CSUN LOOKS PAST THE DARK CLOUDS; SOCCER TEAM SOLID ENTERING SEASON.Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer The blade may rest ominously om·i·nous adj. 1. Menacing; threatening: ominous black clouds; ominous rumblings of discontent. 2. Of or being an omen, especially an evil one. over the head of Marwan Ass'ad and the Cal State Northridge men's soccer team, but they will assure you nothing's dropped yet. Aside from the lingering lin·ger v. lin·gered, lin·ger·ing, lin·gers v.intr. 1. To be slow in leaving, especially out of reluctance; tarry. See Synonyms at stay1. 2. bad taste from last season's school-worst 4-10-2 record, when the Matadors lost their final four games and six of eight, and the fact the program was cut this summer before being reinstated, things are looking good around training camp. Consider: Leading scorer Mike Pries pries 1 v. Third person singular present tense of pry1. n. Plural of pry1. , an All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation forward, is one of 13 returning players, leaving Ass'ad with more than twice as many players with intercollegiate in·ter·col·le·giate adj. Involving or representing two or more colleges. Adj. 1. intercollegiate - used of competition between colleges or universities; "intercollegiate basketball" experience as last year. The defense, which allowed 39 goals in 16 games in '96, has been revamped. Led by transfers Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick (born November 13, 1968 in Toronto, Ontario) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. (Navy) and Ante Bilaver (Cal State Fullerton), the group has been working together since spring practice to shore the flat-four scheme. Everybody's healthy, physically and mentally, for Friday's season opener against defending NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II national champ Grand Canyon Grand Canyon, great gorge of the Colorado River, one of the natural wonders of the world; c.1 mi (1.6 km) deep, from 4 to 18 mi (6.4–29 km) wide, and 217 mi (349 km) long, NW Ariz. . ``We cannot reflect now,'' said Ass'ad, beginning his 15th and most likely final season at Northridge. ``We've got to be positive. If it is the last year, I want us to make it the best year ever.'' Two months ago, it might have seemed an impossible task. But seven starters return from last season's struggles. Brandon Fonseca (now playing with Kaiserslautern, a first division German club team) is the biggest absence. Ass'ad is preaching an attractive brand of soccer, a style defined through ball movement, quick passing and more goals. ``We're going to create more chances this year,'' he said. ``Last season, we played so well between the 18's (in the middle of the field). But we didn't score, and we didn't defend.'' To that end, Ass'ad has four new defenders in the back, while teaming the explosive Preis (seven goals, six assists) with converted defender Daryl Mundy, whose strength will contrast with Preis' speed. CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge MEN'S SOCCER Coach: Marwan Ass'ad (15th season, 173-86-25) Last season: 4-10-2 Season Opener: Friday vs. Grand Canyon, North Campus Stadium, 5:30 p.m. Top returning players: F Michael Preis (All-MPSF, 7 goals, 6 assists), M Fredrico Arroyo (Van Nuys grad anchors midfield), F Daryl Mundy (defender in '96 who will play up front) Top newcomers: D Mark Fitzpatrick (tranfer from Naval Academy), D Ante Bilaver (from CS Fullerton), D Danny Nishiyama (played for Matadors in 1995) CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: Mike Preis Hans Gutknecht Box: CSUN MEN'S SOCCER (see text) |
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