Pirates Kick Off 2017 Campaign On Friday Night

Friday, August 25

South Orange, N.J.

7 p.m.

Seton Hall University

Saint Peter's

8/24/2017 10:55:00 AM | Men's Soccer

WATCH LIVE STATS ROSTER

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall men's soccer team kicks off its 79^th season on Friday night when it hosts Saint Peter's at Owen T. Carroll Field. The Pirates return seven starters and pair of All-Conference performers as they open the regular season at home for the first time since 2013. Match time is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed live and FREE on the Pirate Sports Network and the SHU Pirates app.

In Head Coach Gerson Echeverry's sixth year at the helm of his alma mater the Pirates will look to fuse an experienced crop of returners with an extensive incoming class that includes a trio of JUCO All-Americans. The Hall posted a four-win improvement from 2015 to 2016 and aims to continue that momentum heading into the 2017 campaign.

The meeting with Saint Peter's will mark the 43^rd time the local rivals have met on the pitch, including a 3-1 victory for the Pirates in Jersey City last season. The series dates back to the 1959 campaign and The Hall holds a 27-11-4 record all-time. See below for a position-by-position breakdown heading into the 2017 season.

FORWARDS (Three Returning, Two Lost, Two Newcomers)
The top returner up top is sophomore Jonathan Jimenez (Cape Coral, Fla.), who burst onto the scene with two goals and a team-high five assists as a rookie last season. The BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection possesses a rare blend of power and speed and will continue to be a key figure in the Pirate attack.

Also returning at the forward positon for The Hall are upperclassmen Gaspar Jean-Baptiste (Valley Stream, N.Y.) and Christian Buitrago (Parsippany, N.J.). Jean-Baptiste made 14 appearances last season and scored his first career goal against Lehigh on Sept. 10.

Bringing some added scoring punch to the attack are a pair of junior college transfers in Felipe Hideki (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and Marco Neves (Tracy, Calif.). Hideki scored 22 times in 16 matches for Monroe College last season to earn NJCAA All-America honors, while Neves tallied 25 times at Las Positas College and was named an NSCAA Second Team JUCO All-American.

MIDFIELDERS (Eight Returning, Two Lost, Three Newcomers)
An extremely experienced group in the midfield as headlined by the return of top scorer Andres Arcila (Cartagena, Colombia), who earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors in 2016 after scoring seven goals and adding four assists for a team-high 18 points. Arcila has recorded an 9g-7a-25p scoring line in 30 career contests in the Blue and White and will be one of the top players to watch in the BIG EAST this season.

Joining Arcila among the returners in the middle of the park are Francisco Alderete (Salta, Argentina), Spencer Burkhardt (Palmyra, Pa.), Mario Prata (Dracut, Mass.) and Nathan Tremonti (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), who each scored a goal in the 2016 season. In the defensive half of the midfield, Patrick Burd (Hillsborough, N.J.) and Brandon Sabinsky (Belle Mead, N.J.) combined for 31 appearances last year and will bring a veteran presence to the unit.

Newcomers Juan Camilo Abella (Cali, Colombia), Andres Veizaga (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) and Gabriel Viola (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) all join the midfield as transfers coming in as juniors. Viola was an NJCAA All-American at Iowa Western Community College last season, while Veizaga scored nine goals at Jefferson College in Missouri.

DEFENDERS (Six returning, one lost, one newcomer)
The core of the Pirate defense returns, with central defenders Nick Najera (Laguna Hills, Calif.), Lukas Pangonis (Kaunas, Lithuania) and John Philbin (Emmaus, Pa.) each back after seeing the bulk of action last season. Pedro Neto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) is also working his way back from an injury that cost him all but four games last season and figures to be a key cog in the defense.

At outside back, Corey Burkhardt (Palmyra, Pa.) and Noah Teperow (Lowell, Mass.) provide veteran depth and pace on the wings. The lone newcomer to the unit is freshman Deian Petrov (Timisoara, Romania) who joins The Hall after an illustrious prep career at The Pine School in Florida.

GOALKEEPERS (Two returning, two lost, three newcomers)
Following the graduation of four-year starter Julian Spindler, the Pirates will turn to a new keeper for the first time since 2012 when the season begins. Peyton Elder (Cary, N.C.) and Chris Martinez (Englewood, N.J.) return to the Pirates, with Elder making one appearance last season.
New between the pipes are Steven Catudal (Sacramento, Calif.), Elliot Munford (Auckland, New Zealand) and James Weinberg (Morganville, N.J.). Munford was a member of the New Zealand U17 and U20 national teams during his prep career, while Weinberg was named NJ.com Shore Conference Goalie of the Year as a senior at Marlboro High.

Following the season opener on Friday night, the Pirates remain at home to host Rider on Monday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.