Men's Soccer News - 2012-13

Kraciun named to Academic All-America First Team

Nov. 26, 2012

CoSIDA release

Matt Kraciun (right) was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America College Division Men's Soccer First Team today. He advanced to the national ballot after earning all-district honors earlier this month.

The teams are comprised of student-athletes from NAIA, Canadian and two-year institutions and are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) based on the students' work on the field and in the classroom.

Kraciun, from Bettendorf, Iowa, is majoring in Biology at St. Ambrose after recently completing his senior season for the Fighting Bee soccer team.

The first team all-conference pick helped St. Ambrose to a 10-6-2 record. He shared the team lead with 11 goals and led the Midwest Collegiate Conference with eight assists. His 30 points was also the top mark in the conference.

Kraciun was one of two SAU soccer players recognized by CoSIDA. Queen Bee sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Lynn was named to the Capital One Academic All-America Third Team.

Kraciun first team, three others honorable mention all-MCC

Nov. 9, 2012

MCC release

by Brent Beerends

After winning six more matches than last year, St. Ambrose had four selections on the all-Midwest Collegiate Conference Men’s Soccer Team, announced by the conference today. The Bees had one first-team selection in Matt Kraciun and three players receive honorable mention - Charlie MacInnes, Tirelo Morake and Jared Winking.

It is the most all-conference selections for the Bees since the 2008 team had eight all-MCC picks.

Kraciun (above), a senior midfielder from Bettendorf, Iowa, was the lone selection to the first team after receiving all-MCC honorable mention in 2011. Kraciun led the Bees with eight assists and shared the team lead with 11 goals on the year. He helped fuel the men’s offense attack that scored a total of 45 goals on the season compared to just 18 a year ago. Four of his goals were game winners.

MacInnes (below left), a sophomore forward from Liverpool, England, also posted 11 goals on the year in his first season with the Bees. He posted three game-winning goals and added five assists.

Morake (below middle), a senior midfielder from Botswana, was second on the team with six assists and scored five goals. His speed helped open up lanes for his fellow Bees and allowed for the increase in goals from 2011 to 2012.

Winking (below right), a senior defender from Quincy, Ill., earned all-conference honorable mention for the second straight year. He was a defensive staple for the Bees that posted four shutouts. From his defensive position, Winking added two goals and two assists.

St. Ambrose finished the season 10-6-2 overall and third in the MCC with a 3-2-1 conference mark.

SAU's season ends in shootout to William Penn

Oct. 28, 2012

Ashford box score | St. Ambrose box score

by Brent Beerends

The St. Ambrose men’s soccer team faced a tough road test against No. 18 Ashford (11-2-3) before hosting William Penn (8-10-1) in the first round of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament. The Bees had a less-than-successful week, losing 5-0 against Ashford and were knocked out of the conference tournament in a penalty-kick shootout to William Penn.

In the match against Ashford, the Bees had no luck finding the back of the net and the offense could only managing four shots compared to Ashford’s 19.

Ashford scored their first goal in the 15th minute and the Bees’ defense held strong keeping the score 1-0 into halftime.

The second half was a different story as the Saints rattled off four more goals in the next 23 minutes.

The Bees finished the regular season with an overall record of 10-6-1, and 3-2-1 in the MCC. The Bees finished third in the MCC and hosted William Penn for the first round of the conference tournament Saturday.

Unlike the match against Ashford, the offense came to life out shooting William Penn 25-9.

The Statesmen did not need that many shots to find the back of the net, scoring in the seventh minute putting the Bees behind early.

As the first half ended 1-0, the Bees regrouped and held strong not allowing another goal. In the 87th minute Tyler Clark (right) provided the lone goal after receiving a pass from Charlie MacInnes, keeping the Bees’ season alive.

The match went through two overtimes, resulting in penalty kicks to determine who advances on to the semifinals of the MCC Tournament.

St. Ambrose made the first three penalty kick goals while William Penn only made two of three. The fourth penalty kick was the first the Bees missed and provided a chance for William Penn to get back to even, and the Statesmen took advantage of the opportunity.

