Completed Event: Men's Soccer at Seton Hall on September 19, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 2
Men's Soccer
at Seton Hall
Final
0
-
2
Providence College Athletics
2004 Men's Soccer Outlook
8/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 3, 2004
Last year, Head Coach Chaka Daley's Providence men's soccer team had a memorable season as they reached the BIG EAST Semifinals for the second time ever and the first time since 1987. This year's squad is aiming to have another historical season as they will strive to make their third consecutive appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament and qualify for their first NCAA Tournament since 1983. The team's success in 2003 was just one more step in the impressive rebuilding process that Daley has accomplished in his four seasons as the head coach. Each year the Friars have shown improvement and the 2004 season should be a continuation of this process. The Friars have 17 players returning and have a strong incoming class of seven recruits. These 24 players have the skills, experience and desire to lead the Friars to new heights in 2004. GOALKEEPERS Head Coach Chaka Daley has depth and experience in the goalkeeper position. He is excited about the prospect of having three reliable goalkeepers on the roster for the first time in his tenure as a head coach at Providence. Two of the three Friar goalkeepers earned significant experience in 2003. Senior captain Jeff Newman ( Northboro, Mass.) has been a consistent performer through his first three seasons as a Friar and has displayed improvement each year. Last season, he played in 18 of the team's 19 games. He recorded a 6-8-1 record and posted three shutouts. For his career, Newman has played 30 games in goal. Sophomore Chris Konopka (Toms River, N.J.) played in five games, posted a 1.63 goals against average and recorded a .722 save percentage. He gained more playing time at the end of the season and displayed confidence in poise in two of the Friars' final three games last season. Konopka has exceptional athletic attributes and will battle with Newman for the starting position. Sophomore Michael King (Ashland, Mass.) did not see any action last year, but he spent the entire regular season and the spring season adjusting to collegiate soccer. He has improved his game and should be ready to contribute this season. DEFENDERS On defense, the Friars will be led by junior assistant captain Zach Tobin (North Kingstown, R.I.), sophomore Scott Hankard (Glastonbury, Conn.), junior Brian Baker (Annapolis, Md.) and junior Ryan Farrell (Glastonbury, Conn.). Tobin has been a key component of the Friar defense for the last two seasons. This talented junior has started all 37 games in his career at Providence. In 2003, he scored one goal and added one assist. In recognition of his stellar play last season, he earned All-New England accolades. This year, Head Coach Chaka Daley believes that Tobin can improve his play and be one of the best defenders in New England and the BIG EAST. Hankard gained valuable experience last season. Despite being a rookie, he started 16 of the 17 games he played in 2003. Hankard is an aggressive, technical defender and has excellent leadership qualities. Baker enters his junior season looking to become a consistent contributor. Baker had a productive freshman season starting all 18 games. Last year, he saw action in nine games, earning two starts. He had a strong spring season and should be ready to help the squad as a junior. Farrell missed all of his freshman season with an injury. As a sophomore, he played in three games. Farrell will be 100 percent fit and ready to contribute this season. He should see significant playing time in his third season at Providence. Returnees sophomore Connor Curran-Hays (Camp Hill, Pa.) and senior Shawn Deehan (Salisbury, Md.) will bring experience and depth to the team. Curran-Hays played in five games as a rookie and could see more action this year. Deehan enters his fourth season with the Friars and has played in 15 career games. Two newcomers to the Friar defense this season will be freshmen Matt Otte (East Lymne, Conn.) and Pat Gildart (Yarmouth, Maine). Otte was a four-year member of the East Lyme High School soccer squad. A highly decorated player in Southeastern Connecticut, Otte garnered All-State, All-New England and New London Day Player of the Year honors in 2003. He was a member of the 2003 Connecticut ODP team and also captained the Boston Bulldogs' U17 and U19 teams. He was also a member of the Super Y League Regional Team. Gildart, a four-year member of the Yarmouth High soccer team, was named the squad's Offensive Player of the Year in 2003. A two-time (2002, 2003) All-Western Maine Conference selection, Gildart was also named to the Portland Newspaper's All-State Team and the Maine Coaches All-State Team in 2003. From 2001-2003, he was a member of the Maine State ODP team and has captained two state club teams to state championships: Maine Coast United in 2002 and Coastal Soccer Club in 2003. With six returning veterans and two talented newcomers, the Friar defense should be solid and ready to face the ever challenging BIG EAST competition. MIDFIELDERS Head Coach Chaka Daley is very excited about this year's midfield corps. He believes that his midfielders have all the necessary ingredients - depth, quality, pace and goal scoring ability, to enable the team to achieve success. The midfield will be the team's strength in 2004. Junior Anthony Petrarca (Johnston, R.I.), who will serve as an assistant captain, will be a key performer in the midfield. A two-year starter for the Friars, Petrarca has started all 36 games he has