Lycoming News

Millersville University, Gannon University, and Mercyhurst University men’s soccer programs were picked as favorites in the 2022 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Preseason Men’s Soccer polls, as voted on by the coaches, the league office announced Wednesday.

 

East

Over in the Eastern Division, the defending PSAC Champion, Millersville, was picked as the divisional favorite earning five first-place votes. The Marauders were an impressive 15-6-2 overall and 8-4-0 in league matches in 2021. They defeated Gannon, 2-0, in the PSAC Championship match and later found themselves playing for a regional title against Charleston (W.Va.) before falling, 2-1 (OT). Ville was known for its impressive defense holding opponents to just 1.04 goals per game and much of that was due to goalkeeper, Bobby Bosch, who returns to the team this year after ranking first in the league in goals against average (.859) and fourth in save percentage (.758).

 

Snagging a pair of first-place votes and getting selected second was West Chester. The Golden Rams are coming off an 11-3-2 year overall, and a 9-2-1 league mark. WCU is looking for revenge after having its season end in the PSAC Tournament losing to eventual champion, Millersville, 2-1 (OT). Similar to Ville, WCU prided itself on defense ranking first in goals allowed per game at .94. They tallied a +0.87-scoring margin which was third in the PSAC.

 

Picked third in the PSAC East is Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles return after a 10-1-1 league record claiming the top seed in the PSAC Tournament from the East. LHU brings back a couple of key returners from last year’s roster in PSAC East Rookie of the Year, Samuel Hershey, and goalkeeper Aitor Ruiz de Eguilaz. Hershey was first in the PSAC East in goals per game at .722 and Ruiz de Eguilaz registered a pair of shutouts last year between the pipes.

 

Following Lock Haven is East Stroudsburg being picked fourth. The Warriors missed a spot in the PSAC Tournament last year with a 5-5-2 league mark. They were middle of the pack in many categories, but shined when it came to goal scoring. ESU was third in the league in goals per game at 1.94.

 

Picked fifth in the East is the Huskies of Bloomsburg. BU was 5-7 in league games ending the season ranked fourth in the league missing a playoff spot. They’ll look to bounce back and take a shot at PSAC Tournament berth this season.

 

Rounding out the Eastern Division poll are sixth-picked Shippensburg, and seventh-selected Shepherd.

 

West

For the West, there was a tie atop the PSAC poll between Gannon and Mercyhurst. For the Golden Knights, they are favored following a 7-1-2 conference record and a 16-3-3 league mark in 2021. Gannon was the PSAC Champion Runner-Up after falling to Millersville, 2-0. Gannon did many things right on both offense and defense. They averaged 1.86 goals per game while holding opponents to just 1.00 per game. They were third in the league in total points at 117 with 41 goals and 35 assists. A key returner to the offensive output is Sergio Del Castillo who scored 12 goals in 2021 and was tied for the league lead in game winners with five.

 

Cross-town rival Mercyhurst is tied for first with Gannon in the poll thanks in part to their high-powered attack. The Lakers were tops in the PSAC in total points in 2021 with 153 also leading with 54 goals and 45 assists. Hurst averaged 3.0 goals per game allowing just 1.06 per game which is good for a +1.94-scoring margin ranking them first in each of those categories. They will bring back Dylan Sumner who was named PSAC West Rookie of the Year.

 

Selected third in the West this year is the third-ranked team a season ago in Seton Hill. The Griffins were 9-8-2 overall and 6-3-1 in league matches making the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2018. Paving the way for the Griffins was Archie Lock, who will return to the Seton Hill midfield. He had 12 points on four goals and four assists including a pair of game-winning goals.

 

Slippery Rock comes in at fourth in the preseason poll in the PSAC West. The Rock finished 2021 fifth in the league with a 6-10-2 overall mark and a 3-7-0 league record. Goalkeeper Aly Hossam will lead Slippery Rock after tallying a .720 save percentage in 14 matches in 2021.

 

Rounding out the Western Division is California (Pa.) and Pitt-Johnstown, respectively.

 

The PSAC Men’s Soccer schedule officially gets underway, August 25.

 

For the full PSAC preseason polls, see below.

 

2022 PSAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Polls

 

EAST (# of 1st Place Votes)

1. Millersville (5)

2. West Chester (2)

3. Lock Haven

4. East Stroudsburg

5. Bloomsburg

6. Shippensburg

7. Shepherd

 

WEST

T1. Gannon (3)

T1. Mercyhurst (3)

3. Seton Hill

4. Slippery Rock

5. California (Pa.)

6. Pitt-Johnstown

ABOUT THE PSAC

Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg, California (Pa.), Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Gannon, Indiana (Pa.), Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Mercyhurst, Millersville, Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill, Shepherd, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester.

Original source can be found here.