WINTER PARK, Fla. (August 28, 2008)
-The 2007 Rollins men's soccer team continued to build
upon the success of the 2006 season by coming within one free kick
of winning the conference. In 2008 head coach Dr. Keith
Buckley is looking for players to step-up after losing two
seniors off last year's squad. Goalkeeper Frazer Siddall's
experience and leadership will be missed as well the leadership of
James Taylor. The 2008 squad will feature many of the same faces as
last year and new talent. Buckley and the team are very excited
about this year's squad as they look to capture the Sunshine State
Conference crown for the fourth time in school history.
"It's going to be a good season for us,"
Buckley explains. "We just have to practice well and continue to
get better after each game."
The biggest task the team is charged with is
replacing goalkeeper Frazer Siddall, but freshmen Aaron
Rokeach looks to be solid in net. This year's offense will be
led by J.D. Gruenewald with support from Leslie Osei and Jacob
Deloach. Gruenewald played with the Central Florida Kraze of
the PDL this summer and was impressive with the team. He looks to
raise his productivity even more this season with strong play from
the forward position.
After scoring eight goals and seven assists
last season, Gruenewald is ranked fourth all time in assists at
Rollins and 20th in points. "We are looking for big
years from J.D., Jacob and Leslie," added Buckley. Senior's Leslie
Osei and Jacob Deloach look to make a big impact on the
score sheet this year. Last year Osei tallied two goals and seven
assists and will look to improve on that mark. Deloach will be
heavily relied on this year after scoring one goal and five
assists. His ability to put free kicks in scoring position will be
key.
Gruenewald will not be alone this season in
providing offense for the Tars, as newcomer Blade
Zych looks to provide support upfront. Sophomores Carlos
Lozano, Stephen Wright, Bradley
Welch, and Zach Walker also look to impose their presence in
the starting lineup. The midfield position will be a spot where the
new players can make an immediate impact.
"Playing well and keeping healthy is the key
to this season," said Buckley. Injuries have yet again hit the team
in this preseason and Buckley looks to see how well the team can
handle this adversity. "If we play smart and play our game we can
be successful this year," explained Buckley. The weather in the
preseason has also played a factor in limiting the amount of
conditioning and practice time for the team. Depending on how the
new players react and are able to get comfortable will determine
how successful the Tars will be this season.
Another key aspect for the Tars this season is
the experienced and talented back line of Biddinger and Murrell.
Both were All-South Region last year and Murrell was also First
Team All-SSC. Joining Biddinger and Murrell, first year player Nick
Sowers looks to assert himself into the starting lineup and be
a force on the back line. The team is confident that this
combination can show great poise that the whole team can feed
off.
Rollins will begin its season with a
non-conference game against the Embry-Riddle Eagles on August 28.
The Tars look to start their season off strong with five of their
first seven games at home. Last season the team posted a 7-3 record
at home and Barker Family Stadium is always tough on opponents.
The first game of the season will be key and
will allow Coach Buckley to see how all the players have reacted to
the early season adversity. "The first real test will be the
Montevallo game," Buckley explains. He also adds, "Playing at West
Florida is never an easy task."
This year the Tars travel to Tampa and Lynn,
which were picked to finish number one and number two in the
conference this year. The Tars look to build upon the success of
the 2007 and if they start out strong at home they can build some
momentum that will be helpful with the tough games at the end of
the season.
