2007 Elizabethtown College
Men's Soccer Preview

After a stirring run to the Commonwealth Conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament in 2006, the Elizabethtown College men’s soccer team will look for similar results when it opens the 2007 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 against nationally-ranked New York University at the Stevens Institute of Technology Classic.

Faced with what appeared to be a rebuilding season last year, the Blue Jays squeezed into the conference playoffs as the fourth season and came away with the title following shutout victories at Messiah College (1-0) and Susquehanna University (2-0). The win over Messiah gave head coach Skip Roderick his 400 th career victory, while the triumph over Susquehanna was the ninth conference championship in 24 seasons on the Etown bench.

Elizabethtown saw its 24 th trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs end in heartbreaking fashion as Hobart College edged out the Jays 5-3 in penalty kicks following 110 scoreless minutes of action, ending the Blue Jays’ season with an 11-5-3 mark.

In 2007, the Blue Jays will again focus on a balanced offensive attack and strong defense to remain at the top of the reconfigured Commonwealth Conference. Following the conclusion of last season, Juniata College and Moravian College departed the league along with Susquehanna, with Lycoming College shifting over from the Freedom Conference to leave the conference with six teams.

Roderick, who begins his 25th season as head coach of the Blue Jays in 2007, welcomes back five starters and 17 letterwinners from last year’s squad, while also blending in a group of first-year players that Roderick considers one of his top recruiting classes of his tenure.

Despite scoring just 29 goals in 19 matches last season, the Jays received at least one goal from 16 different players. Junior forward Matt Diller (Chambersburg, PA/Mercersburg Academy) is the top returning goal scorer after netting four goals last season, while senior Mike Helsel (Palmyra, PA/Palmyra) contributed two goals and a team-high five assists last season.

In the midfield, senior Michael Terry (Beech Creek, PA/ Central Mountain) was a first-team All-Commonwealth Conference selection in 2006 after finishing with a pair of goals and an assist. He is joined by junior Bryan Holt (Hershey, PA/Lower Dauphin), who started 18 games and recorded one goal and two assists

On defense, the Blue Jays are led by first-team All-Commonwealth selection Wes Bunting (Lancaster, PA/McCaskey). A junior, Bunting helped anchor a defensive unit that surrendered just 13 goals in over 1,800 minutes of action and posted seven shutouts. Also returning as a starter is senior Zach Galbraith (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley).

The largest void for Roderick to fill will be in goal, where junior Jeff Mullen (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) is the lone returnee with varsity experience after playing a total of 35 minutes over two matches last year.

Elizabethtown opens its home schedule on Friday, Sept. 7 against St. Vincent College at 7:00 p.m. as part of the JAKO Blue Jay Classic, and plays the first of five Commonwealth Conference matches on Wednesday, Sept. 26 when Albright College visits for a 7:00 p.m. contest.