Aug. 27, 2008

FAIRFAX, Va. - After advancing to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship for the first time in a decade in 2006, George Mason was unable to duplicate that success in 2007, due in large part to a rash of injuries to its offensive players, making goals hard to come by following the first month of the season. With a healthy group heading into the 2008 season, an experienced back line and an exciting batch of recruits joining the program, the Patriots have high hopes of returning to the high standards the team set during the 2006 season.

Offensively, the Patriots will have to improve upon the 15 goals they scored as a team during the 2007 season to be successful in the upcoming season. Improving offensively and adding depth in the attack was a major point of emphasis for the coaching staff during the offseason.

"We need to be better in the final third," said head coach Greg Andrulis. "We have to take some pressure off of ourselves defensively by creating more scoring chances and scoring more goals."

A healthy group of returning players mixed in with newcomers who know how to finish once they get the ball should make the Patriots much tougher to defend this season. A key attribute the newcomers have added to the team is speed, Andrulis said.

Three key forwards battled injuries during the 2007 season but are now healthy and ready to contribute at a high level. Redshirt sophomore Irvin Martinez returned to the field last season following an injury to his ACL and scored two goals and added two assists in 14 starts. Sophomore Parker Walton came in as a freshman and appeared in 14 matches but battled hamstring injuries throughout the season. Senior Lucas Pardew appeared in 15 matches but also battled injuries throughout the year.

Also returning on the offensive side of the field is senior forward Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe, who transferred from St. Francis (Pa.) and saw action in 15 matches in his first season at George Mason. Adjeman-Pamboe scored two goals during the year, including the game-winner against Delaware on Oct. 12. Junior forward Ernesto Marquez started 14 matches for the Patriots last season and led the team in assists with four.

Add in a recruiting class that was ranked 31st in the nation by College Soccer News with three members with national team experience and the attack figures to be greatly improved in 2008. Ryan Gracia, a midfielder from Wootton High School in Rockville, Md.; Axel Levry, a forward/midfielder from Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill, Md.; and Eber Martinez, a forward/midfielder from Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge, Va., all have experience competing for the U.S. Soccer Youth National Team. Gracia and Levry both made College Soccer News list of the Top 100 Freshman to Watch. In addition to the aforementioned trio, newcomers Peter Bulat, a forward/midfielder from Manheim Township High School in Lancaster, Pa.; Anthony Han, a midfielder who transferred from St. John's following his freshman season with the Red Storm; and Draymond Washington, a forward from Magruder High School in Rockville, Md., are all offensive-minded players as well.

"There are six guys in this recruiting class that are attacking players," Andrulis said. "So hopefully if we get into a situation where we're dealing with some injuries, we'll still have some guys that we can throw out there, even though they may be young. The lack of any depth in the attack last year was devastating to us."

While the attack figures to be greatly improved this season, Andrulis expects his veteran back line of defense to make it tough for opposing teams to score on the Patriots. Mason will have an experienced group of players forming a wall between opponents and its goal. Jonathan Borrajo, a three-year starter who has started every game the last two seasons; Michael Vallie, a transfer from Maryland after his freshman season who has started 38 matches the past two seasons; and Hugh Fike, who has appeared in 32 matches during his career, all figure to see significant time on the field. Another major contributor will be Eric Zuehsow, who stepped into the starting lineup as a freshman last year and saw action in 15 matches.

Returning for his junior season at midfield will be Richard Edgar, the Patriots lone member of the All-CAA Team last season, when he was a Third Team selection. Edgar also received 2007 adidas D.C. College Cup All-Tournament Team honors for his performance at the tournament last season. The Mechanicsville, Md. native has started every game since his arrival in Fairfax and is a leader on the field for the Green and Gold.

"Richard has a great passion for the game," Andrulis said. "His play and passion are infectious. He's one of those guys who makes others around him better. That is a unique attribute to have."

Also returning at the midfield spot is Fro Adu, who tied for the team lead in goals scored with three as a freshman, including a pair of game-winners. Like Edgar, Adu was also named to the 2007 adidas D.C. College Cup All-Tournament Team. The CAA Rookie of the Week Award winner on Sept. 4, Adu appeared in 18 matches for the Patriots, starting 14.

"Fro is a classy person and a very good soccer player," Andrulis said. "He'll continue to grow as a player and have a greater understanding of what it takes to be successful on this level. He's somebody that we think is a very valuable part of what we're trying to do."

Also returning to the team at the midfield position is senior Elon Backer and junior Rich Stone. Joining the team as a newcomer at midfield will be Robby Haddick, from Dayton Christian High School in Miamisburg, Ohio. Returning defenders include sophomore Patrick Barthold, sophomore Mike Foss, senior Tyler Orzak, junior Alex Procter and sophomore Steven Wagoner. Newcomers on defense include Sean Healy, from Douglas Freeman High School in Richmond, Va.; and Alex Stom, from South Lakes High School in Reston, Va.

Manning the net for the third consecutive season will be Sean Kelley. After a spectacular freshman season in 2006 in which he was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and earned NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region Third Team honors, Kelley's statistics dropped off during the 2007 season, although he still earned four shutouts in 17 starts as a sophomore. Andrulis expects the Lexington, Ky. native to bounce back in a big way in 2008.

"Sean has looked really good so far," Andrulis said. "He's sharp and eager to have a great season; it looks like the sky's the limit for him."

Backing up Kelley in goal will be a pair of freshman - Dustin Butcher, from Sherando High School in Stephens City, Va.; and Alex Morgans, from Jackson Memorial High School in Jackson, N.J. Andrulis hopes the depth at the position will push all three goalkeepers to raise their level of play.

"The idea is that they are going to press Sean for playing time and get ready to find a spot out on the field at any moment," Andrulis said. "They are both very good, very athletic. It's a great situation to have three real quality goalkeepers. It's very competitive right now."

After playing a preseason schedule featuring Virginia Tech and Georgetown, George Mason will play in a pair of tournaments to start the season. The Patriots will play at the D.C. College Cup in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 29-31 and the SMU Mi Cocina Classic in Dallas, Texas on Sept. 12-13. Sandwiched between those two tournaments is a showdown with in-state rival Virginia at George Mason Stadium on Sept. 5. The Cavaliers finished last season with a 12-8-2 overall record, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

After traveling to Dallas, Texas for the SMU Mi Cocina Classic, Mason finishes its September schedule with three consecutive home matches, including the Colonial Athletic Association opener against Virginia Commonwealth on Sept. 27. The CAA schedule continues through early November and the Patriots close out the regular season with a match against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. on Nov. 7.

The CAA Championship Tournament will include the top six teams in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season schedule. The third and fourth seeds will host quarterfinal matches on Nov. 11. The winners of those two matches will advance to the CAA Championship Semifinals, held on Nov. 14 at the home of the top seed. The Championship Match is slated for Nov. 16. The winner of the CAA Championship Tournament will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, with first round matches scheduled to begin on Nov. 21-22.

The Patriots were picked to finish eighth in the 2008 CAA Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll. Old Dominion was picked to win the conference title, with VCU second and Drexel third. The Monarchs are riding a streak of six straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament and have advanced to the round of 16 the past two seasons. Rounding out the poll were Hofstra, Towson, James Madison, William and Mary, George Mason, Northeastern, UNC Wilmington, Delaware and Georgia State.