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Vikings Travel To Canisius

Vikings Travel To Canisius
Posted: Sep 24, 2007

Sept. 24, 2007

Contact: Brian McCann

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Match 9:
Cleveland State (2-5-1) at Canisius (1-5)
Date: Sunday, September 30, 2007
Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
Site: Demske Sports Complex (1,000), Buffalo, N.Y.
Series: CSU Leads, 3-0-1
Last Meeting: @CSU 3, CU 1 (8/27/06)

SETTING THE SCENE: Cleveland State (2-5-1) has its slowest week of competition this fall as the Vikings will play only one contest this week, allowing them time to rest up for the start of the Horizon League schedule. CSU takes to the road this weekend, playing at Canisius on Sunday, Sept. 30 beginning at 3:00 p.m. TheVikings then return home the following week for league matches against UIC (Oct. 5) and Loyola (Oct. 7).

REVIEWING LAST WEEK: The Vikings continued their non-conference schedule with a pair of matches. Here is a synopsis of those contests:

Match 7: Notre Dame College 4, CSU 1 (Sept. 19, Krenzler Field)
Josh Williams scored in the 87th minute but the CSU offense continued to struggle as Notre Dame walked away with a 4-1 win. The Falcons took a 2-0 lead in the 82nd minute and then added a pair of insurance goals in the last four minutes.

Match 8: Duquesne 2, CSU 1 (Sept. 23, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Anthony Rucci scored his first career goal and Nick Harpel stopped a first half penalty shot but Duquesne rallied, scoring a goal in each half to claim a 2-1 win. Harpel made seven saves in goal for CSU.

PREVIEWING THE VIKINGS: The Vikings are bolstered by the return of nine starters and 14 lettermen off last year's squad that posted the nation's largest improvement in wins from one year to the next. Add to the mix 10 first year players and CSU easily has its deepest lineup in at least the last decade. The offense is led by sophomore forwards George Kephart (5 goals, 2 assists, 12 points in 2006) and Josh Williams (2-0-4), both of whom started all 18 matches last year. The midfield trio of senior Roshard Gilbert (2-2-6 in 2005) and sophomores Bryan Henson (3-0-6) and Marco DiFranco (2-3-7) return to give CSU a solid group of playmakers, though Gilbert did not play in 2006. The defense was much improved in 2006, holding opponents to 31 goals in 18 matches (down from 65 in 2005). Sophomores Mike Barton, Mitch Boyer and Eric Tattersall each return as starters on defense and they will be joined by Rutgers transfer Kevin Malone, giving Kazemaini and young, but veteran, back line. Freshman Nick Harpel (2-2-1, 1.29 gaa, 33 saves) appears to have won the goalkeeper honors after shutting out Niagara (2-0) and Western Michigan (1-0) early in the season though sophomore Dan Duric (0-3, 2.50 gaa, 6 saves) has started three matches in goal.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Although the Vikings have combined for just 17 points this season, seven different players have recorded a point. The trio of Marco DiFranco, Josh Williams and Mitch Boyer lead the team with three points each while Bryan Henson, Roshard Gilbert, Steve Trapp and Anthony Rucci have each scored one goal for two points.

BOYER'S A PASSING FANCY: After being held scoreless in 18 matches during his freshman season, Mitch Boyer has developed into one of the teams top playmakers this season, leading the team and ranking fifth in the Horizon League with three assists.

A LOCAL FLAVOR: Two years ago, the soccer roster consisted of seven players who lived outside of the United States and only five who hailed from the greater Cleveland area. It hasn't taken long for Ali Kazemaini to change that as the only members of the 2007 Vikings to live outside of the U.S. are seniors Tom Sadd (Christchurch, New Zealand) and Roshard Gilbert (Scarborough, Ont.) and 22 of the 26 players are from Ohio (including 11 from the greater Cleveland area).

PENALTY SHOT: Freshman goalkeeper Nick Harpel continues to show his skill between the pipes, stopping a penalty shot in the opening moments of the Duquesne contest on Sunday. Harpel stopped Duquesne's Alex Trujillo at the 14:33 mark. Trujillo had tried to score low in the right corner but Harpel read the play correctly and grabbed to ball while diving to his left. It marked the first time that a CSU goalie stopped a penalty shot since Amir Kettani accomplished the feat in a 2-0 loss at Butler on Oct. 24, 2004. Viking opponents had made seven straight penalty shots.

NEXT UP: The Vikings return home for only the third time this season when CSU begins Horizon League play againstUIC on Friday (Oct. 5) and vs. Loyola on Sunday (Oct. 7).