30 August 2000
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206 and/or head soccer coach Steve Berry, (309) 556-3343
 
 

IWU Men's Soccer Looks for Offensive Improvement

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — New head coach Steve Berry promises a more wide-open offensive attack for the Illinois Wesleyan men's soccer team, which returns 11 lettermen for the 2000 season.

The Titans, looking to improve on their 7-8-1 record of a year ago, open with a 5 p.m. home game against Maryville at IWU's Neis Field on Friday (Sept. 1).

"We've been working during the preseason on attacking more and punching up our scoring," Berry said, noting that five of the team's losses last season were by only one goal.

A solid group of veterans leading the returning players on offense are seniors Josh Shipley, Chris Wirsing, and Nick Hubbuch.

Shipley (Grayslake HS), last year's offensive "Most Valuable Player," was second on the 1999 team in scoring with 14 points and was a second team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection. He has 36 career points, good for seventh on the all-time Titan men's soccer list. His 12 career assists is tied for the school record with Jeff Ahmadian, who had 12 from 1989-92.

"Josh is coming back strong from a broken leg in the last game of the season," Berry said. "We look for his leadership and to be a 'go-to guy' who can score and distribute."

Picking up the scoring will be Hubbuch (Oak Park, Oak Park-River Forest HS), who scored four goals in 1999, and Wirsing (Grayslake HS). Wirsing led IWU in scoring with 17 points and has 47 points in his three-year career, placing him third in school history behind Jeff Sobek with 79 points (1993-95) and Ahmadian with 62. With 20 goals, Wirsing is tied for third all-time at IWU.

Sophomore midfielder Dan Lau (River Forest, Oak Park-River Forest HS), who had four goals and two assists to finish third on the team last year, is another offensive weapon for the Titans.

Defensively, Berry expects junior Clay Scott (Gurnee, Warren HS) and sophomore Chris Bobowski (Darien Benet Academy) to be the leaders, while two other freshmen, Paul Abraham (Arlington Heights, Hersey HS) and Jason Slott (Oswego HS), also figure to help the team immediately.

"With the numbers we have on this team, everyone will be a huge asset to us," said Berry, who was an assistant to Tony Bankston last year.

Berry is faced with a pleasant dilemma with his goalkeeping, where he has two solid, veterans in junior Adam Wachholtz (Newburgh, Ind., Castle HS) and sophomore Ryan McCleary (Glen Ellyn, Glenbard West HS). Last year, Wachholtz, IWU’s defensive MVP in 1998, allowed an average of 1.3 goals per game and had 5 1/2 shutouts with 62 saves, while McCleary allowed only 1.5 goals per game and made 28 saves in six games.

"They both have talents that we can use," Berry said. "We'll get a look at both of them in early season games."