By Gabby Devaud
Elm Staff Writer
Washington improved to 5-1 in season openers under head coach Drew Hoffman with the 1-0 win versus Randolph-Macon last Saturday afternoon. Sophomore forward Sam Wild scored the game’s only goal off a cross from sophomore midfielder Chris Nardo. Senior goalkeeper Chris Phipps finished with seven saves in the win for Washington.
The 2011 Washington College men’s soccer team has nine returning starters with a total of 11 juniors and seniors on the roster. They also return six sophomores and welcome 12 freshmen to the team. Junior Tim Marcin, and seniors Colin Kidwell and Chris Phipps are this year’s captains.
Defenders Justin Geho, Kidwell, and Marcin as well as goalkeeper Phipps started all 17 games last season. Phipps led the Centennial Conference with 140 saves and was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2010. Kidwell had one goal on 12 shots and Marcin tallied nine shots. Geho, a junior, tied for the team lead in goals last season with four, had one assist, and led the team in shots with 31.
Kidwell and Phipps are two of the Shoremen’s four seniors, along with forward Jordan Haas and midfielder Nick Anderson. Haas made nine starts and appeared in all 17 games in 2010, scoring two goals and tallying one assist. His 30 shots on the season were second on the team. Anderson played in eight games last season.
Geho and Marcin are just two of the Shoremen’s seven juniors, along with defenders Robert Gavora, Trevor Wittman and Ryan Duffy, forward Matt Sedney, and goalkeeper Tyler Cabot. Gavora was named the team’s Most Improved Player in 2010, scoring one goal while starting 13 times and playing in all 17 games. Wittman made eight starts in 13 games. Duffy had one assist while making six starts in eight games. Sedney registered 15 shots while making one start in 14 games, and Cabot made three appearances last season.
The sophomore class includes midfielders Chris Nardo, Sam Wild, Trevor Francis and Tyler Francis, and Josh Goheen and defender Sal Melillo. Nardo led the Shoremen in total points in 2010 by sharing the team lead in goals with four on 25 shots and adding two assists, while making 14 starts and playing in all 17 games. Wild added three goals and two assists while starting 16 of his 17 games played. Trevor Francis made three starts in 17 games and scored one goal, while Tyler Francis made 16 appearances. Goheen registered two assists and made five starts while playing in all 17 games. Melillo played in 16 games in 2010.
Drew Hoffman returns for his sixth season as head coach of the Shoremen. Also back on the sidelines are third-year assistant Brian Schultz ‘09 and sixth-year assistant Briggs Cunningham. Joining the coaching staff is veteran youth and development coach Peter Kaminskas.
The Shoremen play this Sunday, September 11th at Shenandoah beginning at 2:00 p.m