by Datti Jinkiri
Mississippi Brilla FC’s 2017 roster is being aided by the addition of two St. Francis University (PA) products. Twins Nicco and Mario Mastrangelo will make their way to Mississippi this summer to play for the Premier Development League squad.
Nicco and Mario recently completed their sophomore seasons. Nicco, a defender, made 15 starts for the Red Flash. He racked up two goals, including the game-winner against Niagara. He also added an assist. Mario, a forward, also made 15 starts. He tallied four goals and two assists during the season, including the assist for his brother's goal against Niagara. Coach Mark McKeever had much to say about the brothers.
“Nicco has been a solid starter for SFU since his freshman year. He's helped them become one of the strongest defensive units in the NEC and the NSCAA Northeastern Region. Nicco is a complete defender with great pace, and he has the ability to shut down attackers on 1 v. 1 situations. He's good in the aerial game and is also very comfortable supporting the attack with his overlapping runs. Mario's been one of the top goal scorers in the NEC in his first two seasons. He's explosive, strong on the ball, and aggressive towards the goal. As a striker, he's also tactically savvy and can be the first line of defense for his team.”
Brilla will open the 2017 PDL season with a May 20th road game against Peachtree City MOBA.