IMMACULATA, Pa. - The Immaculata men's soccer team is finishing up final preparations for the 2022 season as they look to their home opener on Thursday, September 1st against McDaniel.
"Our team has come in strong and has looked great throughout camp," opened head coach Richard Punt. "The team is focused, working incredibly hard, and we are ahead of where we were this time last season in terms of fitness and tactical understanding. I am excited to see exactly where we are on Thursday for our home opener."
The Mighty Macs, who were picked third in the Atlantic East Preseason Coaches' Poll, will look to continue their recent success in Atlantic East play after having reached the Atlantic East Semifinals in 2021 where they dropped their match to Neumann 2-1.
"The biggest lesson we took from that match is how to manage the game," said Punt. "We were in control throughout the first half, but could not keep the momentum our way in the second half. We were a young team, and that loss taught us a lot that will make us better coming into this season."
Immaculata ended the 2021 season with a 7-11-1 record, going 4-2 in Atlantic East play. Earning the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic East Tournament, Immaculata opened the tournament with a 4-0 victory over Gwynedd Mercy before falling to Neumann 2-1 in the Semifinals.
Josh Fonder led the Mighty Macs in goals scored in 2021, scoring five goals while tallying three assists for a team-leading 13 points overall. He is joined offensively by fellow senior John Bohrer, who scored three goals and three assists on 17 shots on goal last season. Dylan Walter, meanwhile, will captain the Macs' defensive line after having played in 1,045 minutes and scoring one goal in 2021.
"I think we have a great mix of personalities and leadership styles amongst our team and I'm excited to see Fonder, Bohrer, and Walter lead from the front," continued Punt. "As well as our three captains, we have a lot of confident young guys who are comfortable contributing on and off the field and that can only make us stronger as a team."
In addition to the team captains, the Macs return several key contributors to their offensive scheme going into 2022. Oldy Dielce, a senior, led the team with four assists last season while also scoring four goals for 12 points overall. Rising sophomore Reed Lindsay, meanwhile, aided the Macs with three goals and two assists while EJ Martin and Matthew Kirkpatrick contributed two goals each as well.
The Macs also own a 10-person freshman class featuring Vinnie Trasatti, Alexander Stake, Rhys Rademaker, Jonathan Olaleye, Cooper McKinney, Nico Mainolfi, Ryan Kennelly, Matthew Homan, Michael Azzarone, and Nick Anselmi.
"In such a dense, competitive schedule like ours, we will need our entire roster to impact games," explained Punt. "After graduating some key defenders last season, we needed some reinforcements on that side of the ball, and I think we have found some exceptional young men who will chip in as the season progresses. Across the roster, everybody has come in, put in the work, and are showing us how they can contribute."
Fans are encouraged to visit gomightymacs.com and follow Immaculata Athletics on social media for all of the latest news and notes on Immaculata men's soccer.
