Urshela and O'Neill Named First Team All-Independent as Five Honored by AD3I
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – In recognition of their achievements on the soccer field, five St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) men's soccer student-athletes have been honored by the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) as members of its men's soccer All-Independent Teams.
Junior Raul Urshela (Orlando, Fla./Colonial) and sophomore Matthew O'Neill (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) were awarded All-Independent First Team honors at forward and midfielder, respectively. Freshman Giuseppe Porretto (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King) was named Rookie of the Year and was an All-Independent Second Team selection as a forward. Senior Adam Comollo (Belle Mead, N.J./Montgomery HS) took home All-Independent Second Team accolades as a midfielder while junior goalkeeper Michael Miner (Schenevus, N.Y./Schenevus) was also a Second Team selection.
Urshela started in 13 games for the Bears finishing as St. Joseph's leading scorer with eight goals and 16 points. The junior rattled off a team-high 45 shots and led the team with two game-winning goals. The forward recorded two goals including the game-winner in the Bears 3-2 triumph over Medgar Evers. Urshela also recorded both goals in St. Joseph's HVIAC win over Webb and now has a school-record 24 goals for his career. Urshela has now taken home First Team honors in all three years on campus and was named AD3I Rookie of the Year his freshman year.
O'Neill started in 13 games primarily at midfield concluding the season ranked tied for second on the team with his seven points. Last year's Second Team honoree notched his lone goal of the year on a throw-in in St. Joseph's HVIAC win over King's (N.Y.). O'Neill helped orchestrate the Bears offense leading the team in assists with five.
Porretto started in 11 games at forward in his rookie campaign accumulating three goals and one assist to finish tied for second on the team with seven points. The freshman ranked second on the team with 28 shots and picked up his first collegiate goal against Sarah Lawrence. Porretto becomes the first Bear to earn Rookie of the Year honors since Urshela in 2011.
Comollo, a HVIAC All-Conference Team selection, provided senior leadership to a young St. Joseph's squad finishing the season fourth on the team with 13 shots and had the best game of his career in St. Joseph's matchup with USCAA Tournament qualifier Washington Adventist where he had a team-high four shots with two coming on net.
Miner started in net for the Bears in all but one game concluding the season with a school-record three wins in net. The junior has now earned All-Independent Second Team honors in each of his three years on the team. Miner finished the season with a 5.33 goals against average and .670 save percentage. The junior also recorded his first two collegiate goals on penalty kicks while also picking up the first shutout in school history against King's (N.Y.). Miner finished the season ranked No. 2 in Division III averaging 10.31 saves per game.