FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2009 |
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2009 Men's Soccer Season Preview
The 2009 Oglethorpe University men’s soccer team, led by head coach Jon Akin, will be looking to build on late season success from the 2008 campaign as they head into 2009. After stumbling to a 2-8-3 record in the team’s first 13 games of 2008, the squad rallied to claim five of their last six contests to finish at a respectable 7-9-3 on the season. Coach Akin attributes the late season surge of 2008 to chemistry finally being struck between the front and back lines, and he imagines more of the same forward momentum carrying over into 2009.
With only two seniors and two juniors on the 2009 roster, coach Akin will be balancing the talents of a score of young players. The 2009 squad will feature 21 new faces on a roster that will feature over 40 eligible players. With this influx of talent, Akin will be employing a reserve team for the first time in school history that assistant coach and former player, Michael Muller, will coach.
“I’m really pleased with our recruiting efforts,” said coach Akin, adding, “it’s a luxury to have a talent pool this deep and I think it could be the beginning of some big things on Salamone Field.”
Senior goalkeeper Michael Hadjisimos will be called upon for leadership duties along with juniors Bryan Burnick and Evan Britton. Last season, Hadjisimos ranked second in the SCAC amongst goalkeepers with 92 saves and third overall in conference in saves per game at 5.11. It will be critical for the handful of experienced players to show the younger freshmen and sophomores the proverbial “ropes” as the schedule is loaded with big dates.
Action begins for the Stormy Petrels at 4:00 p.m. on September 1 as they will host Brewton-Parker on Salamone Field. After a series on non-conference matches, Oglethorpe begins SCAC play in earnest when Centre and DePauw come calling the weekend of September 25. The team will celebrate Youth Soccer Month on September 27 with a free soccer clinic prior to the contest with DePauw and will host games versus Millsaps and Birmingham-Southern on October 2 and 4 for Oglethorpe University Parents Weekend.
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