X

Clarkson men's soccer team aiming for Liberty League playoffs

Posted 8/29/15

POTSDAM -- Coming off a successful debut season that saw him earn Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year, second-year head coach Chris Taylor, along with first-year assistant coach Carter Lincoln, …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Clarkson men's soccer team aiming for Liberty League playoffs

Posted

POTSDAM -- Coming off a successful debut season that saw him earn Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year, second-year head coach Chris Taylor, along with first-year assistant coach Carter Lincoln, hopes to lead the Clarkson University Men's Soccer team to the Liberty League playoffs.

Clarkson brings back plenty of experience with 16 letter winners returning from a season that saw them finish with a 7-10-1 record. The seven victories recorded by the Golden Knights was their best total since the 2001 season. The returners will combine with a talented freshmen class as they make a playoff push.

Clarkson was picked to finish seventh in the preseason Liberty League Poll. They will open their season by traveling to Plattsburgh State for a 7:00 pm game on September 1st.

Even after the graduation of four-time Liberty League All-star defender Trevor Blackwell, the Clarkson defense brings back plenty of experience. Zachary Peck returns after starting 17 of 18 games in the center of the defense last season.

He is joined by outside backs Paul Ancin, Nicholas Gutberlet, and Andrew Akiki who return after starting 10, seven, and eight games respectively. They will be joined by Eric Cassidy who brings three years of experience of playing at SUNY Potsdam.

Incoming freshmen James Homan and Zach Golden, along with sophomore Hunter Secor are younger players who have a chance to earn playing time in the defensive end.

Clarkson also brings back junior goalkeeper Michael King, who started all 18 Clarkson games in 2014. King finished tied for third in the Liberty League with five shutouts and second in the league with 4.61 saves per game. He will be pushed for playing time by fellow junior keeper Alex White as well as freshman goalie Riley McDonald.

Anchoring the midfield will be senior Zachary Godin. Godin has appeared in 49 games in his Clarkson career and has started in 46 of them. He will be joined in the midfield by Maximillian Leetz, a German exchange student, who scored a goal and added four assists for Clarkson last season.

Kevin Chrisey and Chris Afonso are two incoming freshmen who have the talent to come in right away and earn playing time in the middle of the field. Finally, Troy White and Brian Pfeil are returners who will provide depth for the Clarkson midfield.

After scoring 21 goals last season, a five year high, Clarkson will hope the continued development of young forwards will help to increase that total. Leading scorer Tucker Wilcox returns after earning a spot on the Liberty League Honorable Mention team in his sophomore year.

He has scored three goals in both of his collegiate campaigns and will be looking to up that total this season. Also returning are sophomore Kevin Calnan and junior Eric Herberger. Both Calnan and Herberger bagged a pair of goals to go along with an assist in 2014. Drew Lewis and Jon Jones are two more newcomers who have a chance to earn significant minutes this year. Rounding out the forward corps is junior Brian Kroetz who scored a goal and added an assist last year.

Clarkson was picked to finish seventh in the preseason Liberty League Poll. They will open their season by traveling to Plattsburgh State for a 7:00 pm game on September 1st.