Spartan Men Open 2012 Season at Home versus W&J on Friday Night
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The defending University Athletic Association Champion Case Western Reserve University men's soccer team opens the 2012 season at home versus Washington & Jefferson College (Pa.) on Friday, August 31 at 7:00 p.m. at Case Field.
Live Statistics - http://livestats.prestosports.com/casewesternreserve/
The Spartans return four starters and 13 letterwinners from a squad that finished 15-5 overall and advanced to the NCAA Championship Tournament Second Round last season. Reigning UAA Co-Rookie of the Year Patrick O'Day is the team's top offensive threat after ranking second in the league as a freshman with 31 points on 11 goals and nine assists. Senior captains Ross Twanmoh and Eric Erb return in the midfield. Twanmoh tallied nine points on two goals and five assists, while Erb was third on the squad with 21 points on nine goals and three assists. Defensively, senior Sam Kuehnle, who has started all 39 matches during the past two seasons, is expected to lead the backline. Senior Ryan Koepka, who has served as the back-up goalkeeper in each of the last two years, returns with the most experience in net.
W&J returns eight of its top 10 scorers from 2011 along with a group of 13 newcomers. The Presidents have played in seven Presidents' Athletic Conference title matches during the past 10 seasons. Sophomore forward Brian Hanna ended last season with three goals in the team's final four games and was an All-PAC performer with 16 points on seven goals and two assists. Junior forward/midfielder Cody Peddicord, a second-team All-PAC honoree, finished second on the team with six goals and two assists for 14 points. In the midfield, senior Jimmy Gante joined Hanna on the PAC's First Team. A two-year starter, Gante tallied a trio of scores, two game-winners and an assist. Between the pipes, sophomore Jon Best will likely get the starting nod after he appeared in eight matches his freshman year.
