Tonight's Game- The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's soccer team (1-0) looks to keep its momentum going when they host the Villanova Wildcats (1-0) on Sunday evening at 5:00 p.m. at University Stadium in Teaneck, NJ. The Knights are coming off a 3-1 victory against Boston College.
Knights vs. Villanova - The Knights first met the Wildcats to open the 2004 season in Pennsylvania on Sept. 1. The two teams played to a double-overtime 0-0 draw.
About the Wildcats- The Wildcats opened their season with a 1-0 win over the University of Delaware. Freshman Joe Taylor scored with 31 seconds left in regulation. The Wildcats compiled a record of 7-5-6 last season.
Last Season - Fairleigh Dickinson finished 10-8-1 in 2004, winning its second straight NEC regular season title and fourth in the last five years. The Knights also advanced to their fifth straight NEC Tournament championship game and reached the 10-win mark for the sixth consecutive season, finishing with a No. 9 ranking in the Mid-Atlantic region.
For Openers - After posting a 3-1 win over Boston College to open the 2005 season, the Knights are now 28-18-6 all-time in openers and 1-2-2 in their last five. Prior to this season, the Knights' last win on opening day came in 2000, a 3-1 victory over Delaware.
Preseason Prediction - Fairleigh Dickinson is the preseason favorite to capture the 2005 Northeast Conference men's soccer championship, according to a poll of league head coaches released on Tuesday. The Knights earned six first place votes, beating out defending conference champion Long Island, which was picked second and corralled two first place votes.
In the midst of the one of the most successful stretches in NEC history in any sport, Fairleigh Dickinson, who finished 10-8, 7-2 NEC last season, is out to reclaim the men's soccer crown after seeing its run of four straight conference championships come to an end with a 1-0 setback to Long Island in the 2005 title match. Over the last five seasons, the Knights have posted a 35-8-5 record in league play and have won nine out of ten NEC Tournament matches. FDU has also won four NCAA College Cup games since 2001 and finished the season ranked in the College Soccer News top-30 for three straight years from 2001-03.
The Knights' recent success has occurred under the watchful eye of Seth Roland, now entering his ninth season at the helm of the program. In 2005, Roland will field an experienced lineup that includes eight returning starters, three of whom who were tabbed NEC all-stars a year ago. The straw that stirs the drink for the Knights is senior midfielder and playoff veteran Nadav Gottesman, a three-time all-conference performer who contributed four goals and an assist in 2004. Classmate Mirza Rusevic joins Gottesman to give FDU a terrific one-two punch in the midfield. Rusevic, who scored five times and led the Knights with six assists and 16 points last season, was tabbed to the all-NEC first team for his performance. Up front, the Knights feature 2004 NEC Rookie of the Year Pino Tubito. Though the smallest player on the FDU squad - he measures 5' 7" and tips the scale at 135 lbs. - Tubito was able to wreak havoc on the field in his rookie campaign, finishing as the Knights' leading scorer with six goals. Between the pipes, FDU can count on junior Elvir Prasovic, who ended the year second in the NEC with a 0.95 goals against average. As always, Roland will challenge his players with a grueling non-league slate that includes tilts with Boston College, Villanova, Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Princeton.
NEC Tournament- The 2005 NEC Men's Soccer Tournament will take place at the home of the high seed on November 11 & 13. The top four teams in the regular season standings will advance to the postseason event. The winner of the NEC Tournament will receive the league's automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Men's Soccer College Cup.
Head Coach Seth Roland - Seth Roland took over the Fairleigh Dickinson University men's soccer program in 1997 with goals of rebuilding it into a Northeast Conference power, a force in the region and bringing it back into the national spotlight. In his first seven years, he has guided the program to four straight NEC tournament championships, three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, five NEC regular season titles and another NCAA play-in appearance.
Villanova Head Coach- Villanova Head Coach Larry Sullivan is in his 15th season at the helm. Sullivan led the Wildcats to a 7-5-6 overall record in 2004.
Taking Notice- The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's soccer team was listed as a team "to keep an eye on" by collegesoccernews.com. The Knights also received votes in the 2005 Preseason Top 30 National Rankings poll. The complete release can be viewed at www.collegesoccernews.com.
The Knights were selected to capture the 2005 Northeast Conference men's soccer championship, according to a poll of league head coaches.
The Knights, who finished 10-8-1, 7-2 NEC last season, are currently in the midst of the one of the most successful stretches in NEC history in any sport. Over the last five seasons, the Knights have posted a 35-8-5 record in league play and have won nine out of ten NEC Tournament matches. FDU has also won four NCAA College Cup games since 2001 and finished the season ranked in the College Soccer News top-30 for three straight years from 2001-03.
Freshman Alejandro Bedoya (Weston, FL) was selected as one of the "100 Freshmen to Watch" by collegesoccernews.com. The midfielder scored 31 goals and 13 assists at St. Thomas Aquinas High School and played on the club team Weston Warriors. The complete release can be viewed at www.collegesoccernews.com.
