Aug. 30, 2012
2012 Stony Brook Men's Soccer
Game #3: Stony Brook Seawolves (1-1-0) vs. Lehigh Mountain Hawks (0-1-0)
Fri., Aug. 31 • Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium • Stony Brook, N.Y. • 7 p.m.
LIVE: STATS | VIDEO
Stony Brook Seawolves (1-1-0, 0-0-0 America East)
Head Coach: Ryan Anatol, second season
Career Record: 11-7-4
Record at SBU: same
Lehigh Mountain Hawks (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Patriot League)
Head Coach: Dean Koski, 21st season
The Matchup: Stony Brook opens its home schedule with a Friday night tilt against Lehigh. Both teams will be looking to put goals on the board. Last season in the 2011 season opener, this matchup ended in a scoreless draw. The only other meeting between the two teams occurred in 2008, a 1-0 Mountain Hawks win. This is Lehigh's first-ever appearance at Stony Brook. Stony Brook is carrying a modest two-game home winning streak into the match.
The Opponent: Lehigh is coming off a strong 8-4-6 season in 2011 and finishing in the top 100 in RPI (88). Goal scoring was at a premium in Mountain Hawk matches for both teams. Lehigh was shut out eight times in 2011, including three scoreless draws, but the team also shut out its opponent 11 times and allowed only eight goals in 18 matches over the course of the entire season. Lehigh finished 2011 third-best in the nation in goals against average at 0.41. The Mountain Hawks return the anchors to the defense in midfielder Cameron Omsberg and goalkeeper Ciaran Nugent. To open 2012, Lehigh fell to Hofstra at home 2-0.
Last Time Out: Stony Brook battled Villanova and kept up with the Wildcats shot for shot, but Villanova capitalized on goal scoring en route to a 4-1 victory. Although shots (16) and shots on goal (6) were even, the Wildcats found the back of the net four times, including two second-half goals that zapped SB's momentum. Senior Leonardo Fernandes had cut the team's deficit to one, 2-1, with a penalty kick goal, but Villanova scored just 33 seconds later.
What a Start: Freshman Alejandro Fritz scored a goal on his first collegiate shot, and it represented the game-winner in a 5-0 win over Fairleigh Dickinson. The effort netted Fritz America East Rookie of the Week honors.
Leo the Lion: Leonardo Fernandes has firmly placed himself in the upper echelon of collegiate soccer. A two-time America East Midfielder of the Year, Fernandes was named to the Hermann Trophy Watch List and was named a third-team preseason All-American by College Soccer News. Fernandes has 23 goals and 11 assists in his 58-game career with the Seawolves.
Strong Offense: Stony Brook led America East with 31 goals scored last season and should continue its strong offensive ways. The team returns 94 percent of its goal scoring from last season.
Preseason Pick: Stony Brook goes into 2012 as the favorite to repeat as America East champion. The Seawolves were picked first in the preseason coaches poll, receiving six out of a possible seven first-place votes.
Tough Schedule: Stony Brook has a tough 17-game schedule that includes nine matches against teams that finished in the top 100 in RPI last season.
Openers: Friday's win over Fairleigh Dickinson represented the earliest regular season game in Stony Brook history. SB improved to 22-23-5 all-time in season openers.
Up Next: Stony Brook will play in the Kentucky Invitational next weekend, facing NCAA Tournament runner-up Charlotte Friday at 4:30 p.m., and Saint Joseph's Sunday at noon.
