Western New England College
Men's Soccer News

2004 NCAA Division III Tournament participants

2004 GNAC Champions

Western New England College Fall Sports Banquet
Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004
List of Award Recipients

Men's Soccer
Coaches Award - Senior Tom Murray (Dalton, MA)
Unsung Hero Award - Sophomore Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT)
Ed Lindsey Freshman Award - Dan Lawrence (Easthampton, MA)

TIM LAROCCA AND SCOTT THORNTON NAMED TO 2004 NSCAA ALL-NEW ENGLAND TEAM

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College sophomore defender Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) and senior midfielder Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) have been named to the 2004 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Adidas Division III All-New England Team.

Larocca earned a spot on the third team while Thornton was a fourth squad selection. They are the first two players in school history to make the NSCAA All-New England squad.

Larocca, a marketing major, anchored the Golden Bears' defense that recorded a school record 14 shutouts this fall while limiting opponents to only 16 goals in 23 matches. He also contributed nine points (2 goals, 5 assists) in earning a spot on the All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) First Team.

Thornton, the only three-year captain in the program's 39-year history, tied for second in scoring this past season with 16 points (6 goals, 4 assists). An electrical engineering major, he ended his career with 51 points (18 goals, 15 assists). Thornton was a two-time All-GNAC First Team performer.

"I am thrilled that Tim and Scott have been recognized with this tremendous honor," said Western New England College coach Erin Sullivan. "Both individuals were integral parts of our team's success this year both on and off the field. This is a worthy mark of distinction as they are great two-way players and outstanding leaders."

Western New England College posted a 16-6-1 record that was a school record for wins, breaking the old mark of 15 set in 1975. The Golden Bears also captured the regular season Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title with a perfect 9-0 mark (all by shutouts) and won their first GNAC Tournament title. WNEC ended its best season ever by making its inaugural appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship.

Sullivan's team was ranked seventh in both the final NSCAA/Adidas and NCAA Division III New England Regional rankings.

SENIOR JOHN SCHMALBERGER NAMED GNAC PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR

Erin Sullivan tabbed GNAC Coach-of-the-Year; Eight players make All-GNAC squad

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior back John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT) has been named the 2004 All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Player-of-the-Year.

Schmalberger anchored the Golden Bears defense that compiled 14 shutouts this fall while allowing only 16 goals in 23 matches. He also made the All-GNAC First Team with senior goalie Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY), senior midfielder Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH), sophomore midfielder Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA), and sophomore forward Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA).

All-GNAC Second Team honors were awarded to junior forward Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA), junior back Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT), and sophomore back Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE).

Martyn compiled a 0.50 goals-against-average with nine shutouts in 17 matches. Thornton (6 goals, 4 assists) and Schnepp (5 goals, 6 assists) tied for second on the team in scoring with 16 points. Oteng contributed 11 points (4 goals, 3 assists) while Larocca added nine points (2 goals, 5 assists). Meikle and Zawislak helped lead the defensive unit that posted a school record 14 shutouts this season.

Erin Sullivan was voted the GNAC Coach-of-the-Year after directing the Golden Bears to a 16-6-1 record that was a school record for wins, breaking the old mark of 15 established in 1975.

Western New England College captured the GNAC regular season title with a 9-0 mark (all by shutouts) and won their first GNAC Tournament crown with a 1-0 victory over Johnson & Wales University. WNEC advanced to its first NCAA Division III Championship dropping a 1-0 decision at Roger Williams University in a first round match.

Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2004
NCAA Division III Tournament (First Round)
Roger Williams 1, WNEC 0

BRISTOL, R.I. — In a match-up of two outstanding defensive sides, Roger Williams University came away with a 1-0 victory over Western New England College in a first round match of the 2004 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship.

The Golden Bears out-shot the Hawks by a 6-4 margin, but couldn't find the back of the net.

Roger Williams (15-4-4) sophomore forward Joel Montgomery headed in a cross from Sean Whalen in the 16th minute for the only score of the game. It was the 14th shutout of the season for the hosts.

Western New England College finished its record-breaking campaign with a 16-6-1 record with 14 of the victories also coming by shutouts. The Golden Bears outscored its opponents by a 60-16 margin.

Congratulations to coach Erin Sullivan, his staff, and players for a super season!

WNEC VISITS ROGER WILLIAMS COLLEGE IN FIRST ROUND OF NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College men's soccer team will make its inaugural appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 10) against Roger Williams University in a first round match in Bristol, Rhode Island.

The Golden Bears advanced to the national tournament after capturing its first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title with a thrilling 1-0 victory over Johnson & Wales University last Saturday at Suprenant Field.

Sophomore forward Kwame Ofosu (Aurora, CO) scored the winning goal with an assist from senior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) just 43 seconds into the second half. Senior back John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT) was named the Most Valuable Player of the GNAC Tournament after anchoring the Golden Bears' defense that allowed only one goal (a WNEC own goal) in three matches.

Ofosu, senior goalie Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY), and sophomore midfielder Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) made the GNAC All-Tournament Team.

After a pre-season trip to Europe in August for a series of exhibition matches against various club teams, Western New England College (16-5-1) established a school record for wins this season, breaking the old mark of 15 set in 1975 when the Golden Bears placed fourth at the NAIA Championship.

Fifth-year coach Erin Sullivan saw his team compile a school-record 14 shutouts this fall that included nine consecutive regular season wins over conference opponents. The Golden Bears also posted a 1-0 victory over then No. 15 Keene State College and a 3-1 decision over city rival Springfield College in non-conference action.

Western New England College outscored its rivals by a 60-15 margin as ten players scored 10 or more points.

Sophomore forward Evan Heymann (Ipswich, MA) leads the team with 17 points (6 goals, 5 assists) in 20 matches off the bench followed by Thornton (6-4) and junior forward Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) (5-6) each with 16 points. Martyn has a 0.46 goals-against-average with nine shutouts.

"I am absolutely overjoyed for our entire team, especially for our seven seniors, who have been the architects of this program from day one," said Sullivan. "They have endured some difficult post season performances only to return more dedicated. Our victory over Johnson & Wales is the culmination of four years of their hard work and sacrifices.

Sullivan added, "We are honored to represent our program, College, and conference in the NCAA Tournament. We consider it a privilege and look forward to competing on the national stage." WNEC lost to Roger Williams 1-0 in a semifinal match of the 2002 ECAC Division III New England Tournament.

"Roger Williams has an outstanding program that we have emulated the last couple of years," noted Sullivan. "We regard them as one of the top teams in the New England region and they deserve a tremendous amount of credit for their performance this season."

