The Stony Brook Seawolves kicked off the 2013 men’s soccer campaign on Friday night. Coming off two consecutive 10-win seasons under coach Ryan Anatol, the Seawolves lost 7 players to graduation, 3 of which were top scorers.
But the young Seawolves looked to start the season off strong at LaValle Stadium against
the Pioneers of Sacred Heart University.
“We’ve only had two weeks of preseason to prepare. We’re really young but we’re learning together and getting better everyday,” coach Anatol said.
Despite being young, the Seawolves were ranked second in the America East preseason poll behind the University of Maryland Baltimore County. If Aug. 30’s game was any indication, the Seawolves will hang around the top of the America East Conference all season after they shutout SHU 2-0.
“We’re really happy with the result but we have a lot of work to do. We’re just going to take it one day at a time,” coach Anatol said.
By the game’s 30-minute mark, Stony Brook jumped ahead 2-0 due to a penalty kick by sophomore Alejandro Fritz and a goal by freshman Favio Sbarra. It was defense the rest of the way, and excellent goalkeeping by redshirt freshman Jason Orban.
Next week Stony Brook will travel to Philadelphia to face the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. The Seawolves will return home Friday, Sept. 13 to play the University of Rhode Island Rams at 7 p.m.
