MEN'S SOCCER SEASON PREVIEW: SPARTANS START SEASON RANKED NO. 5 IN CANADA WEST

Jordan Whitehead

MEN’S SOCCER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
SEASON PREVIEW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEN'S SOCCER SEASON PREVIEW: SPARTANS START SEASON RANKED NO. 5 IN CANADA WEST
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LANGLEY, British Columbia - The Trinity Western men's soccer team will open the Canada West regular season this Friday against Fraser Valley as the No. 5 ranked team in the conference. The team is unranked in the CIS Top 10 but will be a veteran-laden squad anxious to get back to the playoffs.

2011 CW Rank: #5
2011 CIS Rank: NR
2010 CW Record: 5-5-4, 5th
2010 CW Tournament: N/A
2010 CIS Tournament: N/A
Last CW Title: 2007
Last CIS Title: N/A

Key returnees: Andrew Fink (G), Andrew Kowan (G), Jordan Whitehead (M), Rhys Volkenant (D), Brayden Volkenant (D), Gogo VItic (M), Liam McAllister (D), Denny Serifovic (D), Jason Wiens (M), Ioannis Tsoulouhas (M)

Key additions: Spencer Schmidt (F), Brayden Gant (M

Key departures: Chase Wickham (M), Cardin Davis (D)

After the missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2002 and failing to reach the CIS championship for the first time since 2004, the Spartans enter the 2011-12 campaign a hungry squad determined to return to what has become typical Trinity Western form.

With the Spartans returning all but two of last year’s starters – midfielder Chase Wickham, who transferred to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Cardin Davis – and with the additions of immediate impact players like forward Spencer Schmidt and midfielder Braydent Gant, plus the return of defender Brayden Volkenant, who was injured most of last year, Trinity Western already looks like a much improved squad coming into its season opener.

In net, the tandem of Andrew Fink and Andrew Kowan will once again be a strength for TWU as, similar to last year, the veteran keepers will likely split duties throughout the season. Expect Fink, who led CW with six shutouts last year, to lead the way but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Kowan push Fink for playing time.

On the backline, the Spartans will lose the gritty Davis, but the return of Brayden Volkenant will no doubt bolster a defence that should be every bit as good as last year, and likely better. With veterans like Liam McAllister and Rhys Volkenant also helping to anchor the back end, expect the defence to be a solid shutdown unit.

In the middle of the park, Gant will be a tower of strength but he will be surrounded by plenty of veteran talent – notably Jason Wiens, Jordan Whitehead and Gogo Vitic – all of which will make up an impressively deep midfield. With Wickham being the only loss, this unit should be an esteemed bunch.

Up front, Schmidt, who has already shown his goal-scoring prowess in preseason, will make an immediate impact. With Andre Costa a question mark due to injury, Schmidt will counted on to dictate the offence and if his lone season in Canada West is any indication – he scored eight goals in 14 games in 2007 with Fraser Valley – he’ll have no problem filling the opposition’s net.

The Spartans open the Canada West regular season Friday as they host Fraser Valley at 7:00 p.m. at Rogers Park on the campus of Trinity Western University.

Canada West Preseason Rankings

1. UBC (7)               70
2. Victoria (1)          52
3. Alberta                46
4. Saskatchewan      38
5. Trinity Western     36
6. Calgary                25
7. Fraser Valley        23
8. Lethbridge            14

-TW-

Last Updated: 2011-09-08
Author: Mark Janzen