The season came down to one kick from both teams. SAU's shot was saved and William Penn put their shot past the goalkeeper ending the Bees' season with an overall record of 10-6-2.

A special thanks to Matt Kraciun, Jared Winking, Tirelo Morake, Chris Davisson, Andrew Strickland, and Matt Tucker for their commitment to the St. Ambrose men’s soccer team. These seniors have battled through some tough times and we wish them the best in their future endeavors.

SAU hosts William Penn in MCC Tournament first round

Oct. 22, 2012

With its third-place finish during the regular season, St. Ambrose will host at least one game of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament.

The Bees (10-5-1, 3-2-1 MCC) will open play by hosting William Penn Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Davenport Soccer Complex.

The Statesmen are currently 7-10 overall and finished 2-4 in MCC play but defeated St. Ambrose 1-0 in Oskaloosa, Iowa, back on Oct. 6.

Grand View won the regular season conference crown and will receive a first round bye in the league tournament. Second-seed Mount Mercy will host Viterbo and fourth-seed Clarke will host AIB in the other first round games.

SAU has one regular season match remaining, a 7 p.m. game at Ashford Wednesday.

St. Ambrose finishes third in Midwest Collegiate Conference

Oct. 21, 2012

Jamestown box score | Viterbo box score

by Brent Beerends

The St. Ambrose men’s soccer team split its two games this week with a 4-1 conference win over Viterbo and a 1-0 loss to Jamestown. The Bees (10-5-1, 3-2-1) finished third in the Midwest Collegiate Conference with Saturday's win over Viterbo.

The first game of the week brought Jamestown College down on Tuesday. It did not take long for Jamestown to find the back of the net after only four minutes Jamestown took the early lead.

The Bees had their hands full as Jamestown took 19 shots to the Bees 7, but SAU held its own against the 12-2 squad. Caleb Becsi (right) made some great saves and helped keep the score close but St. Ambrose could not get the equalizer.

The Bees’ second game of the week had a different atmosphere as they looked to get into third with an MCC win over Viterbo.

Charlie MacInnes added the first goal of the game in the 21st minute unassisted after some skillful footwork. After the first goal neither team had much success in finding the back of the net until the match was almost over.

Rob Prior (right) made a great strike that was stopped by the Viterbo goalkeeper only to grab the rebound and put it in for the score at the 83rd minute.

In the 87th minute MacInnes swiftly put the ball into the box allowing Matt Kraciun to provide a header placing the Bees up 3-0.

After some quick passing by Viterbo, the V-Hawks were able to score their only match of the contest in the 87th minute as well.

Not to be left out, Tyler Clark added a goal with five seconds left after getting another masterful pass from MacInnes.

The Bees finish conference play 3-2-1 and in third place, but have one more game against Ashford on Wednesday before starting conference tournament play. SAU will host William Penn in an opening round game Sunday, Oct. 28.

A Senior's Commitment equals Bees' Success

Oct. 19, 2012

by Brent Beerends

College is a place for changes, new adventures, and for athletes, hopefully victories along the way. Each day something new may change the landscape of what college has in store for a student. For the likes of, Matt Kraciun (right), life at St. Ambrose has provided him many opportunities but on the soccer field, few victories, until 2012.

In 2008, the men’s soccer team was just finishing up a 14-6-1 season that ended in the NAIA National Tournament. That same year Kraciun, then a senior at Bettendorf High, decided to attend St. Ambrose the next year to play for Father Bud Grant. He was a member of a recruiting class that also included Jared Winking and Andrew Strickland.

Knowing they were going to be a part of a rebuilding process, the three never could have expected what was going to happen.

The first year, Kraciun saw playing time as a midfielder for the varsity squad and was a part of a team that went 4-15-1.

"I assumed that we would have some ups and downs after losing a lot of the seniors from the national tournament team, but thought we would win more games than we did. I realized how difficult winning was at the collegiate level," Kraciun said.

