Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Visits East Coast
9/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 11, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - What may be unchartered waters for Northwestern men's soccer is old hat for NU Head Coach Tim Lenahan, whose team takes on two first-time opponents this weekend at the Lafayette Soccer Classic in Easton, Pa.
Lenahan returns to Lafayette, the tournament host and team he coached from 1998-2000, where the Wildcats (2-2-0) will meet La Salle and Columbia.
"We get to play a couple of east coast teams, a couple of tough teams," Lenahan said. "La Salle is a hard-working team, and Columbia is a team that's picked to win the Ivy League this year."
"I look forward to playing out at Lafayette again. I had some success there, and it'll be good to get back."
NU faces La Salle at 5 p.m. Friday. The Explorers enter the 2002 season after a 6-9-2 mark last year. Eight of 11 starters return to the mix, including Bob Buoncristiano. The Philadelphia native led La Salle in goals (5) and assists (6) for 16 points in 2001. Buoncristiano was also one of three Explorers to start all 17 matches.
Columbia, which Northwestern plays at noon on Sunday, also returns eight starters, including Jon Mycroft and Alex Berthe-Suarez. Mycroft led the team with eight points, and Berthe-Suarez scored a team-high four goals.
J.D. Martin (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) leads the Wildcats into Easton after a strong start to the season. Martin is currently the Big Ten leader in saves (21) and is second in saves per game (5.25). Tito Lara (Joliet, Ill./Joliet) is also atop the Big Ten charts with his two game-winning goals.
