Sept. 27, 2009

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For the first time since Sept. 1, the UMass men's soccer team will return to home action as the Minutemen host Colgate on Tuesday at Rudd Field. Kick-off is slated for 3:30 PM and admission is free to all. UMass is riding a four-game unbeaten streak which includes a two-game win streak after Saturday's 2-0 win at Siena. The Minutemen's last home game this season was a 1-1 double overtime draw against No. 24 Boston University.

The Raiders are 4-3-1 on the season, but have dropped their last two matches to New Hampshire and to Patriot League foe Lehigh. This will be the third straight road game for Colgate.

UMass is coming off a five game road trip where the Minutemen posted a 2-1-2 mark. Saturday's win improved the Minutemen to 2-1-3 overall for the year. Tuesday's match will be the first of two home matches for UMass this week as Fordham will visit Rudd Field on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference game. Seven of the Minutemen's next 11 matches will be at home as the season goes into the end of the non-conference and beginning of the Atlantic 10 slate.

Vs. The Raiders

This will be just the second all-time meeting between UMass and Colgate. The Minutemen won the first and only match of the series 2-1 during the 1989 season.

UMass Top Defensive Unit In A-10

Through the first six games of the season, UMass has shown itself to be one of the top defensive units in the league despite having mostly new faces on the back line and in goal. The Minutemen lead the league in goals allowed (4), goals against average (0.60), and rank second in shutouts (3). Nationally, UMass ranks 19th in team save percentage and 35 (among 203) in goals against average.

Piekos Among Nation's Elite

A big question mark heading into the season was who would replace All-American Zack Simmons in goal. Both Chris Piekos and Shane Curran-Hays have rotated games, with Piekos starting three games and Curran-Hays getting the nod twice.

In those three games, Piekos has been nearly perfect allowing just one goal which came against then No. 24 Boston University in a 1-1 draw. Nationally, he ranks second among all keepers with a 0.947 save percentage and sixth with a 0.29 goals against average. In the Atlantic 10, he leads the league in GAA, save percentage, and is tied for first in shutouts.

Curran-Hays Earns First Career Win, Shutout
In his third career game, keeper Shane Curran-Hays earned his first career win and first career shutout at Siena (9/26). He improves to 1-1-1 overall after making eight saves against the Saints. The shutout lowered his goals-against-average this season to 0.93 while his save percentage increased to .857.

Versatile Minutemen
With several new faces in the starting line-up, two players in particular have shown their versatility in playing different positions. Stuart Amick and Mark Dangleis have each seen time in the midfield and on defense. Amick, a two-year starter in the midfield, started the bulk of this season on defense - a move similar to the one made by Doug Rappaport in 2007 when UMass made the College Cup. Dangleis, a transfer from Lehigh University, has seen time primarily in the midfield, but adds depth as a solid back.

Fit To Be Tied
For the first time in over two decades, UMass started its season with three ties after a pair of draws at the Smith Barney Classic hosted by Vermont. The last time UMass had three ties to start the season was in 1983 when the Minutemen started 0-1-3 as well.

Arikian Picks Up Where He Left Off

Junior midfielder Ben Arikian showed last season that he was an impact player factoring into eight of UMass' 10 game-winning goals. This season, he scored the game-winning goal at Northeastern (9/19) and set-up the game-tying goal at Vermont (9/13) and assisted the game-winning goal at Siena (9/26). Of the five goals UMass has scored this season, Arikian has factored into four of them. He currently leads UMass in points with two goals and two assists and has registered a point in each of the last three straight games (2g, 2a) giving UMass a 2-0-1 record in that stretch.

Arikian Earns Preseason Honors

Arikian's stock rose another notch heading into the 2009 regular-season as the 2008 Atlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year was named to the A-10 Preseason All-Conference Team, the CSN Preseason All-America Second Team and the Hermann Trophy Watch List - the top collegiate soccer honor. Arikian led UMass in scoring in 2008 with 15 points (4g, 7a) and factored into eight of the Minutemen's game-winning goals.

DeSantis Leads Offense

Senior forward Mark DeSantis is one of UMass top returning offensive players with 30 career points on 10 goals and 10 assists in 71 games. Last season he started all 21 games scoring four goals and adding two assists. At Vermont (9/13) he scored the game-tying goal in the 40th minute of play off a Ben Arikian free kick, while at Siena (9/26) his goal stood as the game-winner.