Roger Williams (14-4-4) captured the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Tournament crown with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Salve Regina University last Saturday. The Hawks were seeded third in the tournament.

The WNEC-Roger Williams winner will play a second round match at St. Lawrence University (15-2-1) on Saturday in Canton, New York.

Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004
GNAC Tournament (Championship match)
WNEC 1, Johnson & Wales 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore forward Kwame Ofosu (Aurora, CO) scored the game-winner 43 seconds into the second half with an assist from senior midfielder Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) as Western New England College captured its first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title with a 1-0 victory over Johnson & Wales University.

The Golden Bears (16-5-1), who set a school record for wins, breaking the old mark of 15 (1975), will make their inaugural appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship on Wednesday. This also was the team's seventh straight win and school record 14th shutout of the season.

Both squads had chances to score in the second half. Johnson & Wales junior midfielder Richard Bouvier (Smithfield, RI) headed a shot that hit the top of the crossbar (following a corner kick) in the 74th minute. WNEC sophomore Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE) had a shot that just flew over the crossbar in the 78th minute. JWU junior defender Bryan Supple (Cumberland, RI) then fired a shot (off a direct kick) that went over the cross bar in the 81st minute.

WNEC senior defender John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT) was named the Tournament MVP.

Three Golden Bears made the All-GNAC Tournament team, senior goalie Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) who made three saves, sophomore midfielder Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA), and Ofosu who graduated from Worcester (Ma.) North High School..

Senior midfielder Mark Bleser (Scotia, NY), senior defender Jason Stewart (Ocean, NJ) , and Supple made the All-Tournament squad for the Wildcats (11-8-1).

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004
GNAC Tournament (Semifinals)
WNEC 3, Norwich 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College advanced to the championship match of the 2004 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament with a 3-0 semifinal victory over Norwich University.

The victory gave WNEC a six-game winning streak and 15-5-1 record that ties the school record for wins in a season previously established in 1975. It also was the Golden Bears' school record 13th shutout of the season. WNEC has outscored its opponents by a 59-15 margin this fall.

Western New England College led 2-0 at half-time following goals by sophomore Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA) in the 19th minute with an assist from Kwame Ofosu (Aurora, CO), and sophomore Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE) in the 21st minute with assists from senior Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT) and junior Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA). Sophomore Evan Heymann (Ipswich, MA) scored an unassisted goal in the 89th minute to complete the scoring.

The Golden Bears out-shot the Cadets by a 24-6 margin and held a 9-2 advantage on corner kicks. Sophomore goalie Jeff Warner (Keene, NH) had seven saves for Norwich who ends its season with an 8-9-1 record.

Western New England College will host Johnson & Wales (a 1-0 winner over Emerson) on Saturday (Nov. 6) at Suprenant Field. Game time will be announced.

The Golden Bears will be making only their second appearance in the GNAC Tournament championship game. WNEC lost to Norwich 1-0 in the 2001 title match.

The winner of the GNAC Tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.

Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004
GNAC Tournament (Quarterfinals)
WNEC 4, Rivier 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — In a match that featured an own goal by each side, Western New England College advanced to the semifinals of the 2004 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament with a 4-1 victory over Rivier College.

This was the fifth straight victory for the Golden Bears who improved their record to 14-5-1, which ties as the second highest win total in the program's history.

WNEC took a 3-0 lead at half-time scoring on a Rivier own goal in the 27th minutes, and goals by senior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) (36th minute) and junior Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT) (41st minute).

Sophomore Scott Heymann (Ipswich, MA) put the Golden Bears ahead 4-0 lead with a goal in the 58th minute.

Junior Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA), and sophomores Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) and Tim Regan (Monroe, CT) had assists on the picture perfect fall afternoon.

Rivier (7-12) averted the shutout by scoring a WNEC own goal in the 70th minute

Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004
WNEC 1, Norwich 0

NORTHFIELD, Vt. — Western New England College completed the first undefeated and unscored upon season in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) competition with a 1-0 victory over Norwich University.

Sophomore Kwame Ofosu (Aurora, CO) scored the game winner in the 65th minute with an assist from classmate Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA).

Sophomore Chris Wilk (Derry, NH) played goalie in the first half and made one save while freshman Stephen Hennessey (Essex Junction, VT) was in the net for the second half.

WNEC improves its record to 13-5-1 with its 12th shutout of the season. The Golden Bears were 9-0 in the conference outscoring its rivals by a 39-0 margin.

Western New England College will host a GNAC Tournament quarterfinal match at noon Sunday (Oct. 31) against Rivier College.

TIM LAROCCA AND JAY MARTYN GAIN WEEKLY WNEC & GNAC AWARDS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) was honored Tuesday (Oct. 26) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Larocca, a sophomore midfielder, scored a goal in a 4-0 victory over Emerson College as the Golden Bears remained undefeated and unscored upon in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with an 8-0 record. WNEC (12-5-1) also captured the regular season Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title for the second time in three years. Larocca is a marketing major.

Western New England College senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Goalie-of-the-Week on Monday (Oct. 25) for the fourth time this season. Martyn had two saves in a 1-0 win over No. 15 Keene State College and four saves in a 4-0 victory over Emerson College. He has a 0.49 goal-against-average and seven shutouts in 13 matches this fall. Martyn is a sport management major.

Saturday, Oct. 23, 2004
WNEC 4, Emerson 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College clinched the regular season Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title for the second time in three years with a 4-0 victory over visiting Emerson College.

WNEC improved its record to 12-5-1 overall and 8-0 in the conference. The Golden Bears have 11 shutouts this season, including all eight against GNAC opponents.

Sophomore Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA) led the way with one goal and one assist. He scored in the eighth minute assisted by senior Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT).

Later in the half, sophomore Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) found the back of the net assisted by sophomore Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT).

The Golden Bears did not let up in the second half as senior Kevin Lutter (Downingtown, PA) scored his first goal of the season in the 54th minute with an assist from Oteng.

Western New England College finished up the scoring in the 58th minute when sophomore Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) beat two defenders before firing a shot past Lions senior goalie Edward Silberstein (Weymouth, MA). Silberstein had five saves for the Lions (12-5 overall, 6-3 GNAC)

Senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) recorded his seventh shutout of the season.

Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004
WNEC 1, Keene State 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College scored an own goal in the 49th minute for a 1-0 upset victory over No. 15 Keene State College.

The Golden Bears (11-5-1) scored when OwlsÕ junior back Mike Lewis (Manchester, CT) kicked the ball over the head of senior goalie Brandon Beck (Johnstown, NY) following a shot by WNEC sophomore Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE).

