in overtime, in last year's finals of the Navy Classic.
"Mercer will be an outstanding team and Navy defeated us last year and is well-coached. These two games will be big tests for us," said Koch.
After the UMass adidas Classic, Boston University comes calling to Amherst, before finishing up with road trips to Siena and New Hampshire.
"UNH and Siena are tough places to play, and Boston University had a great recruiting year and was much better than its record indicated last year," added Koch.
The schedule-makers didn't give UMass any breaks at the start of the A-10 slate. Preseason league favorites George Washington and Richmond come to town the first weekend of conference play in early October.
"Richmond appears to be the team to beat in the A-10, but George Washington, Duquesne, Rhode Island and Xavier also appear to be very good this year."
This year's A-10 Tournament has been expanded to six teams, with the top two teams getting byes in the first round. Seeds 3-6 must win three games in four days to get the conference's automatic berth.
"Our goal is to finish in the top six and get to the A-10 Tournament again, where anything can happen. It will be tougher this year for an underdog, but we feel that we have a team that can compete for the A-10 Tournament title with some experience under our belts."