Impact Sophomores

Forward Chris Roswess, midfielder Bryant Craft and defender Andrew Henshaw are three sophomores who the Minutemen will look to for big seasons this year. Roswess played in all 21 games last season with 11 starts and two goals - both game-winners. In the exhibition match against Adelphi earlier this year, he scored both goals for the Minutemen in a 2-1 win. Craft is a speedy midfielder and compliments Arikian and Chris Vaccaro. He started 19 of 21 games a year ago with a goal and an assist. Henshaw started 15 of 18 games in the back and is a strong, physical presence at 6-1, 170 pounds.

Players To Watch For

Junior midfielder Matt Hess and sophomore defender David Key have been inserted into the starting rotation after starting a combined two games in 2008. In his career, Hess has been a regular reserve seeing action in 31 games. Key played in just three games last season, but was a highly touted defender out of Chaparral High School in Parker, Colo.

New Look Minutemen

UMass has just 13 returning players on the 25 man roster heading into the 2009 season. Of the 12 newcomers, nine are freshmen with three sophomores. Physically, however, this is one of the larger UMass teams with an average height just under 6-feet.

A Keeper Among Them

For the first time in four years, UMass will have a new man between the pipes with the graduation of All-American Zack Simmons. Junior Chris Piekos and redshirt sophomore Shane Curran-Hays are the top returning keepers, while 6-5 freshman Brian Frame out of Delaware looks to be a presence for the future. Curran-Hays has been Simmons' understudy for the last two years and is a technically gifted keeper, while Piekos, a former Special Forces Marine, is a large, athletic, physical presence at 6-1, 220 pounds.

Commonwealth Well Represented

Almost half of the 2009 squad hails from Massachusetts (12) with a heavy mid-west flavor to the balance of the team. The Minutemen feature players from Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Koch Approaches Yet Another Milestone

Head Coach Sam Koch enters his 19th season at UMass and his 25th season overall as a head coach. Last year, he picked up his 250th career coaching win. This season, he needs just one more to pick up his 200th win at UMass. For his career in Amherst, he is 199-133-36. His overall coaching record now stands at 257-186-51 between his stints at UMass and Stanford.

The `Fort Rudd' Advantage

Few home fields yield such a distinct advantage as Rudd Field, aka FORT RUDD. At home UMass is 42-18-7 since the facility opened in 2002. All told, UMass has pitched 23 shutouts at home and has won nearly 70% of its Atlantic 10 matches in the friendly home confines.

That home field advantage will be key this year as the Minutemen will host the lion's share of their A-10 schedule in Amherst. Five of UMass seven conference matches will be at Rudd Field after just three non-conference matches (the Oct. 3 match against A-10 member Fordham will be a non-conference game).

Leverone Named To UMass Athletics Hall Of Fame

The University of Massachusetts Athletic Department will induct six new members into the George "Trigger" Burke UMass Athletic Hall of Fame, making up the class of 2009: Danielle Henderson `99 (softball 1996-99), Charles Leverone `60 (gymnastics, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, soccer, swimming & diving 1956-60), Bob Marcum (athletic Director 1993-2002), Joe McLaughlin `79 (football 1976-78), Hilary Rose `97 (field hockey 1993-94, 96), Paula Wilkins `94 (women's soccer 1990-93). Leverone lettered in five sports including soccer and won the Lojko Award his senior year (best three-sport athlete at UMass) in 1960.

Streaming Video Live From Rudd Field

The UMass Media Relations Department is proud to announce that the 2009 men's soccer regular-season home games will be streamed live over UMassAthletics.com this year. Along with live video of games, make sure to check out UMass All-Access Multimedia for player profiles, interviews with head coach Sam Koch, and much more. You can sign up for an All-Access Pass by clicking on the Multimedia link at UMassAthletics.com.

Order Photos From The 2009 Season

The UMass Media Relations Department offers fans the chance to purchase photos from the 2009 men's soccer season. Simply go to UMassAthletics.com, find the photo you like in our photo galleries and click the tab that says Buy Now. You can choose from several different size options, custom framing, even an exciting new Gallery Canvas Wrap - all shipped directly to your door. Make sure to capture your favorite memory of the season to proudly display your Maroon & White pride!

Free Soccer E-Newsletter

Fans, want to get all the latest information on the UMass men's soccer team? Sign up today by contacting John Sinnett (jsinnett@admin.umass.edu) in the UMass media relations department. You will receive weekly notes, feature stories, postgame recaps, box scores and more delivered straight to your inbox. It's the best way to keep up with the Minutemen, so sign up today!