Sept. 19, 2012
2012 Stony Brook Men's Soccer
Game #8: Stony Brook Seawolves (5-2-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-2-0)
Wed., Sept. 19 • Campus Field • Fairfield, Conn. • 3:30 p.m.
LIVE: STATS
Stony Brook Seawolves (5-2-0, 0-0-0 America East)
Head Coach: Ryan Anatol, second season
Career Record: 15-8-4
Record at SBU: same
Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-2-0, 0-0-0 NEC)
Head Coach: Joe Barroso, eighth season
Career Record: 184-179-37
Record at SHU: 62-53-17
The Matchup: Stony Brook, riding a three-game winning streak, is back on the road to face a local opponent in the Sacred Heart Pioneers, located only a few miles across the Long Island Sound in Fairfield, Conn. This is Stony Brook's sixth match already this season against a team that finished 2011 in the top 100 RPI. Stony Brook is 3-2-0 so far in those matches. This is the 16th all-time matchup between the two teams, and the Seawolves lead the series 9-3-3. However, the Pioneers stole one from the Seawolves at LaValle Stadium in 2011 despite Stony Brook outshooting Sacred Heart. A win today guarantees the Seawolves a winning non-conference regular season record.
The Opponent: The Pioneers have won three of their first five matches this season, including victories over Saint Peter's, Columbia and Holy Cross. Losses have come to NJIT and Yale. Sacred Heart opened the season picked to finish fourth in the Northeast Conference. The team returned a strong core of players from last season's team, including NEC Player and Defensive Player of the Year Marcello Castro, who had six goals, including four game-winners, and one assist last season. Castro is off to a good start this season as well; he has two of the team's seven goals so far this season, including the game-winner in the season opener at Saint Peter's.
Last Time Out: Stony Brook had a convincing 4-0 win over Buffalo last Sunday, beating the Bulls in every facet of the match. The Seawolves received two goals from Leonardo Fernandes, including a pretty free kick into the top shelf of the net from 22 yards out. Berian Gobeil Cruz and Martin Giordano also scored goals while Alejandro Fritz had two assists. Giordano's goal was also a pretty sight to see, swinging a heavy foot off a high bounce facing away from the net and into the goal past an unsuspecting Bulls goalkeeper.
Starting Fast the Key: Stony Brook is 13-0-1 under head coach Ryan Anatol when the team scores the first goal of the game.
Approaching Milestones: With a seven-point weekend Sept. 14-16, Leonardo Fernandes is now fifth all-time in Stony Brook program history in points (66), tied for fifth all-time in goals (26) and tied for third all-time in assists (14). In posting his 15th career clean sheet vs. Buffalo, Stefan Manz is now tied with Dan Ferrin (2000-03) for first all-time in program history. He also is tied for second with Phil Lesko (1978-81) for most goalkeeper wins in program history (23).
America East Player of the Week: Following a three-goal, one-assist weekend Sept. 14-16, Leonardo Fernandes was named America East Player of the Week for the fourth time in his career.
Making the pass: Freshman Alejandro Fritz notched a pair of assists vs. Buffalo on Sept. 16, matching the program's all-time single-game record. It's the 12th time in program history it's occurred. Fritz also scored a goal two days earlier against Fordham, giving him a strong four-point weekend.
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 26 goals and 14 assists in his 62-game career with the Seawolves.
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 on Aug. 24. The effort netted Fritz America East Rookie of the Week honors.
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.
Up Next: Stony Brook heads back to Connecticut this weekend when it faces Central Connecticut State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
