by Kevin Buczek
WILSON, N.C.-The Barton College men's soccer program will begin its eighth season under the leadership of head coach Matt Akins when BC hosts Wingate University on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. in a battle of two Bulldogs teams that have high expectations within the Southeast Region for the 2014 season.
Barton will recognize players from the WYSA during introductions before the seven o'clock kickoff. Barton sports information will be providing Live Stats for fans who cannot attend the game. Admission is free.
Barton soccer fans can follow the Bulldogs throughout the season on BartonBulldogs.com and via social media including Twitter and Facebook.
Barton College Men's Soccer
The Barton Bulldogs are coming off a 9-8-1 campaign in 2013 that included a strong finish going 8-3 after September.
Barton's senior class of forward Erik Pajunk, midfielder Dante De Luca, midfielder Jonathan Rembecki, midfielder Nick Ahlquist and forward Danilo Matos (will miss season due to injury) has compiled a 28-24-3 (.557) record over their last three seasons.
De Luca (13 goals, 8 assists) and Pajunk (7 goals, 13 assists) are both coming off their third All-Conference season apiece. The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil tandem – who each maintain career averages of over one point per game – both went on to earn Southeast All-Region accolades.
Ahlquist and Rembecki have a combined 68 starts over their first three seasons.
Junior Drew Williams is the Bulldogs third returning All-Conference performer from last season and will anchor Barton's back line. Classmate Jovan Gracia has also started nearly every game on defense for BC over the past two seasons.
Junior Kevin Strassburger gives Barton a seventh primary starter from a year ago. Strassburger is the Bulldogs third top returning scorer from 2013 with four goals and four assists.
Coach Akins and assistant Chad Halverson will need players to step into at least three key roles from last year's squad vacated by graduation. Vasily Yakimkin occupied the Bulldogs net the past two years; forward Archer Bane earned All-Conference prestige as BC's lead striker; and Ricardo Oliveira was a workhorse as the Bulldogs reliable central midfielder.
Austin Tausch, Alex David and Craig Edwards all played in at least half of last year's games as freshmen and will be looked at to provide a bigger impact as letter winners.
Coach Akins has 13 freshmen and one transfer listed on the current roster.
The Bulldogs look to regain home field advantage in 2014. BC was 2-6-1 in Wilson last year after posting a 6-3-1 ledger at the Barton Outdoor Complex in 2012.
Barton will be opening up its season against Wingate for a fourth consecutive season and the Bulldogs are just 1-5 against WU in Coach Akins' first seven seasons. Wingate has won the last two meetings including a 3-0 shutout last year.
Wingate University Men's Soccer
The Wingate Bulldogs had a solid campaign in 2013 going 11-5-1. The perennial power in the Southeast Region will look to return to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time under veteran coach Gary Hamill in 2014.
Wingate – ranked as high as No. 5 nationally last season – returns four letter winners that are named to the preseason All-South Atlantic Conference First Team.
Senior forward Gui Peron was the Bulldogs top goal scorer last season with 10 goals en route to earning All-Conference and All-Region esteem. Sophomore Charlie Machell complimented Peron up top with five goals and two assists in his rookie season.
The junior duo of Shaun Gadsby (6 goals, 5 assists), Liam Gillesphey (1 goal, 2 assists) will once again patrol the midfield for the Bulldogs in 2014. Both preseason All-SAC honorees scored in Wingate's win against Barton last season.
Senior Victor Tozelli is a two-time All-Conference and All-Region defender for the Bulldogs.
Wingate did lose its two goalkeepers from last season and will be starting a netminder that will be making his collegiate debut in Stephen Banick on Thursday.
