Talented Pirates Should Make Run at Big East Title
5/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Midway through the 1999 season, the Seton Hall men's soccer team looked like it was on its way to a memorable year. On October 2, the Pirates were 8-1, with their only loss to No. 6 Virginia in overtime, 4-3. The Pirates stumbled in the second half, however, finishing 9-8-1 and being outscored 15-4 over the final nine games.
Looking to the 2000 campaign, head coach Manny Schellscheidt hopes his squad can rebound from that disappointing finish and play at a high level for the entire season. A glance at Schellscheidt's returning players leads one to believe the Pirates can have a very successful year despite the loss of BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year Peter Scavo and key defensive midfielders Shaun Nicholson, A.J. Panas and Jeff Rigby. The Pirates will be experienced at nearly every position and have an athletic, talented nucleus.
The task of replacing Scavo's offensive production does not seem so daunting with the return of forward Greg Strohmann. Strohmann, a preseason All-BIG EAST selection, has scored 17 goals in two years as a Pirate and enters his junior season as an All-American candidate.
Strohmann will not be alone up front, as the Pirates have firepower in sophomores Alim Ibragimov, Phil Swenda and Vincent Scerbo. Ibragimov and Swenda each scored three goals last year and will see their chances increase. The duo is supremely talented and should pose problems for opponents with their quickness and deft feet. Scerbo saw a lot of action at midfield last year but is better suited for forward, where he can use his speed to his advantage.
The midfield should also be a source of strength for the Pirates, despite the fact that a couple of newcomers will most likely earn starting spots. Senior Brian Cuddy heads the list of returning midfielders. Cuddy was superb in 1999, finishing with two goals and 11 assists and earning All-BIG EAST Second Team honors.
Senior Arda Altincatal could be thrust into a starting role after coming off the bench his first three years. Altincatal is a heady player with good toughness who should make a smooth transition to increased playing time. Another player who will see his time on the field expand is junior Luke Serafin. Serafin has always been a talented prospect who has played behind great players. This year, he will get ample opportunities to flourish.
Sophomores Eric Mendel and J.P. Vercollone will also be worked into the mix at midfield. Both players saw limited action last year.
Eyeing the remaining midfield positions are several newcomers. Raymie Marchak, a transfer from Rhode Island, will be a senior and brings the Pirates plenty of experience from three years of Division I soccer. Two freshmen, Ryan McGowan and Ingo Dittel, have an excellent chance to win starting roles. McGowan is a very talented player who was named New Jersey Player of the Year last year by the Star-Ledger. Dittel, from Hannover, Germany, is a talented international product with extensive club experience. Frank Skoch and Luke Vercollone are freshmen who will also give the Pirates versatility and athleticism in the midfield.
Seton Hall will have the luxury of a sturdy group of returnees in the back. Senior John Wuebbeling, junior Brian Ruth and sophomore Torsten Knor form one of the top defenses in the BIG EAST, and will be counted on to shut down the various high-powered offenses on the schedule this year. Wuebbeling played in 14 games last year, starting 12 while Ruth and Knor started 17 and 16 games, respectively. Slightly less experienced, sophomore Ryan Witt will most likely earn the fourth defensive spot. Witt played in 18 games last year with six starts and showed a lot of promise as the year went on. Sophomore Christian Reinecker and freshman Marco Hordynsky add depth to the backline.
An area of concern could be at goalkeeper. Sophomore Efren Aguirre returns as the incumbent starter after playing in 15 games last year and finishing with a 1.40 goals against average. He will be pushed by redshirt freshman Alex McDonald, who did not play last year but made great strides in the offseason, and freshman John Servidio. If Aguirre, who showed flashes of brilliance last season, can be consistent, goalkeeping will be a strength, not a weakness, for the Pirates.
Seton Hall will be tested early and often in 2000, with another tough schedule. After opening with games at home against Adelphi (Sept. 1) and Monmouth (Sept. 3), the Pirates play six straight BIG EAST games, starting with away matches at St. John's and Connecticut and home games vs. Rutgers and Boston College. The Pirates travel to Stanford for the Stanford Invitational, facing the host school on Sept. 29 and Cal-Berkeley on Oct. 1. The BIG EAST Tournament begins on Nov. 4, with the semi-finals and finals at Rutgers Nov. 10 & 12.