Losing is something that players learn to cope with and it makes the victories so much sweeter. After the 2009 season the St. Ambrose men’s soccer team was dealt another blow in the rebuilding process, when Father Bud decided to retire from coaching.

After a disappointing freshman season, Kraciun had a decision to make. Does he stay knowing he would be getting a new coach coming off a four-win season?

Kraciun, along with Winking and Strickland from that 2009 recruiting class, decided to make that commitment and face the unknown. No matter the result, they wanted to stay faithful to the Fighting Bees.

Who would Athletic Director Ray Shovlain hire? After some deliberation, Shovlain decided to keep the hire in-house by putting then-SAU women's head coach Jon Mannall also in charge of the men’s program. Mannall understood the legacy that Father Bud left and the commitment that all of his current players had made.

"When I heard Jon would be taking over the program, I knew that he had done a great job with the women's team and had a lot of success," Kraciun said.

In 2010 with Mannall at the helm, the Fighting Bees finished with a record of 6-10-3, slightly better than the year before.

It seemed like the fortune was changing for the Bees, and they were going to make another leap in 2011.

But 2011 was not what anyone had in store as the Bees faced some offensive struggles, only scoring a total of 18 goals. SAU finished with a record of 4-13-1.

One of the few bright spots from the 2011 season was that Kraciun led the team with six goals in his junior season.

Now forward to today. The Bees had a streak of nine games without a loss, the longest streak since a 10-game unbeaten streak in 2007. The 2007 Bees finished 15-6-2, a mark the current Bees have a chance to match.

What has pushed the team to such success?

Much of that success should be credited to Kraciun. He has continued to develop his offensive ability as he leads the Bees with 10 goals and eight assists.

On the other side of the ball, Winking has become one of the best defenders in the conference. He has been named the conference player of the week twice.

As their senior season is halfway over, Kraciun and Winking have left a lasting impression on the men’s soccer program.

"Off the field they have committed themselves and led their teammates through the changes that we have implemented, and now that leadership is showing on the field with success as well," Mannall stated.

The leadership that Kraciun and Winking have displayed comes with a new challenge. The 2012 Bees have many new players, both international and transfer students.

"For a team that has a lot of new faces, we have all become good friends in a short amount of time and that chemistry has helped us to win games," Kraciun said.

In all, the 2012 roster features 13 international players and 12 total freshmen.

Charlie MacInnes, from Liverpool, England, has complemented Kraciun by scoring nine goals this year.

Tyler Clark, from Washington, Illinois, transferred to St. Ambrose and has also played a part in helping the Bees’ offensive attack thrive.

Starting alongside Winking on defense is Luke Ridgway, from St. Leonards, England.

If not for the dedication of Kraciun, Winking, and Strickland there is no telling how the Bees would have been this year. Their passion for the game of soccer along with Mannall's ability to rebuild the program have helped return the Bees to their past national tournament form.

With the regular season winding down, the focus turns to the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament. The winner receives an automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament, which would be a fitting end to the career of Matt Kraciun.

St. Ambrose splits two matches last week

Oct. 14, 2012

Mount Mercy box score | AIB box score

by Brent Beerends

The St. Ambrose men’s soccer team split its two games this week with a win over Mount Mercy 1-0 and a loss to AIB 3-2. The Bees (9-4-1, 2-2-1) are currently in fourth in the Midwest Collegiate Conference with just one conference match remaining on the schedule.

The Bees hosted Mount Mercy on Wednesday in a windy contest that saw little offense. Both sides took 14 shots apiece but only one shot found the back of the net.

In the 53rd minute, Matt Kraciun (left) added to his team lead in goals after receiving a pass from fellow senior Jared Winking. Kraciun has 10 goals this season.

Caleb Becsi (right) made some incredible saves as the Bees posted their fourth shutout of the season and their second in the MCC.

The second game of the week saw the Bees travel to AIB for a game that was supposed to be played on Saturday but was rained out until Sunday afternoon.

The match started off with a quick exchange of goals as AIB put the first goal in at the 16th minute and SAU's Tirelo Morake tied the score in the 18th. AIB did not take long to jump out to another lead. A corner kick led to a second goal slipping by Besci.

