Westfield, Mass.— Reigning MASCAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions Salem State was selected by the coaches from around the league to win back-to-back men's soccer titles in the 2022 preseason poll.

 

Coming in atop the poll, the Vikings received seven first place votes for 49 points. They finished 2021 with a perfect record for the MASCAC regular season title. Returning for Salem State is reigning Defensive Player of the Year and All-Conference honoree Patrick Filetti. Last season,  he helped anchor a defense that didn't allow a single goal during the MASCAC slate of the regular season while registering 10 shutouts with an opponent shooting percentage of .122 and a goals against average of 1.26. 

 

Landing in second is Framingham State with 42 points and the final first place vote. The Rams were 6-1 during MASCAC play last season. During the 2021 season, Kunphel Sinha was the Rams leader in points this season with four goals and five assists for 13 points including two game winning goals to earn a spot on the All-Conference first team.

 

Sitting in third is Bridgewater State with 38 points. The Bears were 5-2 during the conference slate last season. Back for Bridgewater State is All-Conference honoree Robson Montrond who potted a team-leading nine goals and added one assist for 19 points. Two of his nine markers were game-winners. Montrond finished second in the MASCAC in goals and tied for second in both scoring and game-winning goals.

 

Worcester State is next in fourth with 27 points. The Lancers return All-Conference defender Matt Alzamora. He helped the team hold opponents to a .156 shot percentage while also netting two goals with three assists for seven points during the 2021 season.

Not far behind in fifth is MCLA with 22 points. The Trailblazers bring back goalie Sam Edge who collected the second most saves in the league with 99 on the season. He also posted a 1.57 GAA in conference play.

 

Tying for the sixth spot with 16 points is Fitchburg State and Westfield State.  For the Falcons, Bennet Jorgensen looks to lead the offense after scoring two goals last season in his first year with the team. For the Owls, Nick Brown led the team with four goals and three assists for 11 points and is back from his second season with the squad. 

 

In the eighth spot for the 2022 preseason poll is Massachusetts Maritime who brings back their leading scorer, McNeill Somers who tallied five goals for 10 points with two game-winners during the 2021 season.

 

Kicking off the men's soccer season with non-conference competition, seven MASCAC schools return to the pitch on September 1. Find all the game info and video at mascac.com and mascac.tv.

 

(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

 

1. Salem State (7) - 49 points

2. Framingham State (1) - 42 points

3. Bridgewater State - 38 points

4. Worcester State - 27 points

5. MCLA - 22 points

6. Fitchburg State - 16 points

    Westfield State - 16 points

8. Massachusetts Maritime - 14 points