Pack’s Freshmen Weigh in at 28th
The Wolfpack Men’s Soccer Team’s Freshman class was ranked by College Soccer News at number 28. The only bad news is 6 of the remaining 8 ACC Teams with Men’s Soccer programs rank in the top 11. There are several players CollegeSoccerNews.com has listed as Freshman to Watch for 2007, Tyler Lassiter a defender from Wakefield-Rolesville who played his club ball with CASAL Elite. The other Freshman on the list is Goalkeeper Brandyn Bumpas from Denver Colorodo.
Bumpas is one that, as a former goalkeeper, excites me. He has spent time with the US National U20 team and played for the same club team that produced Aaron King and John Queeley. I think he will be a great addition to the Wolfpack and I’m glad to see him wearing the Red and White. The Pack still has a long way to go to be able to continually compete with the remainder of the ACC.
Last season the Pack was able to come away with an impressive victory over unc-ch in Chapel Hill. This season you will have to make a decision on Saturday’s. As it’s already been reported by many, three of the toughest Home ACC games will fall on the same day as Home Football games. We play unc Sept. 15(Wofford), Virginia Sept. 22 (Clemson), and Duke Nov. 10 (unc-ch). I don’t know why the ACC chose to put games on Saturday’s. One of the dumbest decisions they could have made in my opinion.
Who knows if these freshmen will be able to make an immediate impact or not. On paper they look incredible, but on paper doesn’t win games. These freshmen will have to face some of the toughest competition in the country. The last 3 years, there has been 2 ACC teams in the Final Four.
There will be good soccer coming to Raleigh this fall, to bad no one will see it. We have a top notch group coming in and hopefully Tarantini will be able to use this group to turn around the luck he has had in league play.