AIB added another goal in the 63rd minute to push the score to 3-1. The Bees answered as Charlie MacInnes added his first goal of the week in the 68th minute. As the clock slowly ran out the Bees could not tie up the score adding their second loss in the MCC.

The Bees will host Jamestown College on Oct. 16 for a non-MCC contest before playing their last MCC opponent Viterbo on Oct. 20 at the Davenport Soccer Complex.

SAU's unbeaten streak ends at nine games

Oct. 7, 2012

Clarke box score | William Penn box score

by Brent Beerends

The St. Ambrose men’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to nine games with a 1-0 victory against Clarke, before seeing it end against William Penn with a 1-0 defeat.

The Fighting Bees traveled to Clarke Wednesday attempting to get their first Midwest Collegiate Conference win. The match started in favor of Clarke as they out shot the Bees 5-2, but neither side could put the ball into the back of the net. Caleb Becsi played skillfully in stopping the Clarke attack and was added by the play of Luke Ridgway (right).

In the 56th minute Charlie MacInnes got the only goal SAU would need on a penalty kick to put the Bees ahead. The defense held strong giving the Bees their first conference win.

The second match of the week took place on Saturday as the Bees traveled to play in less than optimal weather against William Penn. Much like the match against Clarke, William Penn took to an offensive attack. The Statesmen outshot the Bees 18-7 and were able to find the back of the net in the 51st minute.

The Bees attempted to even the score forcing William Penn to defend but there was no luck as the SAU saw its nine-game unbeaten streak come to an end.

The Bees are now 8-3-1 and 1-1-1 in MCC play, and will host Mount Mercy Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Winking collects second player of the week honor

Oct. 1, 2012

MCC release

After helping St. Ambrose allow just one goal each to rivals Augustana and Grand View, Jared Winking (right) was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week today. It is the second time this year Winking has won the conference honor.

The senior defender from Quincy, Ill., was instrumental in both games last week as St. Ambrose extended its unbeaten streak to eight games.

He led the SAU defense in limiting Augustana to a single goal in a 2-1 victory and then helped shut down MCC preseason favorite Grand View in a 1-1 overtime tie. GVU managed just five total shots on goal against the Bees.

Winking has been a major reason why the Bees are allowing just 1.15 goals per match through a 7-2-1 start this season. Offensively, he has chipped in with two goals and an assist.

SAU will play a pair of road matches this week, visiting Clarke Wednesday at 5 p.m. before playing at William Penn Saturday at 7 p.m.

Unbeaten streak reaches eight games for Bees

Sept. 30, 2012

Augustana box score | Grand View box score

by Brent Beerends

The St. Ambrose men’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to eight games after defeating Augustana 2-1 Wednesday and getting a 1-1 tie against Grand View to open Midwest Collegiate Conference play Saturday. After starting the season 0-2, the Bees are now 7-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in MCC play.

The atmosphere of Wednesday's match against cross-river rival Augustana was tense throughout and led to a total of seven yellow cards, three from St. Ambrose and four from Augustana. After a rough hit from the Augustana goalkeeper, Charlie MacInnes (right) had the first chance to score for the Bees being rewarded a penalty kick. On the PK, MacInnes drove the ball into the bottom left corner putting the Bees up 1-0.

The Fighting Bees led the match until Augustana put the game-tying goal in the net in the 30th minute. The half ended with the score tied at one goal apiece, but the Bees did not take long to add the go-ahead goal.

MacInnes put his second goal into the back of the net after receiving a great pass into the box from Matt Kraciun. The Bees held strong after a late flurry of shots by the Vikings to win 2-1.

On Homecoming Weekend, the Bees started MCC play by hosting defending conference champion Grand View. The Bees started where they left off Wednesday out-shooting Grand View 17-11. The match was going into half with both teams scoreless when GVU placed a corner into the box leading to an own goal by St. Ambrose.

