Manhattan College men’s soccer is ready to make noise
RIVERDALE, N.Y. (BVM) — Whether it’s this spring or next fall, the Manhattan College men’s soccer team will be as ready as ever before.
Under normal circumstances, the team would’ve played this past fall. But due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) cancelled all fall sports for health and safety reasons.
This decision was made even harder by the timing. After waiting all spring and most of the summer to see if the team would be allowed to compete, the MAAC called off all fall sports on July 27. This was especially brutal because the Jasper players and coaching staff spent their time off preparing as if they were going to play.
Nevertheless, the soccer program led by head coach Jorden Scott, has provided its players with the resources and training regime needed to stay in game-shape for a potential spring season. The goal is to get the team back in Gaelic Park playing like they never left.
These efforts combined with those from the Head Strength and Conditioning coach Mike Olave have ensured the players are ready. Olave has been the leading force in keeping Manhattan athletes locked in during the pandemic.
Keeping Manhattan’s soccer players in shape has been essential, but Scott also knew he had to make other moves to keep his program competitive. Not only did the team go 6-10-1 in 2019, but a huge portion of that roster graduated.
Once seniors such as Berti Fourrier, Adrian Awana, and Marcelin Goehier left, every area of the team was in need of replacements. The Frenchmen, Fourrier and Awana, led the Jaspers’ offense and defense claiming All-MAAC honors throughout their careers. Goehier was a record-breaking goalkeeper that tallied 17 total shutouts.
Scott, the 2013 MAAC Coach of the Year, made sure to go above and beyond to fill his team’s holes. He has added an astounding 11 new players to the roster to help out the remaining core led by Simon Busch and Brandon Joseph-Baudi.
Some of the freshmen added include Olsen Aluc and Johnny Sauceda to aid Joseph-Baudi with scoring, Jose Mendez and Vladimir Lee to help Busch on defense, and Danny Dimarco as a substitute goalkeeper. The Jaspers head coach also added five new players via transfer to add some experience to a youthful group.
With this new roster, Manhattan soccer looks to rejuvenate their program and fix their noticeable flaws from 2019. These include raising their measly 1.06 goals per game, improving their shot percentage above 9%, decreasing their excessive fouling, and going better than 2-9-1 on the road.
While their 2019 record didn’t quite indicate it, Manhattan was right on the cusp of that elite tier of MAAC Conference teams. They went 5-4-1 in the conference and competed hard in a quarterfinal loss to Marist in the MAAC Men’s Soccer Tournament. The Jaspers competition upon return will be just as stiff. St. Peter’s, Quinnipiac, and Iona all had winning records both in and out of the conference.
Manhattan men’s soccer still has to prove that they are the real deal. They’ve made encouraging roster additions, and have a very competent staff running the program. Scott’s ultimate goal is a MAAC Championship. And with a young, talented, and refurbished roster, the potential for one is there.