Keene State College (11-3-1) is ranked second in the NSCAA/adidas Division III New England Regional rankings.

Senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) recorded his sixth shutout of the season with two saves while Beck was credited with one save.

This was the 10th shutout of the season for the Golden Bears.

Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004
WNEC 5, Daniel Webster 0

NASHUA, N.H. — Western New England College remained undefeated in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a 5-0 win over Daniel Webster College.

The Golden Bears took a 1-0 lead when sophomore Kofi Oteng (Worcester, M) scored his first goal of the season only five minutes into the match.

WNEC held a 3-0 half-time advantage following goals by junior Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) and sophomore Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE).

Senior Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT) and sophomore Robbie Lees (Warwick, NY) (his first of the season) scored in the second half. Sophomore Scott Rogers (Middlefield, CT) had two assists in the second half for his first collegiate points.

The Golden Bears are 10-5-1 overall and 7-0 in the GNAC. This was the ninth shutout of the season for Coach Erin Sullivan's squad. All seven of the team's conference wins have been shutouts.

Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004
Amherst 3, WNEC 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior Ian Lovett (Newton, MA) scored the game winner in the 78th minute to lead visiting Amherst College to a 3-1 victory over Western New England College in a non-conference match.

WNEC (9-5-1) took a quick 1-0 lead when sophomore Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) scored his first goal of the season only 25 seconds into the contest.

Amherst (8-1) tied the game a short time later when junior Christian Alexander (Santa Fe, NM) scored at 5:07.

Both teams battled evenly for 72 minutes until Lovett fired home the winning shot. Junior Joe Gannon (Hanson, MA) added an insurance goal in the 87th minute.

Senior Dan Glenn (Berkeley, CA) made three saves for the Lord Jeffs while senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) had five stops for the Golden Bears.

Amherst out-shot Western New England College by a 14-9 margin.

KWAME OFOSU AND JAY MARTYN GAIN WEEKLY SOCCER HONORS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Sophomore Kwame Ofosu (Aurora, CO) was honored Tuesday (Oct. 12) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Ofosu, a forward, scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 overtime victory at Albertus Magnus College. He also had an assist in a 3-0 win over Suffolk University.

With Ofosu helping to lead the way, Western New England College (9-4-1) leads the Great Northeast Athletic Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a 6-0 record. Ofosu is a pharmacy major.

Western New England College senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) was selected the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Goalkeeper-of-the-Week on Monday (Oct. 11) for the third time this fall.

Martyn made six saves in posting shutouts over Albertus Magnus (1-0 in overtime) and Suffolk (3-0). A sport management major, he has a 0.34 goals-against-average and five shutouts.

Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004
WNEC 3, Suffolk 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College remained the only undefeated team in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference with a 3-0 victory over Suffolk University.

This was the Golden Bears' eighth shutout of the season and sixth straight against a conference opponent.

WNEC took a 2-0 lead at intermission following goals by junior Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) and sophomore Scott Bullis (Barre, VT). Senior goalie Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) made three saves for his fifth shutout of the fall.

Sophomore Evan Heymann (Ipswich, MA) closed out the scoring with 27 minutes left in the match.

Western New England College is 9-4-1 overall and 6-0 in the conference.

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2004
WNEC 1, Albertus Magnus 0 (ot)

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — When Western New England College and Albertus Magnus hook up in men's soccer, you can usually count on a close and exciting match.

That was the case Wednesday when sophomore Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) scored the game-winner three minutes into overtime to lift the Golden Bears to a 1-0 victory over the Falcons in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match.

Freshman Mike Stewart (Springfield, MA) had the assist on the winning shot as WNEC improved its record to 8-4-1, which surpasses last year's win total of seven.

Western New England College also is undefeated in the GNAC with a 5-0 mark after recording its seventh shutout of the season. The Golden Bears have blanked all five conference opponents this fall.

Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004
Williams 5, WNEC 1

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Playing its second match in two days, Western New England College dropped a 5-1 decision to highly-regarded Williams College in a non-conference match.

The Ephs led 3-0 after the first half and upped their margin to 5-0 before the Golden Bears hit the board on a goal by sophomore Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY). Senior Tom Murray (Dalton, MA) and sophomore Scott Bullis (Barre, VT) assisted on the play. Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Wilk (Derry, NH) finished with seven saves.

Western New England College is now 7-3-1.

Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004
WNEC 8, Rivier 0

NASHUA, N.H. — Senior Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT), juniors Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) and Mike Schnepp (Springfield, MA), and sophomore Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) each had a goal and assist to lead Western New England College to an 8-0 victory over Rivier College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest.

Senior Brian Romell (Charlton, NY) added his first goal of the season. Sophomore Tim Regan (Monroe, CT) added two assists while classmate David Arcari (Burlington, CT) had an assist for his first collegiate point.

WNEC led 3-0 at halftime and broke the match open with five goals in the second half.

The Golden Bears improved their record to 7-3-1 and remained undefeated in the conference (3-0).

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004
Babson 1, WNEC 0

BABSON PARK, Mass. — Babson College scored the only goal of the match in the 58th minute for a 1-0 victory over Western New England College in a non-conference game.

Senior goalie Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) made two saves for the Golden Bears who are now 6-3-1 after suffering their first loss in seven contests.

SCOTT THORNTON NAMED GNAC PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College senior captain Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Player-of-the-Week on Monday (Sept. 27). He scored three goals (two against Southern Vermont) in a 3-0 week. An electrical engineering major, Thornton leads the Golden Bears in scoring with 12 points (5 goals, 2 assists).

Saturday Sept. 25, 2004
WNEC 9, Southern Vermont 0

BENNINGTON, Vt. — Western New England College raced to a 6-0 half-time lead and never looked back in recording an easy 9-0 victory over Southern Vermont College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match.

Sophomore Evan Heymann (Ipswich, MA) led ten players scoring points with two goals and an assist. Senior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) also scored twice.

Senior Tom Murray (Dalton, MA) had an assist for his first collegiate point while freshman Osei Bandoh (Worcester, MA) had two assists for his first two collegiate points.

This was the fifth shutout of the season for the Golden Bears who improved to 6-2-1, including a 3-0 mark in the conference. WNEC is 4-0-1 in its last five matches.

Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004
WNEC 3, Springfield 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Freshman Dan Lawrence (Easthampton, MA) scored the game-winner with his first collegiate goal as Western New England College ran its winning streak to three games with a 3-1 victory over visiting Springfield College.

WNEC (5-2-1) led 1-0 at half-time after sophomore Scott Bullis (Barre, VT) scored his first goal of the season in the 16th minute with another assist from Zawislak (Newark, DE).

