MEN'S SOCCER OPENS 2009 SEASON TUESDAY

8/29/2009 7:15:00 PM

Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Men's Soccer team kicks off the 2009 season with a road game at Stony Brook on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.

Hofstra also opened against Stony Brook last season, with the two teams playing to a dramatic 2-2 tie at Hofstra Soccer Stadium in front of a crowd of over 1,000 fans. Current juniors Steven Ehrichs (Brentwood, NY) and Demont Mitchell (Delray Beach, FL) scored goals in that contest for the Pride. Since the Seawolves joined the Division I ranks in 1999, the two teams are 3-3-1 against each other.

The Pride will be looking for a bounce-back season, as this year's senior class represents the final links to the program's three straight CAA titles from 2004-06. In fact, senior defender Richard Martinez (Highland, NY) converted the winning penalty kick after the Pride played George Mason to a 1-1 tie in the 2006 title game, while senior midfielder Rob Youhill (Harrogate, England) had Hofstra's goal in regulation. Senior midfielder Rory McCrea (Sherburn-In-Elmet, England) added a goal in the Pride's 2-0 win over Providence in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Those three players, along with fellow seniors Jamal Neptune (East Windsor, NJ) and Bill Pinto (Audubon, NJ) are expected to form the nucleus of this season's squad. The five all kept busy over the summer, as McCrea, Neptune and Pinto were teammates on the Ocean City Barons of the Premier Development League (along with freshman Giancarlo Granese, an Ocean City, NJ native), which had outstanding success. The Barons defeated two professional teams in the U.S. Open Cup, the first amateur team to accomplish that feat in the 96-year history of the event, and battled D.C. United of Major League Soccer down to the wire in the third round before falling 2-0.

The Barons then defeated the Long Island Rough Riders in the opening round of the PDL playoffs, earning bragging rights with Martinez, who was an All-Conference performer for the Rough Riders this summer. Former Hofstra players Michael Todd and Gary Flood were also members of that Rough Riders squad. Youhill, meanwhile, played for Great Britain in the World University Games this summer, helping his squad reach the semifinals, where it fell to Ukraine in penalty kicks after a 0-0 tie.

The Pride's senior core will have plenty of help as well. Junior forward Johannes Grahn (Tibro, Sweden) has 14 goals in two seasons, while sophomore forward Brett Carrington (St. George, Barbados) had seven goals as a freshman last year to earn All-CAA honors. Freshman Thomas Bekas (Brentwood, NY), who took a medical redshirt after breaking his foot last season, and incoming freshman A.J. Laza (Coram, NY) are in the hunt for starting roles at center back. Junior Erik Rengifo (Woodhaven, NY) is also returning to his spot at outside back, and freshmen Stephan Barea (Levittown, NY), Idris Mashriqi (Fresh Meadows, NY) and Mike Annarumma (Massapequa Park, NY) have impressed in preseason and should join the Pride's midfield rotation.

Sophomore Greg Cumpstone (Haddam, CT) started the final 11 games in goal as a freshman and has the inside track at the starting position this year, although he is being pushed by redshirt freshman Adam Janowski (Coram, NY). Senior James Winters (Austin, TX) suffered a broken finger in preseason and will be out of action to start the season, but will bring plenty of big-game experience when he returns.

After facing Stony Brook, Hofstra travels to Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday as it opens its season with seven straight games away from home, including tournaments at Penn State (Sept. 11-13) and Stetson (Sept. 18-20). The Pride's home opener will not be until Saturday, Oct. 3 against VCU.

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