Aug. 26, 2008
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- With just five returning letterwinners and two returning starters, competition will be wide open for playing time on the 2008 Navy men's soccer team. And head coach Rich Miranda is excited about that.
Miranda feels the competition for playing time and starting roles will make the team more competitive during the upcoming season.
"The lack of experience may be an issue early on, but the players we lost - all they brought was experience. We are going to miss out on some of the things they did. However, the players that stepped in during the spring have done a good job and are excited to contribute," said Miranda.
The team is coming off another good spring season in which Miranda refocused on the team's style of play.
"Last year was disappointing. It was a very peculiar year. We played very well in out-of-conference games, but struggled in the Patriot League, We just couldn't put a pulse on why we had those struggles," said Miranda. "After reviewing the style of play in the Patriot League, we made some changes in our style of play and made it more adaptive to the way our league teams play. We are looking to become a little more direct, and taking advantage of set pieces. I was very happy with the spring and players that didn't play much last year stepped up and made a difference. It was an encoouraging spring season."
Despite posting a 7-8-2 record last year, the Mids slumped in Patriot League play with a 0-7-0 record. Out of conference, the Mids were outstanding, recording a 7-1-2 record that included a 1-0 win at No. 20-ranked West Virginia in mid-October. Navy carries a six-game (5-0-1) unbeaten streak in non-conference play into the upcoming season.
Now, however, with a good mix of returnees and a strong freshman class, Miranda hopes that youth can reign in the Patriot League.
"From a leadership standpoint, the two seniors have taken this team under their wing. They have brought to the team a different attitude. We seem to be much closer and on the same page. They are setting a very good example for the underclassmen about what it takes to be successful." said Miranda.
Miranda hopes that a large freshmen class can contribute as well. The team boasts 11 freshmen on its 32-man roster and several of the players could see significant action, including forwards Wes Powell and Cody Sanders, midfielder Carlos de Paco and his brother Christian, a defenseman, and goalkeeper Jamie Deal.
Miranda expects the league to be very challenging again. Colgate is the defending tournament champion, while Holy Cross, which was picked eighth in the preseason poll last year, was the regular-season champion. Lafayette, Bucknell, American and Lehigh will all also challenge for the title. If Navy can find some offense, Miranda thinks his team can make a push.
"Many of the contests in Patriot League are one-goal games and all that it comes down to is teams taking advanage of their opportunites," said Miranda. "The league is so balanced and so coompetitive. Every game is a tough one. We hope that we can gain some confidence early on and play our best soccer as we go I am excited to see how we respond."
Forwards
Navy lacks the explosive goal scorer, but Miranda hopes that the team can take on a scoring-by-committee approach.
Adam Pennington, who was recruited as a defenseman and will serve as the team captain this year, had a strong season as a junior, sharing the team lead with eight points and four goals. Pennington is a big, versatile target that plays well with his back to the goal. He is not a prolific goal-scorer, but finds a way to put the ball in the net.
Andrew Garcia, who Miranda says has a little more flair to his game, scored three goals in 10 games last year, before an injury limited him late in the year. With Garcia in the lineup, Navy was 6-3-1, but without him, Navy went just 1-5-1. Garcia is a very quick player that understands the game well, and will be a very dangerous player.
"We aren't going to rely on any one player to score goals, and we are going to have to work hard on the offensive end to get our production," said Miranda. Sophomore Mike Porcelli and freshmen Cody Sanders and Wes Powell will also likely see time. Porcelli has a strong throw-in and was used late in games a year ago, while Powell is very dangerous with the ball.
Midfielders
Perhaps Navy's deepest position, it may also be its most inexperienced. The Mids return just two players that have seen significant action in the midfield.
Mark Garcia is one of those players that has experience. He has played in 32-of-33 games at Navy and dished out five assists (on just 19 goals) a year ago to lead the squad. He will be the main guy in the midfield and will get more freedom to play in more of an attacking mode, according to Miranda.
Playing wide will be Chris Marino, who has played in 31-of-33 games while in Annapolis. He had a solid spring and Miranda is looking for him to attack more and be a playmaker. He is a very skillful player and is dangerous in one-on-one situations.
Sam Lepley, a sophomore that missed all of last year with an injury, is outstanding as a holding midfielder and will be looked as a player to set others up. He is also very strong in the air and had a tremendous spring, according to Miranda.
At the other outside position, Miranda expects Kyle Behbehani, Kyle Monbleau and Gaylan Greenawalt to compete for the starting role.
Defensemen
Navy's defense has always been solid and even though Miranda lost three starters, he doesn't expect much of a dropoff.
The backbone of the defense will be
Scott Robertson. A quiet leader, Robertson had a great sophomore year and will be looked on to lead a young, but talented defense. Robertson is a very consistent player that doesn't make mistakes.
Helping out on the inside will be sophomore Josh Pike, who Miranda calls a tenacious, skillful defender, who complements and works with Robertson very well.
On the outside, Miranda expects Matt Biesecker and walk-on Chris Anderson to grab the starting role. Anderson, who played on the club team last year, took advantage of an injury to Matt Tapajcik in the spring, who will also compete for a starting spot, to shine in the preseason and really stand out.
All three players (Anderson, Biesecker and Tapajcik) have the ability to adapt to opponents and are big, strong, physical defenders that will help anchor the Navy defense. Matt Foskett and Christian de Paco will also see time in the back.
Goalkeepers
Navy lost its top two goalkeepers from a year ago in Thomas Jenkins and Evan Barnes, but brings back senior Nolan Grebb, who earned time during his sophomore year.
Grebb has been waiting for three years for the opportunity, and can be a top goalkeeper if he stays confident and positive.
"When he is confident, he plays well, but when he gets down on himself, he starts worrying about who is behind him, he gets a little tentative and afraid to make mistakes," said Miranda. "If he stays confident, he will be fine."
Tyler Bristol, a junior, played very well in the spring and reminds Miranda of Jenkins. Bristol is aggressive and agile and has a very powerful leg. Sophomore Will Craven has a great attitude and mentality, but just lacks any significant experience.
Freshman Jamie Deal may be the darkhorse to win the goalie job. Deal, who was heavily recruited by several national powers, comes from a very good high school program, and is an outstanding shot-stopper. Deal also possesses great quickness and agility.
# GO NAVY #
