Pioneers vs. Real Maryland Preview

By David Grant

LUDLOW – The Western Mass. Pioneers play their first home game Saturday night versus Real Maryland F.C. Game time is at 7:30 p.m. It will be the Monarchs first ever trip to the famed Lusitano Stadium.

The Pioneers (1-1) are coming off a split in its opening weekend road trip to Richmond and Maryland. Richmond earned a 3-0 victory on April 19 at University of Richmond Stadium.

Western Mass. bounced back to defeat Real Maryland F.C. 1-0 on April 20 at the Maryland Soccer Plex. The Monarchs, one of two new additions to the USL Second Division, bring a 1-1 record to Ludlow after a 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh.

The Monarchs used a 3-3-4 alignment in its first two matches. And while that model didn’t produce points against the Pioneers, Real Maryland scored six minutes into its match against Pittsburgh.

Forwards William Brindley and Ronald Cerritos accounted for the two goals. Cerritos was ejected in the match and will not play against the Pioneers. The talented Nilson Perez is the team’s third forward.

The Pioneers, who were just 4-3-3 at home last season, hope to build off experience and depth. The team consists of many players who gelled together during a tremendous run in 2005. Head coach Leszek Wrona used Jeff Deren and Neil Krause as his starting strikers at Richmond and Maryland.

A strong midfield includes Everson Maciel, Anthony Augustine, Omar McFarlane and Easton Wilson. Wrona completes the 4-4-2 scheme with defenders Jay Willis, Federico Molinari, Callum Bissett and James Greenslit.

Five players were used as substitutes in that second game, including defenders Kevin Lumberbatch and Tim Larocca, midfielders Anthony Petrarca and Jhonny Arteaga. Bryan Zobre played three minutes at the forward position.

Mike Lima (D), Noel Bunsie (F), Ricky Morris (M) and Johany Gallego (D) give Wrona and the Pioneers even more depth.

The Pioneers used Matt Glaeser in goal while Joshua Cole serves as the back up net minder. Adam Perron is a third keeper. Glaeser is 1-1 with three goals allowed and one shutout in 180 minutes played.

Western Mass. will be playing with dual goals in mind. The squad is looking to keep pace in a well balanced USL Second Division while gaining enough points to qualify for the 2008 Lamar U.S. Open cup.

All matches up to May 25 count towards qualifying for the prestigious tournament, which includes the best teams from Major League Soccer. The top seven teams from the USL Second Division will qualify. The Pioneers last qualified in 2005.

Saturday’s match marks the first of seven straight home games for the Pioneers, who welcome Pittsburgh this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. The Riverhounds did not field a team in 2007.