The match remained close until Lawrence gave the Golden Bears a 2-0 lead with a shot from the left side in the 79th minute.

Sophomores Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) and Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE) assisted on the winning shot.

Junior Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) made it 3-0 with his second goal of the season 26 seconds later with an assist from sophomore Evan Heymann (Ipswich, MA).

The Pride (3-4) averted a shutout when junior Justin Pepoli (Ashburnham, MA) hit the back of the net in the 83rd minute with an assist from freshman Tony Distasio (Burlington, CT). The goal was the first for a WNEC opponent in 481 minutes covering six matches.

Senior goalkeeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) made four saves in recording his fourth win of the fall. Freshman BJ Sturdivant (Bear, DE) had five stops for Springfield.

Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2004
WNEC 4, Worcester State 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College easily won its second home game of the season 4-0 over visiting Worcester State College in a non-conference game.

It was the fourth straight shutout for the Golden Bears (4-2-1) who scored all of their goals in the first half.

Sophomore Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT) scored his second goal of the season just 4:50 into the game with an assist from sophomore Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA).

The Golden Bears struck again 8:14 into the match when junior Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) made a great move with the ball to get himself wide open and scored. Sophomore Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) assisted on the play.

Western New England took advantage of an indirect kick as senior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) fired home the third goal with an assist from sophomore Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA).

Sophomore Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) capped the scoring just 22 minutes into the game with another assist from Oteng.

Sophomore Chris Wilk (Derry, NH) recorded four saves while the duo of senior Ryan Gover (Douglas, MA) and senior Nick Robinson (North Attleboro, MA) saved five shots for Worcester State (0-4-2).

SENIOR JAY MARTYN HONORED AS THE WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Senior captain Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) was honored Tuesday (Sept. 21) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Martyn, a goalie, posted two shutouts while making 17 saves. He had six stops, including two in overtime, to preserve a 0-0 tie against Trinity College.

In the second match, Martyn compiled eight saves in a 2-0 win over Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) rival Johnson & Wales University.

For his efforts, Martyn was selected the GNAC Goalkeeper of the Week. He is a sport management major.

Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004
WNEC 2, Johnson & Wales 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) scored in the first half (32nd minute) and sophomore Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE) added an insurance goal in the second half (79th minute) to lift Western New England College to a 2-0 Homecoming victory over Johnson & Wales University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match.

Senior goalkeeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) made eight saves as the Golden Bears improved their record to 3-2-1 and 2-0 in the conference.

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004
WNEC 0, Trinity 0 (2ot)

HARTFORD, Conn. — Senior goalkeeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) made nine saves, including one big stop with less than five minutes remaining in the match, as Western New England College settled for a 0-0 overtime tie against Trinity College. Each squad had 16 shots in the contest. WNEC is now 2-2-1.

Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004
WNEC 6, Emmanuel 0

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Senior captain Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) scored two goals and junior Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) added a goal and assist as Western New England College blanked Emmanuel College, 6-0, in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener for both squads.

The match was played at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill.

Sophomores Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT) and Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) also scored while freshman Mike Stewart (Springfield, MA) notched his first collegiate goal.

Senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) and sophomore Mike Madru (Westfield, MA) each played a half making one save apiece for the Golden Bears (2-2).

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004
Western Connecticut 1, WNEC 0

DANBURY, Conn. — Matt Cusack fired home the winning goal in the 72nd minute to lead Western Connecticut State University to a 1-0 night victory in the rain over Western New England College in a battle between two of the top teams in the region.

Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Wilk (Derry, NH) made four saves for the Golden Bears (1-2) who had a 16-12 shot advantage.

SCOTT MEIKLE HONORED AS THE WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior captain Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT) was honored Tuesday (Sept. 7) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Meikle, a defender, scored the first goal in a 2-1 win over Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and had the lone score for the Golden Bears in a 2-1 loss against nationally-ranked Wheaton College in the season opener. He is a criminal justice major.

Sunday, Sept. 5, 2004
WNEC 2, Massachusetts College 1

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Sophomore defender Michael Zawislak (Newark, DE) scored the game-winner in the 80th minute as Western New England College defeated host Massachusetts College, 2-1, in the second day of the Holiday Inn/United Way Trailblazer Kick-Off Classic.

Sophomore Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA) and freshman Dan Lawrence (Easthampton, MA) assisted on the play.

Junior defender Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT) gave the Golden Bears a 1-0 lead 5:40 into the game. The Trailblazers tied the match in the 62nd minute.

Senior goalkeeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) made three saves for the Golden Bears who recorded their first win of the season.

In the other contest, Wheaton blanked UMass-Dartmouth by the score of 1-0.

Saturday, Sept. 4, 2004
Wheaton 2, WNEC 1

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Junior defender Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT) tied the match with a goal in the 69th minute, but Wheaton College scored the game-winner with 10:50 remaining for a 2-1 victory over Western New England College in an opening round match of the Holiday Inn/United Way Trailblazer Kick-Off Classic.

Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Wilk (Derry, NH) played well in his first collegiate start for the Golden Bears making six saves

In the other contest, UMass-Dartmouth defeated host Massachusetts College 1-0 in double overtime.

Men's Soccer Trip to Europe a BIG Success
(Article by Jeff Thomas, Springfield Republican, August 29, 2004)

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE HOPES TO CHALLENGE FOR GNAC TITLE IN 2004

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Could this be the year the Western New England College men's soccer team makes a strong challenge for the 2004 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament title?

With every starter returning except for the goalie, WNEC hopes to improve on last year's 7-8-4 mark that included a 5-3-1 mark for fourth place in the conference. The Golden Bears also made the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament before tying Albertus Magnus who advanced to the finals on penalty kicks.

Fifth-year coach Erin Sullivan has a talented squad led by senior captains Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT), John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT), Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH), and junior Scott Meikle (New Milford, CT).

Thornton (5 goals, 2 assists) and sophomore Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) (6 goals) led the team with 12 points each last season. Ofosu was the GNAC Rookie-of-the-Year and an All-GNAC First Team selection with Thornton and Schmalberger.

Also expected to provide offensive contributions are juniors Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) and Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY), and sophomores Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA) and Scott Bullis (Barre, VT).

Schmalberger and Meikle will anchor the defense with sophomores Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA), Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT), and Michael Zawislak (Newark, DE).

Freshmen Dan Lawrence (Easthampton, MA) and Greg Pagello (Thornwood, NY) will look to contribute on the offensive end while freshman Stephen Hennessey (Essex, VT) will challenge for the starting goalie position with senior Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) and sophomores Chris Wilk (Derry, NH) and Mike Madru (Westfield, MA).

