Optimism abounds as Bulldogs open 2014 season

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – In just its second season of Division I postseason eligibility, the Bryant University men's soccer team came just minutes from capturing its first-ever Northeast Conference Tournament Championship; this year, the goal remains the same for the experienced Bulldog squad.

"Last season we had an incredible journey," said Seamus Purcell, who enters his 19th season as head coach of Bryant men's soccer program. "And I know the players and the entire coaching staff are extremely excited about the upcoming campaign."

A season ago, the Black and Gold put together a historic year; winning a DI program record seven games, earning a DI postseason berth for the first time in program history, and securing their first-ever DI postseason victory with a shootout victory over Saint Francis U. in the NEC Semifinals.

With 14 players who saw action in at least 13 matches last season back for the 2014 season, expectations have never been higher in Smithfield.

"With the high expectation this year, it's important that the coaching staff continuously work to keep the players grounded and focuses on one game at a time," added Purcell. "We were able to get to the NEC Championship last season because of our relentless work ethic, team-first mentality, and positive attitude, and those are the things that will help get us back there come November."

Leading the charge for Bryant will be junior goalkeeper and tri-captain Chris Knaub (Yarmouth, Maine), who will look to continue to solidify the Bulldog backline in his third season as a starter. One of the most underrated keepers in the NEC, Knaub started all 18 contests in net a season ago, tallying five clean slates while making 4.83 saves per match (tops in the NEC).

Joining Knaub in the Bryant defensive third will be fellow tri-captain, senior defender Shane Murphy (Kennet Square, Pa.), who tallied four assists in just 12 starts while combating an injury-ridden season in 2013. Junior Jake Lamar (New Haven, Conn.), who put together a breakout year in 2013 with three goals and a helper, sophomore Perdo-Lucas Ferreira (East Boston, Mass.), senior Tony Flaim (Fort Lee, N.J.), and junior Teddy Spanos (Garden City, N.Y.), will all see time in the Bryant defensive unit as well.

Along with the experienced returners, freshmen defenders John Conry (Bolton, Mass.) and Jason Norat (Wilmington, Del.) will add some depth along the backline for the Black and Gold this season.

In the midfield, the Bulldogs will look to senior Lucas Guerriero (Pickering, Ont.), junior Marco Addonizio (Lynnfield, Mass.), and sophomore Curtis Orth (Ancaster, Ont.) to bear most of the load in 2014. Guerriero, who's started 46 of 50 games in his three seasons as a Bulldog, tallied a pair of markers last season, while Addonizio finished third on the team in points with a pair of goals and three assists in 17 starts. Orth, who started 15 games as a freshman, will look to build on a very strong finish to last season in 2014.

Also adding some depth in the Bryant midfield will be senior Ryan Kalan (East Norwich, N.Y.), junior Kevin Tejada (Clifton, N.J.), freshman Jozef Jennings (Barrington, R.I.), and redshirt freshman Zachary Bleau-Prevost (Boucherville, Quebec), who missed the entire 2013 season due to injury.

Up front, the Bulldogs return their two leading scorers from the last two seasons in junior Brett Larocque (Ottawa, Ont.) and senior captain Connor Norat (Wilmington, Del.). Larocque, who has tallied 31 points (14g, 3a) in two seasons in Smithfield, led Bryant with eight goals and a pair of helpers in 2013, while Norat put up 14 points on six goals and two assists, highlighted by a huge hat trick vs. Central Connecticut in the regular season finale.

Also likely to see time in the attacking third for the Black and Gold are redshirt sophomore Matt Guerriero (Pickering, Ont.), who missed all of 2013 with an injury, and freshman Matt Brouillette (Shelton, Conn.).

After a long, nine-month wait, the Bryant men's soccer team opens its 2014 regular season against cross-state foe Providence on Friday, Aug. 29 at 3:00 p.m. at Bulldog Soccer Field. After doing battle with PC, the Bulldogs will venture to New Hampshire on Sunday, Aug. 31 for a 5 p.m. showdown with the Wildcats.

For links to live stats and streaming video of all this weekend's action and all the latest news on the Bryant University men's soccer team visit BryantBulldogs.com.