With the rest of the conference chasing it, the Stony Brook men’s soccer team aspires to hold its first-place spot.
For the first time this year, the Seawolves (2-3-1, 2-0-1 CAA) will leave Long Island to play a conference match when they take on the Northeastern Huskies (3-2-2, 1-1-1 CAA) in Boston on Saturday. Opening kickoff is set for 5 p.m.
After being a playoff team last season, the Huskies are off to a solid start in 2023. They were one of four teams — including Stony Brook — atop the conference standings after the second week of Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play before dropping their last contest to William & Mary 1-0.
From a statistical standpoint, Northeastern has been an upper-middle team in the CAA. This season, the Huskies rank fifth in the CAA in goals per game and fourth in goals allowed per game.
Northeastern forward Federico Tellez has seen a lot of success as the offense’s facilitator, as he leads the conference with six assists. He has also scored a goal. Paired up on the attack with Tellez is forward Fraser Brown, who has scored four goals. Defender Jack Monte has also contributed to the Huskies’ offense with three goals scored.
However, the Huskies have struggled to find the scoreboard lately. They have been shutout in their previous two conference matches and have landed just two shots on target between those contests. Nine of their 12 goals have come in nonconference games.
On the other side, Stony Brook’s defense has been better in conference action. Out of its 11 goals allowed — which is the third-worst number in the CAA — only three have come against conference opponents.
Head coach Ryan Anatol seems to have found defensive stability. For the first time all year against Delaware, he sent out the same four players in back-to-back matches to occupy the backline: defenders Bas van Beckhoven, Sean Towey and Jon Jeleric alongside midfielder Lorenzo Selini.
Even so, it has not been all smooth sailing for the Seawolves’ defense in CAA play. They have allowed 33 shots over the last two games combined and had to rely upon goalkeeper Edmond Kaiser to salvage each one. Kaiser’s 38 saves has him tied for seventh in the nation.
In the opposite net, Northeastern goalkeeper Gregor Shaw — just as Kaiser — has played every single minute for his team. Shaw is up-and-down statistically in comparison with his counterparts in the conference. His two shutouts has him tied for fourth in the CAA, but out of 10 qualified goalkeepers, Shaw sits at ninth in saves per game and fifth in goals against average.
Shaw’s defense in front of him has handled most of the work. The Huskies’ backline has given up just 26 shots on target through seven matches. On the contrary, Kaiser has been challenged 50 times despite playing one fewer game.
The four defenders that makeup Northeastern’s backline are defenders Mathias Hille, Thomas Vold, Fabrizio Cubeddu and Monte. The quartet will have to contend with a dangerous Stony Brook attack that has led the team to becoming the top scoring offense in the CAA.
Forwards Olsen Aluc and Jonas Bičkus co-lead the team with three goals apiece while having two and one assists, respectively. Forward Moses Bakabulindi is second in the CAA in assists — behind Tellez — with five, to go alongside a goal. Midfielder Amit Magoz has a pair of goals and an assist. Forward Caleb Danquah is second on the team — tied with Aluc and van Beckhoven — with two assists.
Despite the numbers, the Seawolves offense is not at full strength. Their primary offseason acquisition on that end of the field — forward Johan Velez — has not played due to an injury suffered in preseason. Velez has been in uniform the past two games, and with Stony Brook having a week off, he may make his debut on Saturday.
If the Seawolves are able to secure at least a point against the Huskies, they will remain in first place — though they might have to share it. Saturday’s game will mark the halfway point of conference play for the Seawolves. The last four teams they play after the Huskies have a current combined CAA record of 2-2-5.
