SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The Lawrence Technological (Mich.) University men's soccer team opens the 2016 season at Wednesday, August 24 at the new LTU Athletic Field against Taylor (Ind.) University. Opening kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
Lawrence Tech enters the season coming off the best year in program history. The 2015 Blue Devils won a program best nine games and earned the seventh seed in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference postseason tournament. LTU returns 14 lettermen including First Team All-WHAC honoree Tyler Winningham (SR/Canton, MI).
Also returning is leading scorer Matt Gibiec (JR/Saint Joseph, MI). Gibiec finished last season with seven goals, five assists, and 19 points. Gibiec was also named First Team CoSIDA All-Academic for his work in the classroom and on the field. WHAC Honorable Mention Santiago Amigo (SO/Madrid, Spain) retuns on defense as Kevin Wright (SO/Linden, Mich.), Pablo Ripodas (JR/Navarra, Spain), and Chris Serwatka (SO/Troy, Mich.)'s return help strengthen the offensive side, looking to build off last seasons successes.
LTU Head Coach Will Dyer will lean on its upperclassmen this season as he told LTUAthletics.com, "Winny and Pablo are invaluable leaders on and off the field. We look to our seniors and ask them what will be their legacy?"
The Blue Devils have new faces in net this season as the squad looks to carry three goalkeeperts into the season with Craig Martin (SO/Motherwell, North Lanarkshire,), Erik Ver Hoef (JR/Grand Rapids, Mich.), and Max Jewett (FR/Sterling Heights, Mich.). The defensive unit returns in full as they held teams to 2.00 GAA last season. "This year we are looking to improve on that," Dyer explains. "All of our defenders play a very important part of our family and we look to have everyone contributing."
The squad welcomes in eight new faces including six freshmen and a transfer student. The new signees are practicing well according to Dyer and will look to see a lot of on field training this season.
The Blue Devils open up today against Taylor and have seven non-conference games this season as they prepare for the tough WHAC schedule which has six home dates on it with Cornerstone being the conference opener on Homecoming, September 24 at 4 p.m.
LTU once again hosts the Blue Devils classic starting Friday, Sept. 9 against University of Saint Francis (Ind.) at 12 p.m. They host Holy Cross (Ind.) College on Saturday, Sept 10 at 1 p.m.
"We can't take a day off with our schedule," Dyer said. "We have to continue to work on one of our core values "Play to a standard" and with that, it will strengthen us as a family and help us on the field and in the classroom."
All home games will be streamed on LTUAthletics.com. All times and dates are subject to change.
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