Colby College men's soccer coach Mark Serdjenian is hoping that youth on the forward line and experience in back will help the Mules be competitive in the New England Small College Athletic Conference in 2003.

Goal scoring will be important for Colby after the Mules managed just 18 goals in their final 13 games last year in a 6-8 season. Sophomore forward Chris Rogers (Hebron Academy/Atlanta, Ga.) transferred from Hobart College after scoring four goals and dishing one assist last year in earning first-team Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association honors. Rogers will be on the forward line along with first-year player Chris MacFadyen (Moses Brown/Providence, R.I.). Sophomore Monty Hankin (Canandaigua/Canandaigua, N.Y.) and first-year Daniel Kiernan (Roxbury Latin/Brookline, Mass.) should also earn minutes upfront.

"We have a new look upfront," said Serdjenian, who has a 197-153-31 record entering his 28th season at his alma mater. "We have some exciting new danger men."

The defense allowed 28 goals last year and kept the Mules in most games. Josh Zweig (BB&N/Brookline, Mass.), the only senior on the team and a starter as a sophomore, missed last year after studying abroad. Zweig will be joined in back by junior sweeper Brian Venti (Hanover/Hanover, N.H.) and junior stopper Brian Kelly (Milford/Milford, Mass.). Sophomore Russell Gullette (Guilford/Guilford, Conn.) also returns as a starter in back. Junior Aaron Poplack (Kinkaid School/Houston, Texas) and Todd Rockwood (Pomfret School/Needham, Mass.) should see quality minutes on defense.

Junior Brian Davidson (Loomis Chaffee/Needham, Mass.) is the likely starter in goal after posting a 2.14 goals-against average and a 3-4 record last year. First-year Josh Kahane (Newton North/Newton, Mass.) should also see time in the nets.

Junior captain Ryan Boccuzzi (E.O. Smith/Storrs, Conn.) returns as a central midfielder after leading the Mules last year in assists with six. He will play centrally along with junior Dan Ruiz (Chatham/Chatham, N.J.), while first-year player John McCormack (Lincoln-Sudbury/Sudbury, Mass.) will see important minutes. Junior Trevor McWilliams (Millbrook School/Millbrook, N.Y.) and sophomore Bobby Abendroth (BB&N/Natick, Mass.) will start as outside midfielders. Sophomore Brian Kasarjian (Plymouth North/Plymouth, Mass.) and Donnie O'Callaghan (New Canaan/New Canaan, Conn.) will also vie for time in the midfield.

For the second straight year, Colby earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award. The Mules were the only NESCAC team to receive the award two years ago and were one of two conference schools to earn the award this past season.

The squad also earned the New England Intercollegiate Soccer League's Division III Fair Play Award for good sportsmanship for the 2002 season.

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