Wake Forest Athletics
Deacons Look For Breakthrough Season
8/31/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 31, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - There's a renewed sense of energy and optimism surrounding the Wake Forest men's soccer program this fall, as the Demon Deacons prepare for what they hope will be a breakthrough season. With nine starters and 14 letterwinners returning from last year's squad, plus the addition of the most heralded recruiting class in recent history, Head Coach Jay Vidovich boasts what may be the strongest and deepest team in his tenure at WFU.
"I am really excited about this year," said Vidovich. "We've got a good group of players returning who have had some success here and are true ACC-caliber players. On top of that, we've got a recruiting class with four or five guys who are capable of starting right away. We're going to have a lot more depth, which really killed us last season. My problem is not going to be who to start but who not to start - and that's a luxury that I've never had before.
"We're also going to have a lot of versatility. We have several players on this team who can both score and defend and who can play several positions. We're going to get goals from a lot of different people and be able to press teams more than we have in the past. More importantly, we'll be able to show our opponents a lot of different looks."
The Deacs are coming off a solid 11-7-1 campaign in which the team demonstrated the ability to compete with some of the nation's top teams. The Deacs got off to a strong start and earned a spot in the national top 20, but a lack of depth proved costly down the stretch as injuries to key players took their toll during a tough late-season stretch.
Wake lost just two starters from that 1998 squad, albeit two very important ones. Gone are the team's two primary playmakers in All-ACC midfielders Kyle Bachmeier and Serge Daniv, both of whom leave big shoes to fill.
The strength of this year's squad should lie in the defense, where all four starters - including three seniors - return in the backfield and in goal. The midfield and front lines will be completely reworked without Daniv and Bachmeier, but the Deacs return their three top scorers from last season and have several newcomers who should make an immediate impact on the offensive end of the field.
Goalkeepers
Senior Sean Conner returns for his third year as the Deacs' starting netminder and looks primed for his best campaign yet. Conner has been a stalwart in goal for WFU the past two years, and his game has continued to mature each season. A former field player, he reads situations quickly and makes sound decisions, providing Wake with a strong last line of defense. Last season, his numbers were not reflective of his abilities, however, as he posted a 1.31 GAA and a .676 save percentage.
Pushing Conner for time will be rookie Brad McEachern, who boasts size and quickness. McEachern holds a lot of promise as a netminder and looks to inherit the starting job next year.
Other reserves include senior Patrick O'Keefe, who got his first taste of action last year, and freshman Dan Caruso, a big, athletic keeper with solid potential.
Defenders
Senior All-ACC and All-Region marking back Chad Evans returns to lead a deep and talented backfield that should rank among the best in the ACC. A fourth-year starter, Evans turned in an outstanding junior campaign and cemented his reputation as one of the nation's top man markers. His recovery from offseason knee surgery may slow him a bit in the early season, however.
Senior David Kawesi-Mukooza also returns at marking back, although the versatile veteran may be used elsewhere in the lineup this fall. An intense, physical player, "DK" moved from midfield to backfield last year and proved a proficient man marker. He has strong offensive skills as well, and may be used on all three lines this year.
Junior Brock Hilpert has been the Deacs starting sweeper for the past two years, excelling as a ball distributor and long-range passer. Hilpert has stepped up his conditioning in the offseason to improve his speed, endurance and strength.
Several newcomers will challenge for starting jobs immediately, most noteably a trio of high school All-Americans who played on the U.S. National Team. Freshman Aaron Thomas, the premier high school defender in the nation last year, is a small but effective man marker with speed, balance, and focus.
Sophomore transfer Matt Thompson, a member of Indiana's NCAA title team last fall, is a hard-nosed man marker who plays with great intensity.
Freshman Kevin Wickart boasts size, speed, and great passing range, and can play both defense and midfield. Wickart is recovering from an offseason foot injury, however, and may be slowed early on.
Midfielders
A pair of talented sophomores return to the midfield after starting as rookies in '98. Jamal Seale started every game on the left side, demonstrating explosive speed, good one-on-one skills and strong finishing ability. He netted five goals and four assists on the year to rank as the team's third-leading scorer.
Chris Lonteen started eight of the first 10 games on the right flank, proving to be a strong ball-server and coming up with goals in some big games. Lonteen was then lost for the year with a broken leg, however, but he has worked hard in the offseason to return to full speed.
Junior Jeff Burkett started as a defensive middie for much of last season, but he will be challenged by some talented newcomers for playing time in this fall. Grad student Kalle Siira, a native of Finland who transferred to WFU after two years at USC Spartanburg, will most likely earn a starting spot in the midfield right away. Though a newcomer to Wake Forest, Siira is a mature veteran player who should provide strong leadership this fall.
Freshman Paul Vogel, a tough defensive midfielder with tremendous physical ability, should also contribute immediately. Rookie Adam Hakes, a technically clean player with great passing and finishing skills, also has the potential to blossom into a key asset.
Forwards
Senior Greg Krauss and junior Ben Stafford return to the front line after ranking as the team's top two scorers in '98. Krauss netted 10 goals and 2 assists for a team-high 22 points in his first season of collegiate soccer and has stepped up his work level since undergoing foot surgery in the spring. With a year of ACC experience under his belt, he should be ready to step his game up a notch in '99.
Stafford tallied 20 points last fall (7g, 6a) and ended the year on a strong note, tallying four goals and two assists in the last six games. Stafford could play either up front or in the midfield.
A newcomer who will have an immediate impact on the Deacon offense is freshman Bobby Gehring, an explosive scorer who played on the Dutch National Team and the highly-regarded Ajax club in Amsterdam. He will most likely start either at forward or midfield.
Freshman Andy Rosenband will also challenge for time up front with his great speed and strong one-on-one skills. Also in the offensive mix is senior Viktor Litovka, who started 12 games and tallied eight points (2g, 4a) for the Deacs last year.
"We'll definitely be a better team this year," said Vidovich, "but the key for us is how quickly we unify as a team and sort out everyone's role. If we can do that early on, I think we can win a lot of games this fall."
