Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
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CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Thurs., Sept. 6, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Weekend Preview

Men's soccer looks to bounce back at home tournament

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- It wasn't the start P.J. Gondek envisioned.

Ideally, the Fredonia State men's soccer team would already have a win, or more, under its belt heading into the home-opening Blue Devil Days Inn Classic this weekend.

In the most perfect of settings, Gondek's team would have a 3-0 mark -- instead of its current 0-3 -- to boast about. That would have added to the buzz on a night there will already be plenty to boast about. The grand opening of University Stadium, complete with a full-fledged opening ceremonies, has been in the works for weeks.

Instead, the Blue Devils find themselves looking for their first win in 2007 when it meets Penn State Behrend at 7:30 p.m. Friday. This is as good a time as any to get it.

"Obviously we have not had the start we were looking for," Gondek said, "but we still believe strongly in our team. We have typically finished better than we have started over the years (and) as much as we have five seniors in our line-up, we have had to use many freshmen. It is a strong class but still inexperienced."

The Blue Devils, indeed, have been noted for recent late-season runs. They have been SUNYAC runners-up each of the last two seasons. The 2005 team made good use of an at-large bid to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Last fall, after SUNYACS, the Blue Devils went to the ECAC Upstate Tournament and won it -- the fourth ECAC title in program history.

But that was then, and this is now, and for the time being Gondek is tending to the task at hand -- a meeting with Behrend, a perennial early season opponent, under the University Stadium lights. It'll mark the first home night game ever on the Fredonia campus.

"The stadium grand opening," he said, "will certainly be one of the most memorable events for our college, community and program. A win would a great way to celebrate this important event."

The men's portion of the eight-team tournament will include a 2 p.m. Friday meeting between Mount Union and Penn State-Altoona on the artificial turf field of the University Stadium complex. Altoona is coached by former Fredonia State soccer player John Parente.

On the women's side, the two Friday games are Elizabethtown vs. Mount Union at 4 p.m. on the artificial turf, and Fredonia State vs. Medaille at 5 p.m. on the grass field. It'll mark the first soccer game on the grass field in Fredonia State history.

"The stadium opening is a special moment here for the soccer programs," Fredonia State women's head coach Chris Case said. "It has been a long time coming and we couldn't be happier with our new facility. As a former player here, I would have loved to play my college years in a setting like this."

Case's team will bring a 1-1 mark into its game vs. Medaille, a program on the rise. "We will need to be sharp and ready to play Friday if we are going to be victorious," he said. "One key will be for our players not to get caught up in a lot of the (opening-night) festivities.

His team will also meet Elizabethtown at 2 p.m. Saturday. It should provide the Blue Devils' with a stern early-season test. "I feel they are an extremely strong team and we will have are hands full," Case said. "I believe Elizabethtown is one of the best teams in the country despite their season-opening loss (2-1 in overtime to Roger Williams)."

Also in Fredonia State athletics this weekend:

The cross country teams will in a triangular meet hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology at Genesee Valley Park. The women run at 11 a.m., the men at noon. Hamilton College will also participate.

Medaille, Bethany, Grove City, and Penn State Behrend will provide the opposition for the women's volleyball team over two days at the Penn State Behrend Invitational. Matches are at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, and noon and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Penn State Behrend is also the site of competition for the women's tennis team with three matches Saturday: 10 a.m. vs. Frostburg, 11:30 a.m. vs. Geneva, and an afternoon match to be determined.

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