Centennial Conference Preseason Poll
HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's soccer team picked up four of a possible nine first-place votes in the Centennial Conference preseason poll as the defending champion Fords were predicted for a second-place finish in voting among the conference's head coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.
Haverford garnered 70 total voting points which trailed only preseason favorite Johns Hopkins by six points. The Blue Jays matched Haverford's four first-place votes after finishing third in the conference a season ago. Franklin & Marshall (67 points) and Dickinson (61 points) received the final two first-place votes while Gettysburg (51 points) rounded out the preseason top five. Haverford defeated Dickinson in the Centennial Conference semifinals a year ago before the thrilling 3-2 overtime victory against the Diplomats which gave the Fords their third conference crown in four seasons.
Looking to repeat in 2019, Haverford's returners are highlighted by a trio of senior first-team All-Centennial Conference selections in Nick Jannelli, Peter Baroff, and Michael Iacono. Those three will additionally serve as team captains for the upcoming season. Jannelli was named the 2018 Centennial Conference Player of the Year and a third-team All-American after leading the conference in goals, assists, and points. Joining him up top will be Baroff, the 2018 Centennial Conference Tournament MVP, who had a hand in each of Haverford's goals during the conference tournament last fall. Iacono returns in goal after leading the conference in GAA (0.53), save percentage (87.1%), and shutouts (4) during conference matches last fall.
The Fords will have to replace a talented senior class from last year's team which included five starters who were part of the winningest class in program history with those three championships. Noah Schwab, Sykes Cargile, and Will Klein also return from last year's starting XI while there will be plenty of opportunities for new stars to emerge in the program throughout the 2019 campaign.
The 2019 season gets underway this Friday with a 4:30 p.m. start against Cabrini on Walton Field. The Fords will play their first five matches of the season on their home field before Centennial Conference play begins on Saturday, September 21 at preseason favorite Johns Hopkins. Haverford's home conference opener will be a rematch of last year's Centennial Conference Championship on Saturday, September 28.
Men's soccer is unbeaten in 12 straight matches entering the 2019 season after falling in penalty kicks (officially recorded as a tie) to NYU during the NCAA Tournament first round game. Haverford has won eight straight matches outright on Walton Field entering the year and has won 24 straight home conference contests on its home turf (unbeaten in last 25 overall). That stretch dates all the way back to the 2013 season.