New head coach Eric Lambinus took over a Moravian College men’s soccer program that had lots of potential and talent but injuries and a strong schedule limited the Greyhounds to an overall record of 7-11-1 and a slate of 2-4-1 in the MAC Commonwealth Conference.

The ‘Hounds were in the running for their first Middle Atlantic Conference playoff spot since 1990 but three losses in the final two weeks, including losses to nationally-ranked Messiah College and Elizabethtown College, knocked the Greyhounds from the playoff race. Lambinus’s team was able to post a 1-0-1 overtime record to lift the Greyhounds record to 5-2-3 in overtime over the last three seasons.

Sophomore midfielder Paul Melniczek (Philadelphia/Roman Catholic HS) led Moravian with nine goals and 20 points this fall. Melniczek, who earned MAC Commonwealth Second Team All-Star accolades, added two assists and had the game winning goals in three different matches for the Greyhounds. In two seasons, Melniczek has scored 16 goals and added three assists for 35 points.

Junior forward Van Pham (Reading/Reading HS), who netted 18 goals in his first two seasons at Moravian, was limited to 12 matches in 1999 and scored just three goals. However, Pham, did pick up the first two assists of his collegiate career. Despite the limited number of matches, Pham was named to the MAC Commonwealth All-Star Second Team. Senior midfielder Alex Pierce (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township HS) and junior midfielder Billy Boltz (Rehrersburg/Tulpehochen HS) each netted three goals as well this fall. Pierce, who was the Greyhounds third representative on the MAC Commonwealth All-Star Second Team, also had an assist.

Three players tallied two goals this fall for the Greyhounds. Junior defender Kevin Byrne (Spring Lake, NJ/Manasquan HS) and freshman forward Brian Mack (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) each had two goals and an assist while junior midfielder Rich Tate (Warrington/LaSalle College HS) added two goals. Moravian’s other goal scorers were freshman midfielder David Kurvink (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) and junior forward Matt Kling (Chatham, NJ/Oratory Prep). Kurvink also had an assist.

Sophomore defender Scott Heydt (Boyertown/Boyertown HS) led the Greyhounds with four assists while sophomore midfielder Evan Weller (Sinking Spring/Wilson West Lawn HS) added three assists. Junior defender Andrew Grezlak (Doylestown/Central Bucks East HS) and freshman midfielder Wilson Gonzalez (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) each tallied one assist.

Helping coach Lambinus and the Greyhounds out in the field were sophomore midfielder Nick Jordal (Doylestown/LaSalle College HS) and freshmen midfielders Ryan Lane (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge HS) and Kevin Snyder (Yardville, NJ/Hamilton West HS). Jordal saw action in all 19 matches with five starts while Lane played in five contests and started one. Snyder played in three matches.

Senior Ryan Shick (Jamison/Central Bucks East HS) played 1,507 minutes in goal for the Greyhounds in 1999. Shick posted a 2.15 goals-against average, allowing 36 goals. He also made 94 saves and posted three shutouts. Shick completed his career with a 20-26-2 overall record, seven shutouts and a career goals-against average of 2.22. Freshman Ryan Sculley (Bethlehem/Northampton HS) made two starts and played 250 minutes in his debut season. Sculley allowed eight goals for a 2.88 goals-against average and made 15 saves. He had an overall record of 1-1 while Shick was 6-10-1 on the year.

Heydt, Shick and Weller were named to the MAC Fall Academic All-Star squad at the end of the season.