PRESQUE ISLE – The University of Maine at Presque Isle men’s soccer team is relying on the leadership of eight seniors, a strong group of other returning players and the addition of an outstanding recruiting class to help in its quest for the 2010 NAIA Sunrise Conference Championship.
Contributed photo/UMPI Athletic Department
OWL MEN’S SOCCER TEAM – Members include, front row from left, Tyler Harding, John Haddad, Carl Nemer, Corey White, Nathaniel Postell, Luke Fuller, Chris Smith, Seth Dorr, Will Cole, Anup Prasai and Devon Peaslee. Second, Joshua Peaslee, Kyle Corrigan, Corey Fournier, Cody Closson, Lucas Bartlett, Jacob Paradis, Jeremy Tarr, Wade Estabrook, Stephen Sweatt and Ryan VanBuskirk. Back, head coach Alan Gordon, Ryan Jones, Richard Felbaum, Ben Costello, Craig Maffei, Chad Parker, Justin McLauchlan, Chris Landry, Matt Carrington, Joshua Shaw, Jared Monahan, Hanad Ashkir, Joshua MacKinnon, student assistant Mark Payne and assistant coach Trevor Parent.
The Owls finished the 2009 season with an impressive 11-5-2 overall record, losing to eventual conference champion UM-Fort Kent 2-0 in the conference semifinals. Last year, the Owls recorded nine or more shutouts for a second consecutive season and finished the year with an impressive 1.17 goals against average.
As the Owls prepare to begin the 2010 season, head coach Alan Gordon, beginning his 20th year as the Owls head coach, plans to continue to emphasize a strong defensive approach to the their game, but is in hopes of adding a more offensive-minded philosophy to this year’s style of play.
The Owls return their top three goal scorers from a year ago and have added some excellent first-year players to the team who should improve the Owls’ scoring punch. Devon Peaslee, a senior from Woolwich, was the leading scorer for the Owls in 2009 with 10 goals and four assists and was the only Owl selected to the Sunrise All-Conference team. Peaslee is an explosive player who has also been named to the NCAA DIII All-Independent Team the past two seasons and will once again be asked to lead the Owls offense.
Also returning for the Owls is junior forward Craig Maffei of Readfield. Maffei was the Owls’ second leading scorer in 2009 (8 goals and 3 assists) and was also selected to the NCAA DIII All-Independent Team. Maffei is a tough matchup for opposing teams off set pieces in the box and around the goal.
Senior co-captain Joshua Peaslee of Woolwich will team up with his brother, Devon, as well as Maffei to help pace the Owl attack. Josh played striker for the Owls last season but will move back to outside midfield in 2010, which should give him plenty of room to take on defenders on opposing teams.
Junior first-year player Kyle Corrigan of Caribou joins the Owl squad this season and will immediately add talent to the Owls. Corrigan was selected to the All-Maine and All-New England teams his senior year in high school and will be another offensive threat for the Owls. Senior Corey Fournier of Bradley, junior Cody Closson of Fort Fairfield, sophomore Stephen Sweatt of Scarborough and freshman Nathaniel Postell of Presque Isle are candidates for the other starting forward position. All four players have the ability to put the ball in the net, according to Gordon.
Seniors Seth Dorr of Houlton and Chad Parker of Truro, Nova Scotia will compete with first-year players Lucas Bartlett of Bradley and Justin McLauchlan of Caribou to round out the Owls’ midfield.