"We are very excited to start the season with a veteran team," said Sullivan. "I'm hopeful that with the experience our players gained from our trip to Europe, we can begin the season with some positive results. Although it's early, we believe that our team has its strongest leadership in several years."

Western New England College begins its 39th season at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 4, against regional powerhouse Wheaton College in the United Way/Holiday Inn Classic in North Adams, Massachusetts.

The Golden Bears' challenging schedule includes five matches against teams that participated in the 2003 NCAA Division III Tournament (Johnson & Wales, Western Connecticut, Wheaton, Williams, Worcester State) and a contest with city rival Springfield.

Items of Interest: Former Western New England College captain (and East Longmeadow native) Terrence Leahy and former Merrimack captain (and Westfield native) Eric Lusignan join the Golden Bears staff as assistant coaches this seasonÉ Sullivan has a 38-36-10 record (51.2%) in four seasonsÉ Western New England College's all-time record is 302-299-48 (50.2%).

TERRENCE LEAHY AND ERIC LUSIGNAN NAMED ASSISTANT MEN'S SOCCER COACHES

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Aug. 25, 2004) — Former Golden Bears' captain Terrence Leahy of East Longmeadow and Westfield native Eric Lusignan will serve as the new assistant men's soccer coaches at Western New England College this fall.

Leahy is a 2003 graduate of Western New England College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management. During his four-year career, he started a majority of matches compiling seven goals and eight assists for 22 points.

Leahy was a starting midfielder on the 2002 team that established a school record 13 shutouts for a 0.57 shutout percentage, which was 18th nationally in that category. Although an injury-plagued senior season kept Leahy from playing at full-strength, his leadership was exemplary as the 2002 team finished with a 13-7-3 record (second highest wins in school history) and the programÕs first ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season championship.

Since his graduation from Western New England College, Leahy has served as a full-time staff member at Soccer City, an indoor sports facility in Wilbraham. He recently completed his NSCAA National Coaching Diploma and holds a United States Soccer Federation ÒFÓ License. Leahy has coached several youth teams in the area including the Soccer City U-10 and U-12 Development teams.

Lusignan was an All-Western Massachusetts soccer standout while at Westfield High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in Mathematics at Merrimack College in 1993. He was a four-year member of the men's soccer team and a team captain of his junior and senior seasons, competing in the highly competitive Division II Northeast-10 Conference. Lusignan holds the WarriorÕs record for most career games played.

Upon graduation, Lusignan served as the recreational staff soccer coach in the Westover Job Corps. His coaching background also includes stints as Assistant Girls Varsity Coach and Head Girls Junior Varsity Coach at Holyoke Catholic High School. He has also instructed at numerous soccer camps, clinics, and festivals.

Since 1995, Lusignan has been a mathematics instructor in the Springfield Public School system, most recently at Duggan Middle School. He and his wife Kerri, a physical therapist in the Westfield School District, have a daughter Bailey and son Leo.

Western New England College's men's soccer team and guests pose for a photo on August 5 before departing from the Alumni Healthful Living Center for their two-week trip to Europe.

The Golden Bears will play a series of exhibition matches against various club teams in Germany, Holland, Italy, and Switzerland.

The group also will get an opportunity to go sightseeing throughout one of the most scenic and historic regions of Europe. 

"One of our foremost goals since I joined the program has been to take our team overseas," said fifth-year head coach Erin Sullivan. "We are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to play against top-level European clubs and I believe the opportunities for cultural exchange, global education, and team building will be invaluable to our students."

PAT DANBY, JOHN SCHMALBERGER, SCOTT THORNTON AND SCOTT MEIKLE NAMED 2004 TEAM CAPTAINS

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College coach Erin Sullivan announced Wednesday (Jan. 7) that juniors Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT), John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT), Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH), and sophomore Scott Meikle (Bethel, CT) will serve as team captains in 2004.

Thornton had a career season in 2003, finishing as the team's co-leading scorer with 12 points on five goals and two assists. He was selected to the All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) First Team and the GNAC All-Tournament Team. Thornton has been the squad's starting central midfielder in each of his first three seasons, contributing 35 points (12 goals and 11 assists).

As a sophomore, he was elected the youngest captain in the program's 39-year history and will be the team's first-ever three-time captain.

"Over his career, Scott has contributed several key goals while bringing keen vision and composure to our midfield," said Sullivan.

Danby, who will be in his second year as a team captain, has been a consistent contributor for the Golden Bears starting at both midfield and defense over his career. He showed his versatility this past fall playing minutes as a central defender, defensive midfielder, and even in limited duty as a forward.

Three of Danby's five career goals have been game-winners in decisive conference matches; he notched the winning goal in both the 2001 and 2002 GNAC Tournament quarterfinal matches.

"Pat has a penchant for scoring key goals at critical times," noted Sullivan. "His work-rate and willingness to make sacrifices has provided our team the margin of victory on more than one occasion."

Schmalberger is a three-year starter and two-time All-GNAC selection. He has been the anchor of the Golden Bears' backfield playing as both a marking back and a sweeper. He was selected to the 2001 All-GNAC Second Team in his rookie season and was an integral part of the 2002 squad that set a school record by recording 13 shutouts.

This past fall, he was recognized by opposing coaches and selected to the All-GNAC First Team.

"John is widely regarded as one of the best tacklers in the conference and perhaps the region," commented Sullivan. "His relentless commitment to ball-winning has been the backbone of our team defense."

Meikle, who will be in his third season as a Golden Bear, is one of the most versatile players in the program. In 2002, he was the recipient of the team's prestigious Ed Lindsay Freshman of the Year Award after starting every game in central defense. During his career Meikle has notched four goals and one assist for a total of nine points.

"Scott possesses tremendous athleticism and a warrior-like mentality," said Sullivan. "He is the consummate competitor fighting for every ball as if it were the difference in the outcome of the match."

For the first time in 2004, Sullivan will have a veteran-laden team. Danby, Schmalberger, and Thornton were all part of Sullivan's first recruiting class at Western New England College and they will look to lead a strong supporting cast of sophomores and juniors.

"I am very excited about this year's quartet of captains," said Sullivan. "All four of these young men have played pivotal roles in the resurgence of our program. They are cut from the same cloth as some of the great leaders in this program's storied tradition. Their challenge will be to weave their leadership together into the fabric of a strong and united team. I believe they are well-equipped for this."

