The following is the second of a three-part series previewing the 2007 Kentucky men?s soccer team, leading up to the season-opening UK Invitational on Friday. The focus in today?s feature is on the midfield, while Tuesday will feature a preview of the defense.
After one of the most successful seasons in the history of the UK soccer program, the Wildcats turn its attention to remaining a relevant factor in the Conference USA and national race and one of the key ingredients to success on the field in 2007 will rest in the hands of its midfield.
Always a fixture of the UK team, the midfield will be one position where the Wildcat coaching staff is eager to see some of its young and experienced talent step up and fill the void left by departed veterans Michael D?Agostino and Nathan Li.
?Midfield should be the strength of our team,? UK head coach Ian Collins said. ?Jase Griffiths is battling injury but is coming back. Masumi Turnbull is coming off international experience and we have a talented crop of newcomers likely to step in and have an immediate impact.?
While the UK coaching staff needs some impact players to step up and fill the roles vacated by D?Agostino and Li, the Wildcats return Masumi Turnbull, a junior from British Columbia, who is coming off a summer of international experience representing the Canadian U-20 National team. Turnbull started all 21 games, one of only three Wildcats to do so. Turnbull totaled a team-high seven assists and two goals from his midfield post. In one complete preseason game, Turnbull registered the lone UK goal of the preseason, a shot that was squeezed past the Dayton Flyer keeper in the exhibition opener.
Among the other returnees to round out the midfield will include Brad Frederick, Bingy Lara, and Jase Griffiths. Frederick played in 19 and started 15 games, totaling two goals, while Lara played in 15 matches. Griffiths, a talented 5-foot-11 midfielder from Bracknell, England, saw action in 16 games, netting four goals and totaling six assists.
?Some freshmen we really expect to be key players for us, include Jirijoonas Kanth, a terrific player,? Collins said. ?Chad Hagerty is a very talented player who transferred from St. Louis, a Louisville boy. Brad Frederick has got some good experience and that is just to name a few. We have a lot of experience coming back and we have some new parts coming in that should really help us get going in the midfield.?