As the half ended, Grand View held a 1-0 lead and the Bees' winning streak was in danger. Kraciun (left) led the Bees' offensive attack, adding the game tying goal in the 74th minute after receiving a pass from Drew Rimmer (right).

Caleb Becsi and the defense held strong forcing the game to double overtime and a 1-1 tie.

The Bees have not lost for over a month, dating back to a loss to Judson on Aug. 25.

The Bees will continue MCC play as they travel to Clarke on Wednesday before visiting William Penn Saturday.

St. Ambrose keeps rolling with two more wins

Sept. 23, 2012

Rockford box score | Eureka box score

by Brent Beerends

The Fighting Bees had started the year off with two losses against Taylor and Judson, but have rebounded with six straight wins following victories over Rockford and Eureka this week.

St. Ambrose played their first game of the week against Rockford on Sept. 20. The Bees took no time putting the first goal in the netting as Charlie MacInnes received a pass from Matt Kraciun to start the scoring frenzy. Rob Prior (left) added the second goal of the match in the 15th minute after some skillful passing from Chris Davisson. Drew Rimmer (right) would add two assists on the next two goals as Robert Landman scored at the 30th minute and Tyler Clark in the 40th.

Clark added his second goal of the day four minutes later and attempted to add his third but hit the crossbar. Kraciun was there for the rebound for his first of the day and added his second after receiving a pass from Tirelo Morake.

With the score now 7-0 the Bees the match was out of reach but Rimmer would take the opportunity to add his first goal of the day in the 66th minute. The Bees out-shot Rockford 28-4 and Caleb Becsi needed to make just one save to get SAU's first shutout of the year.

The second game of the week took place Sunday against NCAA Division III Eureka. The Fighting Bees continued their offensive explosion, posting another 11 goals. Kraciun, Morake, and Nick Stackhouse (left) each posted two goals apiece. Rob Prior, Sebestian Pena, MacInnes, Jared Winking, and Clark each added a goal of his own.

The Bees had little contest in the match as they wore down the Eureka defense taking a total of 47 shots, 31 on goal.

Luke Ridgway, Vince Rhodes (right) and Becsi led the defense in limiting the Eureka attack to four shots, only one on goal, and posting two shutouts in a row. Last season, the Bees scored a total of 18 goals and bettered that mark by one in just the last two games this season. Along with already surpassing last year's win total of four, the men have found their offensive stride as they are getting closer to conference play.

The Bees will host two more games next week against Augustana and Grand View. The Augustana match will be played Wednesday at 4 p.m. and the match against Grand View will start Midwest Collegiate Conference play Saturday at 3 pm.

Bees' winning streak reaches four

Sept. 17, 2012

Culver-Stockton box score | Coe box score | Midland box score

by Brent Beerends

After starting the season with two difficult losses St. Ambrose was able to get some breathing room with the postponed game against Trinity International. After the break the Bees have come into their own winning last week at Monmouth 2-1 to start a four-match winning streak.

The streak continued with a 3-2 win at Culver-Stockton on Sept. 11. The Bees fell behind early as Culver-Stockton added a goal in the fifth minute. It did not take long for the Bees to respond as Tyler Clark would put the ball in the back of the net in the 29th minute off a beautiful pass from Matt Kraciun.

With the score tied 1-1, SAU added another goal in the 41st minute by an unassisted Jared Winking (left) to make the score 2-1. Culver-Stockton did not let up and scored the equalizer in the 78th minute to force the Bees on the attack again. The onslaught did not take long as Kraciun (right) added add his first goal of the game in the 79th minute off a penalty kick. The goal would put the Bees ahead for the rest of the match and extend their winning steak to two games.

The Bees didn't have much time to savor the win. St. Ambrose had a quick turnaround but it didn't bother the Bees in a 4-1 win at Coe on Sept. 13.

From the first blow of the whistle, the match was in the Bees' favor as they added a quick goal in the sixth minute by Kraciun who received a great pass from Tirelo Morake. Just two minutes later, Morake put a ball in the top corner of the net to push the lead to 2-0.