Western New England College
Fall Sports Banquet
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2003
List of Award Recipients

Men's Soccer
Most Valuable Player - Junior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH)
Coaches Award - Junior John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT)
Ed Lindsey Freshman Award - Freshman Tim Regan (Monroe, CT)

FRESHMAN KWAME OFOSU NAMED GNAC ROOKIE-OF-THE-YEAR

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Western New England College freshman forward Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) was named the 2003 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie-of-the-Year on Friday (Nov. 21).

Ofosu also was selected to the All-GNAC First Team with junior back John Schmalberger (Berlin, CT) and junior midfielder/tri-captain Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH).

Ofosu had six goals for 12 points to tie for the team lead in scoring with Thornton who had five goals and two assists. Schmalbeger anchored the defensive unit that allowed only 25 goals in 19 matches.

Western New England College posted a 7-8-4 record this fall and placed fourth in the conference with a 5-3-1 mark. The Golden Bears lost three matches by a single goal and another on penalty kicks at Albertus Magnus College in the semifinals of the GNAC Tournament.

KEVIN KOCH HONORED AS THE WNEC MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Freshman Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) was honored Tuesday (Nov. 11) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Koch, a goalie, compiled an impressive 1.07 goals-against-average in 12 matches with five shutouts this fall. He had 11 saves in a 3-0 win over Emerson College that was the 300th all-time victory in Golden Bears' history. Koch is a criminal justice major.

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003
WNEC 1 Albertus Magnus 1
(Albertus Magnus advances on penalty kicks, 4-3)
(GNAC Tournament - Semifinals)

NEW HAVEN , Conn. - Western New England College battled to a 1-1 double overtime tie against Albertus Magnus College in a semifinal match of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament, but the host Falcons advanced to the championship final on penalty kicks 4-3.

Trailing 1-0 at half-time, the Golden Bears tied the contest on the first collegiate goal by freshman Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT) with 13:33 remaining in the game. Sophomore Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) had the assist.

The teams stayed even throughout a pair of 10-minute overtime periods.

WNEC finished the season with a 7-8-4 record.

Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003
WNEC 1, Suffolk 0
(GNAC Tournament - Quarterfinals)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Sophomore Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) scored the game-winning goal in the 74th minute as fourth-seeded Western New England College defeated fifth-seeded Suffolk University 1-0 in the quarterfinal match of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament.

The win avenged a 1-0 loss to Suffolk during the regular season.

Junior midfielder Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) had the assist on the winning shot that advanced the Golden Bears to the conference semifinals at top-seeded Albertus Magnus College on Wednesday.

Russo, who was the first reserve off the bench, has five goals this season.

WNEC held a 15-6 shot advantage with six freshmen in the starting lineup in capturing its third straight match.

Freshman Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) had three saves for the Golden Bears (7-8-3) in compiling his fifth shutout of the season and lowering his goals-against-average to 1.07. Freshman Scott Panzano (Holmdel, NJ) made six stops for the Rams (10-6).

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2003
WNEC 2, Norwich 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Sophomore Scott Meikle (Bethel, CT) scored the game-winning goal in the 65th minute as Western New England College defeated Norwich University 2-1 in the regular season finale for both squads.

This was the first win for the Golden Bears over the Cadets in eight meetings dating back to 1996.

WNEC improves its record to 6-8-3 overall and 5-3-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). Norwich falls to 6-12 and 4-5 in the conference.

Sophomore Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) gave the Golden Bears a 1-0 half-time lead with a goal in the 36th minute. Sophomores Kyle Lindsay (Cumberland, RI) and Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) had assists.

Norwich tied the match with a goal from freshman Ryan Waters (Pottstown, PA) in the 49th minute.

Sixteen minutes later Meikle hit the winning shot with an assist from freshman Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE).

Freshman keeper Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) had four saves for the Golden Bears while sophomore Adam Cardin (Worcester, MA) finished with five saves for the Cadets.

Western New England College will now compete in the GNAC Tournament playoffs on Sunday. Pairings, site, and time will be announced on Friday.

SCOTT THORNTON HONORED AS THE WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

Scott also gains GNAC Player-of-the-Week honors

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Junior tri-captain Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) was selected the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Player-of-the-Week on Monday (Oct. 27) and honored as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week on Tuesday (Oct. 28).

Thornton, a midfielder, had the winning goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory at Emerson College that was the 300th all-time win in 38 seasons for the Golden Bears.

An electrical engineering major, Thornton is second on the team in scoring with 11 points (5 goals, 1 assist).

Saturday, Oct. 25, 2003
WNEC 3, Emerson 0

Golden Bears win 300th all-time match

BOSTON, Mass . - Junior co-captain Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) scored a goal and had an assist as Western New England College captured its 300th all-time match with a 3-0 win over Emerson College.

The Golden Bears' all-time record now stands at 300-299-44 in 38 seasons.

Freshman Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) contributed his team high sixth goal of the season while classmate Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA) netted his first collegiate goal.

Freshman Tim Regan (Monroe, CT) made his first start of the season and contributed an assist for his first collegiate point. Classmate Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) also made his first start and recorded an assist.

Sophomore Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) had the other assist for the Golden Bears who led 2-0 at half-time.

Freshman Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) was outstanding finishing with 11 saves for his fourth shutout of the season.

Western New England College improves its record to 5-8-3 overall and 4-3-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003
Keene State 5, WNEC 2

KEENE, N.H. - Western New England College fell behind 3-0 at half-time and never caught up in dropping a 5-2 non-conference decision under the lights at Keene State College.

Freshman Scott Bullis (Barre, VT) scored in the 77th minute and junior Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT) hit the back of the net in the 82nd minute to pull the Golden Bears within 4-2, but the Owls scored three minutes later to seal the victory.

Sophomore Kyle Lindsay (Cumberland, RI) had the assist on Danby's first goal of the season.

WNEC, which was seeking the program's 300th all-time victory, is now 4-8-3 with two matches remaining in the regular season.

KWAME OFOSU SELECTED GNAC ROOKIE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Freshman Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Rookie-of-the-Week after scoring the winning goal in a 3-0 victory over Daniel Webster College.

Ofosu leads the Golden Bears in scoring with 10 points 95 goals).

Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003
WNEC 3, Daniel Webster 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Freshman Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) scored in the eighth minute, and junior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) and freshman Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) added second half goals to lead Western New England College to a 3-0 victory over Daniel Webster College.

Senior Mike Till (Farmington, CT) contributed two assists and freshman Scott Bullis (Barre, VT) one assist for the Golden Bears who improved their record to 4-7-3 overall and 3-3-1 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003
Amherst 3, WNEC 1

AMHERST, Mass. - Amherst College posted a 3-1 victory over Western New England College in a non-conference match.

