UMaine men aim for playoffs> Two-year players give Black Bears a boost

ORONO – University of Maine men’s soccer coach Scott Atherley is an expectant father in more ways than one.

Atherley and wife Coleen are expecting their first child in November and he is also expecting an America East Tournament appearance.

His players anticipate supplying their coach with his second postseason berth in six years.

“Making the playoffs is our primary goal and I don’t see why we shouldn’t,” said junior striker Ricky Brown. “It should be a good season. It should be a great season, actually. We have a nucleus of guys back who have played together for three years now.”

Two seniors, six juniors and four sophomores comprise Maine’s top 12 players.

“One of our strengths is our experience,” said the 32-year-old Atherley. “We have guys with at least two years of experience in all of the critical spots on the field.”

The one possible exception is in goal where junior Aaron Weymouth of Westbrook replaces the departed Nathan Benoit, whom he backed up the last two seasons.

“Aaron got some experience the last two years and had a great spring for us,” said Atherley. “I don’t expect any drop-off in goal. He’s very composed and very good technically.”

Weymouth, who lost to Drexel 1-0 in his only appearance last year, said, “I’m excited. It’s a great portunity. I’m definitely ready to go.

“I’ve worked on my strength in terms of weight lifting so I can come out tougher on crosses and through-balls and stuff like that,” added Weymouth.

Senior co-captain Andy Guastaferro said, “Aaron does extremely well. I’m not worried at all.”

Brown and sophomore Aaron Benjamin will start up front in Maine’s 4-4-2 alignment and Guastaferro will be an attacking midfielder-striker.

Atherley hopes the three of them will become interchangeable parts to create an unpredictability for opposing defenders. They were the top three scorers for Maine’s 6-9-1 team a year ago as Guastaferro had eight goals and three assists; Brown had 6 & 2 and Benjamin registered 4 & 1.

“We should be a lot of trouble for defenses,” said Brown.

Senior Christian Hatzenbeler and sophomore Matt Cox will be the flank midfielders and junior converted fullback Zack Sherry will also play there. Sophomore Shaun Rodriguez and Guastaferro will be the central midfielders.

Junior co-captain Russell Hutchison and junior Jeremy Palotti will be the central fullbacks while junior Josh Carpenter and sophomore Jason Skilling will be the flank fullbacks.

Midfielder Carson Weeks and fullback-outside midfielder Joe Arsenaux headline a “very talented” freshmen group according to Atherley.

Guastaferro and Hutchison should benefited greatly from playing in the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues’ Premier Development league this summer and Benjamin was the last cut for the Canadian under-20 national team.

Atherley said his team is in exceptional physical condition and believes, along with his players, they can transform last fall’s seven one-goal losses into several wins.

“We’re going to correct the mistakes we made in those games,” Hutchison said.

Guastaferro said they won’t panic in the latter stages of close games this fall.

“We will be relaxed and will concentrate for the whole 90 or 120 minutes. We have the personnel to do so,” said Guastaferro.

THE SCHEDULE Aug. 26 New Hampshire College*

(at Falmouth), 5 p.m. Sept. 2 at Rhode Island, 7 p.m. Sept. 5 Army, 3 p.m. Sept. 6 St. Francis Xavier, 3 p.m. Sept. 12 Massachusetts, 1 p.m. Sept. 14 at Dartmouth, 2:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Quinnipiac, 1 p.m. Sept. 26 Boston University, noon Sept. 29 at Holy Cross, 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at Hartford, 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at Vermont, 1 p.m. Oct. 16 at Hofstra, 3 p.m. Oct. 18 at Drexel, 1 p.m. Oct. 23 Delaware, 2 p.m. Oct. 25 Towson, noon Oct. 28 at Northeastern, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31 New Hampshire, 1 p.m. Nov. 4 Harvard, 7 p.m.

(at Falmouth) Nov. 6-8 Playoffs, at Burlington, Vt.

* – exhibition game