BROCKTON, Mass. ---- The Massasoit Community College men's soccer team of Region 21 opens the 2015 campaign on the road, facing off against a pair of formidable opponents from Region 19 in Essex County and nationally ranked Mercer County this weekend in New Jersey.
Head coach Rui Estrela, in his 10th season leading Massasoit, will have his Warriors face off against Essex County on Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by another road contest at No. 19 Mercer County at Noon on Sunday.
Massasoit finished 14-5-1 in 2014, captured the Region XXI Championship and advanced to the NJCAA Northeast District Finals before falling to eventual NJCAA National runner's up Monroe College.
MASSASOIT REPORT
The Warriors return five student-athletes from a season ago, including a pair of starters in midfielder Vanjgel Kutulla (Norwood) and defender William Baah (Pawtucket, R.I.).
Kutulla will see action as a central midfielder for the second consecutive year, after scoring seven goals and dishing out three assists as a freshman. Baah anchors a defense that posted seven shutouts last season.
Offensively, the Warriors return one the program's most dynamic offensive players in recent seasons. Andrew Revanales (Trinidad) is back to play forward after being away from the Warrior program for five seasons. The sophomore last played for Massasoit in 2010, posting 28 goals and five assists in 16 games en route to earning NJCAA All-American honorable mention accolades. Also back from the 2010 squad is midfielder Terreance Treh (Milford), who recorded six goals and three assists five seasons ago.
Coach Estrela is also very high on forward Sidney Cardoso from Portugal and midfielder Elvis Andrade (Brockton) as the duo along with Revanales should give opposing defenses fits all season long.
ESSEX COUNTY REPORT
Massasoit will face Essex County on Saturday, which marks the second straight year that both programs will meet for their season openers.
In the matchup last season, Essex won in convincing fashion, 4-0, in the first game at the renovated Warrior Field on Massasoit's campus.
Essex went 9-2-1 last season, falling to Harcum College in penalty kicks in the Region 19 tournament.
MERCER COUNTY REPORT
Ranked 19th-nationally in the first week of the NJCAA poll, Mercer County is a perfect 4-0 on the season. Thus far Mercer has outscored opponents 21-5 and averaging 5.3 goals per match.
Massasoit claimed both meetings against Mercer last year, winning 2-0 during the regular season, before capturing a 1-0 victory in the Northeast District Semifinals. Last season, Mercer finished with a record of 14-5-1.
Prior to playing the Warriors on Sunday, Mercer will play Rockland CC for its fifth match of the 2015 campaign.
