Corsairs will have to fill some holes with new faces
as they enter second varsity season in Pilgrim League
(Dartmouth, MA) -- UMass Dartmouth's men's lacrosse team had an impressive debut season a year ago, posting a 10-3 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the Northwest Division of the Pilgrim League. Only a late season loss to Plymouth State kept Coach Jeff Feroce's Corsairs out of the Pilgrim League playoffs in their first varsity campaign.
The second season might not be as easy as the first according to Feroce because of an improved schedule and the task of replacing three of his four top scorers and his best defensive player from last season.
"We've got some big holes to fill in our starting lineup," said Feroce, a former Corsair lacrosse player and club team coach. who took over as the varsity coach last season. "We should be able to win a few games. A lot will depend on how fast our freshman mature to the college game."
UMass Dartmouth's will build its 1999 team with a couple of returning veterans, including a pair Northwest Division Pilgrim League All Stars in junior tri-captain Mike Monturio (Weymouth, MA) and senior goalie Steve Brandt (Newton, MA). Monturio was UMass Dartmouth's leading scorer at the attack position, netting 47 goals and 21 assists for 68 points, a 5.7 points per game average. Joining Monturio on the Corsairs' offensive attack will be Michael Dion (Waltham, MA) (23-9-32), UMass Dartmouth's second best returning scorer (fourth overall) and tri-captain Mike Cusilito (Falmouth, MA)(13-3-16), the Corsairs' third best returner on offense.
"He had a great year for us last season and we're going to need him to be as productive as ever while working with some of the newcomers on offense," Feroce said.
UMass Dartmouth will have three incoming first-year players who will be counted on to help Monturio on offense. Joining the Corsairs this season will be three high school all-stars, including Ryan MacDonald (Weymouth, MA), Jim Ruggeri (Waltham, MA) and Bryan Wallace (Minnechaug HS), a second team All-Western Mass. selection.
"On the plus side, we have two of the best goalies in our division," Feroce said. "Brandt and Adam Centofanti (Waltham, MA) are as good as a coach could ask for when it comes to stopping the ball."
A UMass Dartmouth tri-captain this season, Brandt appeared in the Corsairs' goal for 10 games, averaging 9.3 saves per game and a goals against average of 10.31. Brandt will team up with Adam Centonfanti, who averaged 3.8 saves and a 5.63 goals against average in his six games, including a
shutout.
Playing in front of Brandt and Centofanti will be a pair of returning senior defenseman, Tony Ferro (Granby, MA) and Kevin Mahoney (Dix Hills, NY). Feroce will also be adding some newcomers on the defensive unit, including Greg Tompkins (Waltham, MA), and Angelo Defino (Bedford HS), a pair of all-star selections at their respective high schools as year ago.
The Corsairs will have to be prepared for some serious challenges as part of their upgraded regular season schedule for 1999. Included on the Corsairs' 15-game schedule, which opens with three games in Pennsylvania, are an April 20 game at home against Division II American International
College and a matchup with the Division I Army junior varsity squad.
UMass Dartmouth opens its second varsity season on March 15 with a game at Eastern College in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. The Corsairs will travel to King's College in Wilkes-Barre two days later and wrap up the trip at Neuman College in Aston, PA on March 16. UMass Dartmouth will return to
campus for their home opener with Salve Regina on March 26. UMass Dartmouth will take on the defending Pilgrim League champions from Eastern Connecticut in a home game on April 7 and close its season with the other Pilgrim League Northwest Division playoff team from last year, Plymouth
State, at home on May 1.
Feroce will be joined by assistant coach Andy Goodman, a veteran lacrosse player and coach. A science teacher at Dartmouth High, Goodman played four years of college lacrosse at Dickinson College before coaching for five seasons at Cony High School in Maine.
Assistant Director, Sports Information and Daily News
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road
Dartmouth,MA 02747-2300
Phone: News (508) 999-8965 Sports (508) 999-8720
Fax: (508) 999-9200
JMullins@UMassD.edu
