Press Releases

September 18, 1998
Southampton College Men's Soccer Team Goes 4-0-0 to Open 34th Season

Swedish Connection Upped to 7 Players; 5 Recruits Join Colonials for 1998

Contact:
Joe Dionisio
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

Southampton, NY -- Led by its growing legacy of Swedish talent, the men's soccer team at Southampton College of Long Island University opened its 34th season in perfect fashion this month with a 4-0-0 record.

With wins over Sacred Heart (the home opener), Stony Brook, East Stroudsburg and Molloy, the Colonials are ranked 18th in Division II, up from 24th in pre-season polls. Head coach Ed Goodhines likes his club's talent and goaltending, but is cautiously optimistic.

"We don't have much depth, so it's important we stay healthy," said Goodhines, whose 16-man roster has 11 returnees and five Swedish recruits. "Against teams like C.W. Post, Dowling, Bloomsburg and Southern Connecticut, we can't afford to be missing any key players to injury."

Sharing the 1998 captaincy are: junior defender Nick Rotiroti of Anjou, Canada, a 1997 New York Collegiate Athletic Conference 2nd team selection; sophomore goal-keeper Roger Svensson of Solvesborg, Sweden. Svensson, also a NYCAC 2nd team selection, is considered one of the top goalies in Southampton history; and Mark Bruce, a senior midfielder from Coram, NY.

Returnees include: senior midfielder Peter Coppinger of East Islip, NY; junior defender Mike LaCarrubba of Ronkonkoma, NY; junior midfielder Desmond Megna of Mastic Beach, NY; junior defender John Richert of Walden, NY; sophomore goalie Matt Maiello of Philadelphia; and sophomore forward Rich Stoia of Shirley, NY, whose 14 points were second on the team in 1997.

During Goodhines' tenure, which began in 1991, the Colonials have enjoyed a steady pipeline of talent recruited from Sweden.

The seven Swedes on the '98 roster should feel right at home at Southampton, where the gold-and-navy school colors are much like the yellow-and-blue of the Tre Kronor flag.

Forward Johan Kron of Floda, Sweden, whose 18 goals, 7 assists and 43 points led the '97 team, broke countryman Bjorn Almroth's team record of 16 goals in a season.

Defender Mans Selander, like Kron, is also a junior classman who hails from Floda, Sweden.

There are four Swedish freshmen on the 1998 Colonials: forward Andreas Lindberg of Malmoe, who scored the lone goal in the team's 1-0 home opener, midfielder Staffan Linne of Stockholm, midfielder Carl Lindgren of Stenkullen, and 6-foot-5 defender Johan Lindquist of Goteborg.

Also new to the team is Dusan Erceg of Queens, NY. The Yugoslavian-born defender, who hails from the Ridgewood area of Queens, was a member of the Colonials roster in 1995.

Mark Dawson of Mastic, NY, a 1996 alumnus of Southampton College, begins his third season as assistant coach. Dawson recently debuted as head coach of the women's soccer team at Southampton College.

Joe Schiano of Deer Park, NY, a 1995 alumnus of the College, debuts as goalkeeper coach. Schiano played soccer for the Colonials from 1991-94.

Last season, Southampton College went 13-6-1 overall, and 5-2-0 (2nd place) in the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Colonials' only first team NYCAC selection in 1997 was yet another Swede, midfielder/defender Martin Sidenvall of Hudiksvall.