Anteaters shun rebuilding label
Barry Faulkner
With 12 freshmen and two community college transfers on a 30-player
roster that includes just three seniors, the future looks bright for
the UC Irvine men’s soccer team. But Coach George Kuntz and his
Anteaters aren’t inclined to shut the blind on immediate success in
2003.
“I’ll tell you what,” Kuntz said days before tonight’s 7:30 season
opener against Fresno State in the UC Irvine College Classic
christens the program’s newly polished stadium. “We’re going for
broke and you can print that. Our guys love to play and compete in
everything we do.”
The Anteaters (8-8-4 last year, despite a 6-1-1 road record) are
picked third in the six-team Big West Conference preseason coaches’
poll and Kuntz believes his diverse unit may have what it takes to
surpass UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge (No. 1 and No. 2,
respectively).
“We lost more than 10 players from last year’s team, so others may
tend to view this as a rebuilding year for us,” Kuntz said. “But we
don’t look at it that way.”
Despite a big personnel parade out the door, UCI returners
accounted for 20 of last year’s 27 goals and 11 of the team’s 26
assists.
Injuries to key players last year helped foster some of those
numbers, but Kuntz believes a blend of experience and incoming talent
puts the ‘Eaters in good shape.
“The strength of this team is its diversity,” Kuntz said. “We have
a number of different weapons, we have speed, quite a bit of skill
and we’ve added a little size. And, we’re deep in several positions,
something we haven’t had in the past.”
Kuntz said he likes the chemistry of his team, but admits that the
true process of coming together can be accomplished only with
competition.
“We need a few games under our belt,” he said. “I think we’re like
a car that hasn’t been tested on the road yet. But it’s very, very
possible it’s going to be a well-run, well-oiled machine.”
Those hoping to propel the ball into the net will be talented
junior forwards Sebastian Galmarini, Dardo Acuna and Lerato Simelane,
while junior midfielder Efrain Salcedo scored a team-high seven goals
in 2002.
Acuna collected four goals and four assists, despite missing much
of the season with a torn knee ligament, Galmarini sat out last
season with a hip flexor injury and Simelane also missed time in ’02
with a torn knee ligament, Kuntz said.
Kuntz said freshman Brad Evans, out of Arizona, could also
contribute right away up front.
Senior Anthony Vizcarra (two goals and one assist last season)
could be an anchor in the midfield, where some newcomers may combine
with the aforementioned Salcedo to add production.
Doug Franco prepped at El Toro High, while fellow freshman Anthony
Hamilton emerges from Colton High. Kuntz also identified sophomore
Chris Klotz as a potential midfield contributor.
Senior Chris Ruiz, freshman Cameron Dunn (Alta Loma High) and
sophomore Sergio Rivera are among those who will form the back line,
which will support a goalkeeping corps led by junior Cameron Rossi.
Sophomore Ryan Mathy is expected to start in goal tonight for
Rossi, who is still recovering from a back problem Kuntz classified
as minor.
“[Rossi] might break every goalkeeping record before he’s through
at UCI,” Kuntz said.
Unlike women’s soccer, the Big West men will have no postseason
tournament. But the conference champion, for the first time, will
receive an automatic NCAA bid, Kuntz said.
In addition to the conference grind that begins Oct. 15 at home
against Cal State Northridge, Kuntz believes the Anteaters play one
of the most arduous schedules in the nation.
“We play six teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year and we
play a couple of those twice,” Kuntz said. “We’ve incrementally
stepped up our schedule and, I’d argue, it’s as tough as anyone in
the country. We don’t back down from anyone.”
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