An athletics season like no previous begins at Wayland Baptist University on Friday when the men's soccer team hosts the first on-campus event since the COVID-19 pandemic hit last spring.
"We're really thrilled we can play. There was a time I didn't think we would be able to do this," soccer coach
Robert Ssejjemba said in advance of leading his team onto J.V. Hilliard Field for their 6 p.m. match Friday against Ecclesia College, a National Christian College Athletic Association school from Arkansas.
This will be the third match of the season for Ecclesia after the Royals defeated Arlington Baptist, 4-1, then fell to Central Baptist, 2-1 in overtime. Ecclesia went 6-7-1 last season, including a 9-0 loss to John Brown.
While the NAIA and Sooner Athletic Conference postponed competition in fall sports until the spring, Wayland is among the schools that chose to play a reduced schedule this fall. WBU also plans to compete in volleyball, football and cross country in a limited capacity this fall before a expanded spring schedule.
As a reminder, anyone on WBU property is required to wear a face covering, including fans at athletics competitions. Fans will be asked to practice social distancing and remain off the field at all times. Fans feeling sick should not attend.
All WBU sports events (except scrimmages) will be streamed. Go to
www.wbuathletics.com for a link.
With a seven-game fall schedule, Ssejjemba said he is using the next two months to gauge his team's progress.
"For the fall we just want to see where we are as a team. We'll look at each player and see what we need to do," he said. "We consider our main season to be in the spring, so this fall is designed to help us (prepare) for that."
Ssejjemba's Pioneers went 9-4-4 in the coach's first season, including 5-3-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference for fourth place, the same position Wayland is picked this season. Wayland advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament where they lost on the road to top-seeded John Brown, Ark., 2-1 in double overtime.
The Pioneers figure to have a bit of a different philosophy in 2020-21.
"Unlike my first year, we want to possess the ball and pick our moments to go forward," Ssejjemba said. "All of our players are technically good on the ball, so the style that fits them is more possession. We want to try to deal out of the back and capitalize on our chances when we go forward. I think we will create a lot."
Graduation claimed close to a dozen players, including the program's all-time leading scorer and WBU's first three-time all-conference first-team honoree in
James Westfield as well as second-teamer
Santiago Pereyra. Combined, Westfield (14) and Pereyra (7) accounted for just under half of Wayland's 41 goals a year ago.
That said, everyone on last year's roster whom Ssejjemba expected to return did.
"Everyone is back, and we added some key players, too," the coach said. "One of our weaknesses last year was midfield. This year we have a lot of options in that area."
Leading the returners is senior defender
Stefano Pesce of Italy, a second-team all-conference pick last year who is in his fourth season at Wayland. Pesce started all 16 games, managing three goals and two assists. His eight points ranked fourth on the team.
Returning in goal is senior keeper Gonzalo Santo of Spain, who in 14 matches last year forged a 6-4-3 record and made 61 saves with an .813 save percentage.
"Those two guys will be key for us," Ssejjemba said.
Santo won't be in goal Friday. Instead, the Pioneers will rely on
Brandon Duarte, like Santo a transfer from Laredo College.
In addition to Pesce and Santo, another senior veteran for the Pioneers is midfielder
Hector Romero, who tied four teammates for third in most goals last year with three. "Hector was another key player for us last year. He's a senior now," Ssejjemba said.
Graduation claimed the bulk of the rest of last year's starters, but an ineligible player last season after transferring from Mt. Aloysius College in Pennsylvania,
Chris Moses, figures to help fill the tank. Moses is a center back from Stockholm, Sweden. "Chris will be another strong player for us," Ssejjemba said.
No fewer than a half-dozen incoming players figure to have an immediate impact. "We have quite a few solid players," Ssejjemba player.
Among them are junior center back
Alex Pike, a Canadian transfer from Northeastern A&M Oklahoma, and junior midfielders
Alessandro Felizzola from Paris Junior College and
Marco Magnoli from Essex County College. Three other transfers, all from University of the Southwest where Ssejjemba coached prior to Wayland, are sophomore center midfielder
Ryan Naidoo, senior left back
Praise Ayeni, and senior forward/midfielder Elton Tetty.
"I'm excited about all of them," Ssejjemba said. "I'm excited about our entire team. They're solid on the field and in the classroom as well."
He said two players will not be available due to COVID concerns. "We hope to get them in the spring."
As for the reduced number of matches this fall, Ssejjemba said he is looking at the silver lining.
"The structure of our season has some advantages to it. One of ways to keep (players) motivated is give them some days off, which we've been able to do. The amount of time between games is also key. We have more time to prepare and recover, which we haven't had before."
For now, the Pioneers, whose scrimmage last weekend against Western Texas College was postponed due to COVID cases, are simply anxious to return to play.
"We just want to get that first game in," Ssejjemba said.
Â