The Golden Bears (3-7-3) took a 1-0 lead on a goal by sophomore Scott Meikle (Bethel, CT), with an assist from classmate Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA), 1:38 into the match.

The Lord Jeffs came back to tie the game at 1-1 at half-time and scored twice in a six-minute span in the second half for the win.

Freshman keeper Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) had a career high 12 saves for the Golden Bears.

Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003
Suffolk 1, WNEC 0

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Suffolk University scored a goal in the sixth minute to earn a 1-0 victory over Western New England College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match played at Harvard University.

Junior keeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeespie, NY) made three saves for the Golden Bears who fall to 3-6-3 overall and 2-3-1 in the conference.

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2003
Albertus Magnus 2, WNEC 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Senior Andres Montoya (West Haven, CT) scored the game-winner in the 49th minute as visiting Albertus Magnus College held on for a 2-1 victory over Western New England College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match.

Senior Kurt Bedocs (Hamden, CT) had assists on both goals as the Falcons improved their record to 7-3-1 overall and 4-0-1 in the conference.

Albertus Magnus took a 1-0 lead on a goal by sophomore Michael Gillman (West Haven, CT) in the 19th minute.

WNEC (3-5-3, 2-2-1) tied the match on an unassisted goal by junior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) in the 26th minute.

AMC junior keeper Michael Perreira (Bakersfield, CA) made six saves, including a spectacular stop on a header by freshman Kofi Oteng (Worcester, MA) in the 79th minute.

The Golden Bears had a 16-7 shot advantage, but couldn't capitalize on a couple of scoring opportunities in the second half.

Saturday, Oct. 4, 2003
WNEC 1, Rivier 1 (2ot)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Junior midfielder Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) notched the game-tying goal in the 73rd minute as Western New England College settled for a 1-1 tie against visiting Rivier College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference match.

After a scoreless first half, the Raiders took a 1-0 lead when junior midfielder Greg Buell (Natick, MA) scored on a header with an assist from Leo Ocampo (Cali, Columbia) in the 57th minute.

Freshman Victor Joubert (Haverhill, MA) starred for Rivier, saving 12 shots.

Freshman Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) also did well, making eight saves for the Golden Bears, who now stand at 3-4-3 overall and 2-1-1 in the GNAC.

Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2003
WNEC 3, Trinity 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Sophomore Paul Russo (Dix Hills, NY) scored two goals, including the first goal 1:02 into the match, to lead Western New England College to a 3-0 non-conference victory over Trinity College in the first meeting between the teams in 10 years.

Freshman Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA) scored his first collegiate goal in the 62nd minute with an assist from sophomore Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA).

Senior Mike Till (Farmington, CT) had the assist on Russo's first goal.

Freshman Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) made four saves for the Golden Bears in gaining his third shutout of the season.

WNEC (3-4-2) also won the last meeting between the schools by the score of 3-2 in 1993.

Saturday, Sept. 27, 2003
WNEC 7, Southern Vermont 0

LUDLOW, Mass. — Freshman Mike Zawislak (Newark, DE) had his first collegiate goal and assist as Western New England College blanked Southern Vermont College, 7-0, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) match at Lusitano Stadium.

WNEC led 1-0 at half-time before breaking the game open with six goals in the final 45 minutes.

Freshmen Evan Heymann (Ipswich, MA) and Robbie Lees (Warwick, NY) each tallied their first collegiate goals.

Freshman keeper Mike Madru (Westfield, MA) had a pair of saves for his first collegiate shutout.

WNEC is now 2-4-2 and 2-1 in the conference.

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2003
WNEC 0, Springfield 0 (2ot)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Freshman keeper Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) made six saves to help visiting Western New England College settle for a 0-0 double overtime tie against Springfield College.

The Golden Bears are now 1-4-2.

GOLDEN BEARS WELCOME CHRISTIAN MATTHEW SULLIVAN TO COLLEGE FAMILY

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College coach Erin Sullivan and his wife Noelle celebrated the birth of their first child Christian Matthew on August 31.

Ironically, four members of the Golden Bears squad had birthdays the same day, junior Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH), and freshmen Rob Hensinger (Madison, CT), Kevin Koch (Chester, NY), and Tim Regan (Monroe, CT).

Saturday, Sept. 20, 2003
Johnson & Wales 2, WNEC 1

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Johnson & Wales University jumped to an 2-0 lead after 27 minutes and held on for a 2-1 victory over Western New England College.

Freshman Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) scored in the 64th minute with an assist from sophomore Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA).

Junior keeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) had three saves for WNEC (1-4-1).

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003
Babson 2, WNEC 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Babson College scored a pair of first half goals for a 2-0 non-conference victory over Western New England College

The Golden Bears (1-3-1) had several scoring opportunities in the match, but couldn't convert.

Freshman keeper Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) made six saves.

ROB OSTREM HONORED AS THE WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE MALE ATHLETE-OF-THE-WEEK

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Freshman Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) was honored Tuesday (Sept. 16) as the Western New England College Male Athlete-of-the-Week.

Ostrem scored his first two collegiate goals in a 6-0 victory over visiting Emmanuel College on September 13 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener for both teams. He is a computer science major.

Sunday, Sept. 14, 2003
WNEC 0, Western Connecticut 0 (2ot)

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Junior keeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) compiled seven saves in one of the best performances of his career as Western New England College battled to a 0-0 overtime tie against a strong Western Connecticut State University squad.

The Golden Bears (1-2-1) applied pressure throughout the match in handing the Colonials (5-1-1) their first tie of the season.

Saturday, Sept. 13, 2003
WNEC 6, Emmanuel 0

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College opened its Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) season with an easy 6-0 victory over Emmanuel College for its first win of the season.

Freshman Rob Ostrem (West Islip, NY) scored the first two goals of his collegiate career while sophomore Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) and freshman Scott Bullis (Barre, VT) each contributed a goal and assist. Bullis' goal was the first of his collegiate career.

Freshman Kevin Koch (Chester, NY) had to make only one save in posting his first collegiate shutout.

Saturday, Sept. 6, 2003
Middlebury 4, WNEC 0

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. — Middlebury College avenged last year's 3-2 overtime loss with a 4-0 victory over Western New England College. The Panthers out-shot the Golden Bears by a 25-4 margin.

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2003
Wheaton 3, WNEC 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College opened its season with a 3-1 loss against Wheaton College.

Freshman Kwame Ofosu (Worcester, MA) scored his first collegiate goal in the 55th minute to tie the match. The Lyons went ahead in the 69th minute and scored an insurance goal with 2:50 remaining to seal the win.