Coe added their only goal of the match in the 63rd minute. The Bees would go on to add two more goals to put the goal out of reach. The first goal came from Kraciun, adding his second of the match, who controlled a great pass from Chris Davisson (right). The last goal of the match was added in the 81st minute by an unassisted Nick Stackhouse.

The road games - and the wins - continued with a 2-1 win over Midland in a neutral-site game in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 16. It took some late-minute heroics as Midland led 1-0 until the 82nd minute. Then, Charlie MacInnes tied the score at 1-1 off a pass from Winking. With four minutes left in regulation, Kraciun took a MacInnes pass and beat the Midland keeper for his fourth goal of the week. Caleb Becsi made eight saves in the win.

The men’s soccer team will be looking to extend their current four game winning steak against Rockford on September 20 and will be starting the first of a four game home stretch.

Kraciun, Winking named MCC Players of the Week

Sept. 17, 2012

MCC release

After helping St. Ambrose to a perfect week, Matt Kraciun and Jared Winking helped the Bees sweep the Midwest Collegiate Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week honors. Kraciun (left) was named the league's offensive player of the week while Winking (right) took home the award for his play on the defensive end.

Kraciun, a senior midfielder from Bettendorf, Iowa, picked up four goals and an assist in three wins last week. He had a goal and an assist at Culver-Stockton, scored twice at Coe and tallied another goal vs. Midland to close the week.

Through SAU's 4-2 start this season, Kraciun leads the Bees with 11 points and is tied for the team lead with four goals.

Winking, a senior defender from Quincy, Ill., was the leader of a St. Ambrose defense that allowed just four goals in the three victories.

He also chipped in offensively, scoring a goal at Culver-Stockton and assisting on a goal against Midland.

Winking has been instrumental in the Bees allowing just 1.61 goals through their first six matches.

Kraciun and Winking joined Ashley Dexter (offensive) and Morgan Lynn (defensive) as SAU swept all four soccer player of the week honors.

The St. Ambrose men's team will play its first of four straight home matches Thursday at 3 p.m. against Rockford at the Davenport Soccer Complex.

St. Ambrose picks up first win of season

Sept. 9, 2012

Box score

by Brent Beerends

After starting the season off with two losses the Fighting Bees had an opportunity to capture their first home win Sept. 7 against Trinity International. The weather had different plans as an abundance of rain led to a cancelation of the contest that will be rescheduled at the earliest convenience.

The Bees had one more game for the week as they traveled to Monmouth on Sept. 9 in hopes of capturing that first victory.

The game seemed to be in the Bees' favor as they took an early lead in the fourth minute on a header by Charlie MacInnes (left) from a beautiful pass by Matt Kraciun. The goal would be the third of the year for MacInnes, matching the number of games that the Bees have played thus far.

The Bees would continue the offense onslaught by adding the go-ahead goal in the 15th minute by Tirelo Morake (right), assisted by Tyler Clark.

The rest of the contest was going to be a defensive show as the Bees managed to hold the shutout until the 86th minute when Monmouth was able to sneak a shot by Caleb Becsi. The Bees would not crack under the pressure and would hold on for the victory and notched their first in the win column this year.

The Bees (1-2) will be looking to even up their record for the year as they will travel to Canton, Mo., to play Culver-Stockton on Sept. 11.

Bees show potential in two early-season losses

Aug. 28, 2012

Taylor box score | Judson box score

Trying to incorporate several new faces into the lineup, the St. Ambrose men's soccer team was tested right away. The Bees opened the 2012 season against No. 20 Taylor and pushed the nationally-ranked Trojans to the limit before falling 2-1 in overtime.

After surrendering a goal in the first minute of the second half, SAU got its equalizer 30 minutes later. Tyler Clark (left) scored an unassisted goal to tie the match at 1-1 in the 76th minute.

Caleb Becsi (right) came up with three of his six saves in the second half to help force overtime.

In the overtime, Taylor escaped with the win with a goal at the 107:51 mark, dropping the Bees to 0-1.

