CLEVELAND, Ohio – After completing its first preseason training session August 9, the Cleveland State University men's soccer team is set to face an outside foe for the first time this season.
First-year head coach Kirk Harwat will have a full complement of three exhibition matches, all at home, to tinker with his squad in anticipation of the regular season. The Vikings will host Duquesne (Tuesday, Aug. 15), Saint Francis (Pa.) (Saturday, Aug. 19) and Ohio Wesleyan (Monday, Aug. 21) in preseason action.
Harwat took over the top spot at CSU at the end of the 2016 season. He had served as an assistant for the prior five seasons with the Vikings, including helping the program to the 2012 NCAA Tournament. With his help, Cleveland State has posted one of the top four winning percentages in Horizon League play in four of the five seasons of his tenure.
Harwat will look to get the Vikings back near the top of the League table in 2017. CSU suffered a number of near misses last year, having six of its eight defeats come by a single goal, including two in overtime.
Cleveland State has 14 returning letterwinners to go along with 10 newcomers, nine true freshmen and a junior college transfer. Nine Vikings return that started at least eight matches a year ago.
The following is a brief position-by-position breakdown:
GOALKEEPER
Sophomore Sebastian Kalk seems likely to begin the season atop the depth chart, especially if he can carry over the strong form he had at the end of last season. Kalk led the League and ranked fifth nationally in save percentage (.848), the best mark by a freshman in Division I in 2016. He was among top 30 nationally in saves per match and averaged a League-leading 5.5/match in League contests. He started 11 matches in the net last year, including each of the final seven.
A bevy of long and tall keepers will seek to push for playing time. Redshirt junior Pavle Majerle (6-3) and redshirt freshman Skylar Jeppesen (6-5) return while freshman Alex Gyerman (6-4) will look to make an impression as he debuts at the collegiate level.
DEFENSE
Figuring out how to best configure his back line will be a top priority for Harwat before the regular season commences later this month. CSU lost four players that saw significant starts on defense last year, a unit that led the League in fewest goals allowed. Two central defenders, Sergio Manesio and James Milli, were seniors on last year's squad and combined for 103 career starts.
Senior Kareem Banton and junior Antonio Burgoa are the most veteran Vikings that should vie for action in this area of the field. Banton started six matches last season as an outside back but battled leg injuries for much of the campaign. Burgoa drew 14 starting assignments as a center or outside back, with his versatility giving Harwat options on how to align his remaining players.
Junior-college transfer Madifing Conde and freshmen Dan Manolache and Thomas M'Barek all have a legitimate chance to earn minutes as a central defender with exhibition action beginning. Manolache could also shift to an outside back role while Brandon George will also provide depth in the back line.
Sophomore Vlad Jandric competed in all 17 matches a year ago, starting 11 contests, often at right back. Jandric will remain in the mix at outside back but could also see time in the midfield. Junior Guilherme Vasconcelos may also be an option at outside back. Primarily a midfielder last season, Vasconcelos showed well as an outside back this past spring for CSU.
MIDFIELD
Depending on the formation played, the Vikings could utilize a number of lineups in the middle of the pitch. One thing that seems likely to remain a constant, though, is senior Alec Nagucki serving as a holding midfielder in front of the back line. Nagucki earned All-League First Team honors last year while playing all 17 matches. Sophomore Thomas Bielanski will look to continue his development after seeing time in 12 of the final 15 matches last year. He often served in a holding role last year for CSU.
Senior Hesham Hammouda, three goals and an assist in 2016, and junior Noah Pio, a goal and two assists, were featured frequently as attacking midfielders in wide positions last year and both bring back that experience into 2017. Harwat will also look to get some of his offensively creative options, such as Gianluca DiFranco and Brent Nanchoff, in midfield spots that get them opportunities near goal.
A quintet of freshmen, Tyler Hein, Ben Hryszko, Colin Kane, Zack Kluever and David Schwartz, will all push for time in the midfield.
FORWARD
After solid rookie campaigns, a pair of sophomores, Lawrence Karpeh and Gabriel Pewu, appear to be the first options up top entering the season. Karpeh scored four times last year and earned All-Freshman Team accolades while Pewu had two goals and an assist.
Pio and Kluever could both see time further up the field if Harwat elects to line up with more forwards while junior Jordan Ianiro, who appeared in 11 matches last year, provides further depth at the position.