GOLDEN BEARS HOPE TO CHALLENGE FOR GNAC TITLE IN 2003

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College's men's soccer team hopes to challenge for the 2003 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title with nine starters among 15 returning lettermen along with a promising group of newcomers.

The Golden Bears begin their 38th season at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, September 4, against regional powerhouse Wheaton College at Supernant Field.

Last year Western New England College posted a 13-7-3 record that was the third highest win total in school history. The Golden Bears also captured the regular season conference crown and participated in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Championship for the second straight year. WNEC recorded a school record 13 shutouts that ranked 18th nationally.

In 2001, Western New England College posted a 14-8-1 mark and placed second in the GNAC Tournament.

Fourth-year coach Erin Sullivan returns his top three scorers from a year ago led by sophomore forward Mike Schnepp (Feeding Hills, MA) who compiled a team high 21 points (8 goals, 5 assists) as a rookie. All-GNAC junior midfielder Kevin Lutter (Downingtown, PA) added 11 points (4 goals, 3 assists) while junior midfielder Scott Thornton (Bedford, NH) contributed 10 points (3 goals, 4 assists).

Thornton will serve as a team tri-captain with senior midfielder Michael Till (Farmington, CT) and junior defender Pat Danby (Cheshire, CT).

Also returning are junior goalkeeper Jay Martyn (Poughkeepsie, NY) who compiled a respectable 1.44 goals-against-average in eight matches with two shutouts last fall and sophomore defender Scott Meikle (Bethel, CT) who was named to the 2002 GNAC All-Tournament Team.

Three freshmen to watch are midfielders Scott Bullis (Barre, VT) and Tim Larocca (East Longmeadow, MA), and goalkeeper Kevin Koch (Chester, NY). Bullis was a two-time Vermont All-State selection while Larocca was a two-time All-Western Massachusetts honoree. Koch was the keeper for the Eastern New York State Olympic Development Team.

"With only one returning senior, much of the leadership responsibility will fall on our captains as well as on an experienced group of juniors and sophomores," said Sullivan. "The character and determination shown by our players during the past two seasons has been tremendous. We feel that we are in a strong position to contend for our conference title and be one of the most competitive teams in the region."

Items of Interest: WNEC will play five teams that participated in the 2002 NCAA Division III Tournament (Amherst, Babson, Johnson & Wales, Keene State, and Worcester State). "Without question, our schedule has improved each year and it has forced us to elevate our level of play each and every game," Sullivan statedÉ Sullivan also announced that former captain Nathan Soucy (Gilford, NH) will serve as his assistant coach this season. Soucy, a senior mechanical engineering major, was a three-time All-GNAC defender for the Golden Bears. "Nate was a tremendous coach on the field and mentor off the field," noted Sullivan.

MEN'S SOCCER TEAM TO VISIT EUROPE IN AUGUST 2004

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Western New England College's men's soccer team will visit Europe next August 5-17 to play a series of exhibition matches against various club teams in Germany, Holland, Italy, and Switzerland. Team members and coaches also will get an opportunity to go sightseeing throughout one of the most scenic and historic regions of Europe.

"I am thrilled that the plans for this tour to Europe are being formalized," said fourth-year head coach Erin Sullivan. "One of our foremost goals since I joined the program has been to take our team overseas. We are eagerly anticipating the opportunity to play against top-level European clubs and I believe the opportunities for cultural exchange, global education, and team building will be invaluable to our students."

Harvard Sports Management, Inc. is the official travel provider for the trip. The company, headquartered in Merrick, New York, is known worldwide for its international sport tours and recently completed its one thousandth international trip.

Western New England College men's soccer team will conduct several fundraisers throughout the 2003-04 academic year to cover its expenses.

The first of these fundraisers, already underway, is an online sports memorabilia sweepstakes known as My Sports Dreams. Partnered with Team Rangers of New York and the official fundraising partner of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), My Sports Dreams conducts two prize drawings per week at their online sweepstakes website: www.mysportsdreams.com.

Each member of the WNEC team will be selling $10 raffle tickets and each ticket is good for one year or 104 separate prize drawings. Prizes range from signed balls, jerseys, and photos from stars such as Larry Bird, Barry Bonds, and Wayne Gretzky.

Later this fall, the Golden Bears will host the inaugural WNEC Soccer Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament on Friday, October 17 at Veterans Golf Club during Homecoming Weekend. The cost of the scramble-format tournament will be $100 per person, which includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, dinner, reception, and prizes.

"I am happy that our administration supports this trip and recognizes the values of this type of international experience," added Sullivan. "We are also very fortunate to be able to count on the support of our soccer alumni, family, and friends and we are grateful for their generosity thus far. We look forward to representing Western New England College, our athletics program, and ourselves in a first-class manner."

For more information on the WNEC Soccer 2004 European Tour, please contact Sullivan at 413-782-1764 or at esulliva@wnec.edu.

COACH ERIN SULLIVAN ANNOUNCES 2003 SCHEDULE

Golden Bears face challenging slate

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Feb. 18, 2003) — Western New England College coach Erin Sullivan announced Tuesday the tentative 2003 men's soccer schedule.

The Golden Bears, defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season champions, will begin their preseason training camp on August 24, 2003.

In addition to the regular slate of nine Conference games, WNEC will once again face many of the top Division III teams in New England.

Western New England College will open its 2003 schedule at home against 2001 NCAA Division III regional champion Wheaton College on Sept. 4. WNEC will then travel to face NESCAC foe Middlebury College on Saturday, Sept. 6 in a rematch of last season's thrilling 3-2 overtime victory at Suprenant Field.

The Golden Bears will open their 2003 GNAC campaign against Emmanuel College on Saturday, Sept. 13. WNEC will then face defending GNAC Tournament Champions and arch-rival Johnson & Wales University one week later in Providence on Sept. 20. WNEC will look to avenge two losses to Johnson & Wales on its home turf in 2002, the second of which was a penalty-kick shoot-out loss in the semifinals of the GNAC tournament that ended WNEC's quest for a return trip to the GNAC final.

WNEC will conclude its regular season and conference schedule on Wednesday, Oct. 29 against visiting (and conference nemesis) Norwich University. Western New England has not beaten Norwich since the 1996 season and the Cadets have outscored the Golden Bears 15-1 over that span.

In addition to 2002 GNAC champion Johnson & Wales, Western New England will face four other NCAA Division III teams from 2002 including MASCAC champion Worcester State College, NEWMAC champion Babson College, Little East champion Keene State College, and NESCAC rival Amherst College.

New to the schedule in 2003 are Keene