Tougher Big East schedule lies ahead for men’s soccer squad

Not only has the addition of five new schools to the Big East Conference made it the largest… Not only has the addition of five new schools to the Big East Conference made it the largest Division I men’s soccer conference in the country, but it has made it one of the most competitive in the nation.

Pitt’s head coach, Joe Luxbacher, is very pleased with the additions of South Florida, Marquette, DePaul, Cincinnati and Louisville, particularly in that their arrivals boost the credibility of an already strong conference.

“All five new schools have strong soccer programs,” Luxbacher said to www.pittsburghpanthers.com. “The Big East is one of the top soccer conferences in the country. There were six teams in the top-25 in 2004. We want a tough schedule and the challenge that comes with it.”

The Panthers will be up for the challenge because of strong leadership from an experienced group of upperclassmen. Along with ten juniors, the Panthers return three seniors — forwards Keeyan Young and Dwayne Grant-Higgins and goalkeeper Justin Lowery — from last season’s 6-8-3 squad that rendered a 3-6-1 record in conference play.

“I think we are a balanced team overall,” Luxbacher said. “We are a young team with veterans at key positions. Our freshman class from two years ago has gotten a lot of game experience now. We have a solid nucleus coming back. I’m very optimistic, and I like the team.”

Entering this season, Young is tied for tenth on Pitt’s all-time scoring list with 18 goals, while starting all 51 of his career games. He has been named to the preseason all-Big East squad after leading the Panthers in their top three offensive categories last season, netting seven goals, dishing out four assists and racking up 18 points.

“Keeyan is a talented athlete who reads the game well,” Luxbacher said. “We are looking for a big year out of him.”

Grant-Higgins is also expected to produce for the Panthers. Last season, despite suffering a season-ending injury, the West Virginia transfer still finished second on the team in goals and third in points, most coming from blinding speed used to slip past defenders.

Like any sport with a goaltender, Lowery is a very critical component to this year’s Panthers squad. He is a two-year starter who put up a 1.32 goals-against average last season, as well as a .783 save percentage. His presence in the goal kept Pitt in many close contests, many times with the conference’s elite.

Two very capable backups will be pushing Lowery all season long. Junior Andy Jorgensen and redshirt freshman Jordan Marks will both be looking to earn some time between the pipes this year, battles that Luxbacher looks forward to taking flight.

“We have three very capable goalkeepers,” Luxbacher said on Pitt’s athletics Web site. “We need and expect consistency out of the goalkeeping position, and I anticipate that one of the three will emerge as the man who can lead us into the Big East Tournament and beyond.”

Along with Jorgensen, Luxbacher expects big things from the nine other juniors on the squad. Two years ago, they were his largest recruiting class in his 21 years as Pitt’s head coach. Now, with two years of collegiate experience under their belts, Luxbacher believes that they will have a great deal to do with the team’s overall success this season.

Three junior midfielders are returning starters for the Panthers. Tyler Bastianelli, Thomas DeCato and Brendon Smith have started a combined 79 games over the last two seasons.

Adding to the team’s depth at midfield will be three more juniors with slightly less experience. Mike Cunha, Shawn Wildman and Jeffery Tidd are all very versatile players who can cover most of the field.

With such a solid core of returning players up front, the Panthers’ key will be replacing the defense of four-year letter winner and 2004 team captain Jacob Kring. The Panthers backfield will be the key for Pitt this season.

“Our focus will be on the defensive side,” Luxbacher said. “We want to be tighter defensively because we have lost a lot of close games the last two years.”

The Panthers open the season with only two games at home in the first month of their season. Once they return home on Sept. 23, they will play five conference opponents in a row. Last season, the Panthers experienced much success at Founders Field, going 5-2-1 at the friendly confines. However, on the road they were a dismal 1-6-2.

First-game action will occur in the Drexel Tournament with the host Dragons followed by a date with the Explorers from LaSalle. Then, the Panthers will venture to West Virginia for a showdown with Marshall, a team with which, during a game a year ago, Pitt held a two-goal lead in the final moments before the Thundering Herd stunned the host Panthers with two late goals to earn a 3-3 tie.

The home schedule is highlighted by visits from Seton Hall (Oct. 1), Notre Dame (Oct. 22) and September match ups with Big East newcomers South Florida and DePaul. Pitt’s sternest road test figures to be an Oct. 15 trip to Storrs, Conn. for a bout with the Huskies, who upended the Panthers 1-0 a year ago.