played at Providence. As a rookie, he tallied three goals and three assists. Last season, Petrarca registered two assists. Another junior who will be an important part of the midfield corps will be Derek Nobrega (Cumberland, R.I.). In two seasons at Providence, he has scored three goals and added one assist. As a sophomore, he registered two goals in 15 games. Carlos Suero (Plantation, Fla.) is the lone senior on defense for the Friars. He brings experience and leadership to the field. He has played in 46 games in three seasons at Providence and has registered two goals and five assists. Sophomores David Chase (Morris Plains, N.J.) and Joseph Weill (Merrick, N.Y.) both return after impressive freshman seasons. Chase was second on the team in assists with three. He played in all 19 games and recorded 21 shots. Weill was one of two players to start all 19 games in 2003. This talented midfielder has the ability to earn a starting a spot in the Friar lineup. Freshman Ryan Maduro (Bristol, R.I.) and Alex Bury (Shrewsbury, Mass.) will also challenge for a position in the starting lineup. Maduro is one of the top recruits in the country. He is in the U.S. Under-18 National Pool and competed in a 10-day training camp with the team in July. His versatility in the midfield will pay immediate dividends at Providence College. He has been an All-State and All-New England selection in high school over the last two years, as well as an All-America candidate. Maduro has been a member of the Region I ODP team for the last three years. He also attended the Adidas Elite Soccer Program (ESP) for the top 150 players in the country and was named to its Top Performer list. Maduro also was named to the Topdrawersoccer.com, Top 100 Recruits in America list. Bury also was another highly recruited player. His passing ability, vision, and professional demeanor on the field will impact the team immediately. Bury was an All-State and All-New England selection in high school over the past two seasons, as well as a member of the Olympic Development Program in Massachusetts since 2000. Bury also has been an integral part of his club team, FC Greater Boston, as team captain and starting center midfielder for one of the top four club teams in the U.S. Two other freshmen that will vie for playing time in the midfield are Matt O'Donnell (Armonk, N.Y.) and Ricardo Arocha (Fanwood, N.J.). O'Donnell joins the Friars after a three-year career at Byram Hills High School and was named an all-league and all-section player in his junior year. He was a member of the Eastern New York ODP in 2000 and 2002-03. O'Donnell captained F.C. Westchester `87's to the State Cup finals in 2001, Superclubs Finals in 2003 and was a member of the WYSL Select Team and Superclubs National Team in 2002. Arocha was a four-year letter winner and member of three Union County championship teams (2000-02), at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. The team's 2003 campaign culminated with a runner-up finish in the county finals and a New Jersey State Sectional Championship. Arocha also served as a three-year captain for his club team, the Jersey Knights Nomads, and led them to State Cup championships in 2002 and 2003. Head Coach Chaka Daley feels that with so much quality and depth there will be tremendous competition for playing time in the midfield. This will benefit all the players as they strive to improve, compete and qualify for the BIG EAST and NCAA Championships. FORWARDS For the second consecutive season, the Friars will rely on the strength of their three premier forwards to lead the offense. Most notably, junior Eoin Lynch (Yarmouth, Maine) will lead the offense. Lynch has led the Friars in scoring for each of the last two seasons. As a freshman, he scored eight goals in 18 games. Last season, he again paced the Friars with a team best 17 points on eight goals and one assist in 19 games. The other two returnees to the forward line are senior Jeff Smith (Omaha, Neb.) and junior Ian Wexler (Minnetonka, Minn.). Smith and Wexler will be looked upon to improve on the offensive end. They should be assisted by a stronger midfield corp. Smith scored two goals and notched one assist last season. For his career, he has scored six goals and added three assists in 54 games. Wexler had a very productive season in 2003. After scoring four goals as a freshman, he added five goals his sophomore season. He ranked second on the team in scoring last season with 10 points. He is one of the Friars' top scoring threats. Freshman Evan Dufault (Sutton, Mass.) will be the lone newcomer to the front line. He is a fantastic athlete with a great work-ethic. Dufault was a four-year member of the Sutton High School varsity soccer team, served as its captain from 2001-2003 and holds the school's all-time scoring record with 322 points (104 goals and 114 assists). A three-time Dual Valley Conference All-Star and Conference Player of the Year in 2003, Dufault also was named to the Massachusetts All-State, All-Star team in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was a member of the Region I Massachusetts ODP for three years and earned a Rider Cup Championship in 2002. WRAP UP The 2004 Friars are an experienced group of talented players. Head Coach Chaka Daley is excited to mesh this group with his talented freshman class and make a run at the 2004 BIG EAST Championship and a NCAA Tournament bid. Over the last two seasons, the Friars have proven that they have the ability to qualify and compete in the BIG EAST Tournament. This year, they will be looking to take the next step and earn the team's first NCAA bid since 1983. GO FRIARS!
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