CHICAGO, Ill. – After finishing up the 2021 season with 16 wins and a national quarterfinals appearance, the North Park men's soccer team is eager to continue its established success in 2022.
Head coach Kris Grahn led the Vikings to another College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) title last season, placing five players on the All-CCIW team. In 2021, NPU led the league while finishing in the national top 10 with 65 goals and 57 assists. Now, the Vikings have a few All-American sized holes to fill with graduation losses of Peder Olsen and now-coach Gustav Ericsson. However, with 27 newcomers, the Vikings are expected to have a very deep and talented roster.
Three goal scorers in Angel Barriga, Tobias Lunde, and William de Carro will provide plenty of offense for Coach Grahn's 2021 squad.
Barriga, a two-time first-team All-CCIW pick (2019, 2021) and second-team All-American in 2019 returns for his senior season. Last year, Barriga recorded 18 points from five goals and a team third-best eight assists, including one in the NCAA tournament against Carleton. He fired 50 shots, placing 21 on frame.
Lunde totaled a team third-best 19 points from seven goals and five assists in his 14 starts for North Park. He and de Carro are the Vikings' returning leading goal scorers from 2021. Lunde found the net in round one and round two NCAA tournament wins against Carleton (11/13) and WashU (11/14).
de Carro recorded 18 points from a team third-best seven goals and four assists in his first season with the Vikings. In 2021, he led NPU with a shot percentage of .412 and a blistering .529 shots on goal percentage.
Additionally, navigating an injury to return for his senior campaign, veteran leadership in Ulrik Lund is expected to return to the Vikings' rotation this season. Lund is a two-time United Soccer Coaches (USC) All-Central Region selection (2018, 2019) who started in all three NCAA Tournament games for the 2019 Vikings, marking an assist against Pacific Lutheran. Through his NPU career, he has totaled four goals, six assists, and has been a defensive stalwart.
Speaking of the defense, the Vikings return key pieces in first-team All-CCIW defender Christian Vaaland and 20-game starting keeper Alfred Swärd. Both players were in their first season with the Vikings in 2021.
Vaaland started in all of North Park's nine shutout wins last season (including one against St. Olaf in the NCAA Tournament), while helping hold his opponents to a less-than one goal per game (0.86). Additionally, Vaaland's efforts allowed just 19 goals against while just 63 shots went on frame. Vaaland also tacked on a goal against Elmhurst.
Swärd totaled 14 wins in goal last season, tending eight of the Vikings' nine shutout wins. Saving 40 shots while allowing on 18 goals, Swärd allowed less than one goal per game at 0.92. He made three or more saves in eight matches, including a six-save performance against 11th-ranked U-Chicago (10/23). Swärd started in all four NCAA Tournament games, saved nine shots, and kept a clean sheet against St. Olaf.
North Park seeks to become the first team to win or share five consecutive regular-season CCIW crowns since Wheaton earned nine in a row from 1995 through 2003. The Vikings were slotted seventh in a preseason poll done by the USC.
The Vikings open intercollegiate play on Thursday, September 1, on the road at Beloit College. Kickoff is set for 4pm.
