[Kutztown Press Release] 2007 Kutztown University Men's Soccer Preview

[Josh Leiboff]

2007 Kutztown University Men's Soccer Preview

August 22, 2007

 

Young Golden Bears Look to Improve Offense in 2007

      The Kutztown University men's soccer team has health and experience on
its side to start the 2007 season. Four seniors, including a now-healthy
Greg Sassaman, lead an experienced group of six sophomores and three juniors
into the new campaign.

 

      KU, which finished 2-17-1 overall and 2-13-1 in the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference, will look to ignite an offense that struggled last
season, scoring just eight goals.

 

      Otto Ormosi, heading into his 10th year as the head men's soccer
coach, believes that number will go up.

      "If we stay healthy, we're going to score a lot more goals," he said.

 

      Sassaman, who tallied just an assist last year after playing only 11
games because of an injury, hopes to return to his 2005 form when he scored
five goals and four assists. He had a productive spring, scoring seven goals
in three games, and Ormosi expects that type of play out of his senior
forward.

 

      Jake Young (so. Blandon/Fleetwood), a transfer from Division I
Syracuse, will play alongside Sassaman this season. Young started in two
games and played in seven last season for the Orange. He had 36 goals and 27
assists in high school, leading Fleetwood to a 67-27-3 record in his four
years.

 

      Rusty Chapel, a sophomore who recorded an assist with nine starts and
20 appearances, sophomores Joe Carmina and Carl Gompf (so. Milford/Delaware
Valley Regional) and junior Bill Frosoni return to solidify a deep corps of
forwards.

 

      Matt Kade, who tallied a goal and an assist last season, will provide
the senior leadership in the midfield. He will play inside, along with
junior Nicholas Forte, who will have more of an attacking role. Kade will
play a more defensive-minded game in the midfield. 

 

      Sophomore Jason Lear and junior Charlie Kulp are slated to play the
outside midfield positions.

 

      Ryan Mudgett (fr. Topton/Brandywine Heights), Raul Velasquez (fr.
Macungie/Emmaus), James Robinson (jr. Ellesmere Port, ENGLAND) and Keegan
Moyer (jr. Blandon/Fleetwood), a transfer from St. Joseph's, will make their
KU debut this season, and all could get a chance to play in the midfield.

 

      Incoming freshman Pat Vymazal (fr. Kutztown/Kutztown), who Ormosi says
has "terrific speed," also will vie for playing time in the midfield.
Vymazal, as is the case for several other players, is talented in more than
just one position.

 

      "We are very versatile," Ormosi said. "We have players who can play
two positions equally well."

 

      Senior Collin Dalton, who played in the midfield last season, will
move back to play defense in front of senior goalkeeper Ryan Kratz. Dalton
is a three-year starter for the Golden Bears.  Kratz, a 6-foot-1 keeper, had
a 2.67 goals against average in his first full season as a starter last
year. Sophomore Matthew Fredericks will back up Kratz again this year, along
with incoming freshman Shawn Knash (fr. Honesdale/Honesdale HS).

 

      The defense struggled last season, allowing 53 goals, and Ormosi
attributed the defensive struggles to the fact that KU spent much of its
time playing in its zone.

 

      "We played defense for too long," he said. "Defensively, we're much
improved from last year."

 

      Dalton, with help from sophomore defenders John Ferguson and Mike
Choiniere, will look to lead KU's defensive turnaround. Choiniere is the
Golden Bears' leading returning scorer from last season, as he tallied five
points on two goals and an assist.

 

      Sophomores Brian Waller and Chris Ponto, along with newcomer Thomas
Bangert (jr. Bietigheim, GERMANY), also could play into the mix on defense.

 

      With back-to-back home games to start the season and four games in 10
days, KU will find out quickly how much its defense and offense has
improved.

 

            KU's season begins Aug. 23 against Goldey-Beacom College.  The
first kick is scheduled for 5:00 PM at Kutztown's Keystone Field.

 

 

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Josh Leiboff

Kutztown University Sports Information

Phone: (610) 683-4182

Fax: (610) 683-4676

Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu

Website: http://www.kubears.com

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