After the tough loss, St. Ambrose was forced to turn around and play Judson the next day. Again the Bees came up a goal short, this time 3-2.

Judson scored just five minutes into the match but the goal was quickly answered by an unassisted Charlie MacInnes (right) score in the 15th minute.

The Eagles added two goals in the second half but the Bees never gave up hope, with MacInnes scoring his second goal of the match in the 86th minute to cut the deficit to 3-2.

MacInnes had one last shot at the tie, but the Judson keeper came up with the save to drop the Bees to 0-2.

The Bees will look to get their first win against a visiting Trinity International squad on Sept. 7, at 3 p.m.

St. Ambrose men's soccer has new look in 2012

Aug. 13, 2012

By Brent Beerends

The St. Ambrose men’s soccer team faced many tough challenges in 2011. The Bees ended last season with an overall record of 4-13 and were 2-6 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. The men’s team fell short of expectations last season but will look to build on a season that provided insight into their character.

The Bees will have a new look as head coach Jon Mannall has continued to recruit locally but also placed an emphasis on international players. The Bees will be bringing in 10 players from overseas coming from England, Scotland, the Netherlands and Australia. The new look will change the landscape of the Bees now and in the future.

The ultimate test for the Bees will be to build team cohesion. The mix of local and international talent is going to bring two different exciting styles of play to the men’s soccer program. St. Ambrose is going to have a year with moderate expectations which may help them upset some of the perennial powerhouse schools in the MCC.

"This season’s incoming class will have a significant impact on our 2012 squad. The mix of local talent and international players will change the dynamic of the team and make for a very exciting 2012 season," Mannall states.

The new group of players will be joining an experienced group of returners in every position on the pitch. The defender position is going to be highlighted by the return of Jared Winking (left), who garnered all-conference selection in 2011 while starting in 18 games for the Bees. The Bees will also see the return of their junior captain John Vince Rhodes (middle).

The midfield positions will see the return of two seniors in Tirelo Morake and Chris Davisson (above right). Morake was the main shot taker for the Bees in 2011 taking 27 total shots and putting 13 shots on goal. The Bees will get help from incoming transfer Tyler Clarke, who will provide an impact with his energy and experience.

The midfield is an essential component of any soccer program and will be a position that may determine the Bees success in 2012.

"The quality of the midfield players throughout the conference makes this an essential area of the field to be able to control and compete. For us the midfield position is crucial to be able to make a stronger run within the conference this season," Mannall believes.

The forward position will need the most improvement from the 2011 season as the Bees were outscored 50-18. The Bees will see the return of all-conference attacker Matt Kraciun (right), who led the team with six goals in 17 games.

Kraciun will be joined by incoming transfer Charlie MacInnes, who is going to add much needed size and strength to the forward position. The Bees are going to need to find a consistent shot taker that will pressure opposing defenses and keep them on their heels.

The goalkeeper position will see the return of Matt Tucker (above left), who started 13 games in 2011. Tucker will be pushed by returning backup Kyle Williams, who started two games for the Bees in 2011, and incoming transfer from Australia, Caleb Becsi.

The Bees’ 2012 schedule is going to provide a good out-of-conference test that will prepare them for their Midwest Collegiate Conference opponents. The two out-of-conference tests of Augustana and Judson will be matches that the Bees will be able to see how they have improved from 2011 and provide insight in to what to expect with conference play. The 2011 conference schedule was difficult as the MCC was filled with talent at every school, but the loss of high quality seniors in other programs will give the Bees a chance to compete.

"The schedule gives us a good test with a mix of opposition, including some ranked opposition out-of-conference to prepare us for the tough in-conference schedule that the MCC always offers," Mannall states.

One game that should garner special attention is the contest against Grand View University on Sept. 29. Grand View is one of the top conference schools and has established a strong soccer tradition. It will be a good test for the Bees and is the start of their conference schedule.

The Bees can expect to grow from an up-and-down 2011 season and find a new identity in 2012. The emergence of many new recruits will be seen throughout the season and provide some much needed energy to the St. Ambrose men’s soccer program.
 

previous news items