The season may have had a rough start, but the men’s soccer team is riding high going into the NESCAC semifinals against Trinity College this Saturday. If they’re able to defeat the Bantams, they’ll add on to their current seven-game unbeaten streak, and will play for the NESCAC Championship title on Sunday. If the seeding holds, the Jeffs would meet Middlebury College in the final game, giving Amherst a chance to avenge its 1-0 early-season loss to Middlebury.
After coming off of a nearly unbeaten season last year, the 2008 campaign has had its fair share of its ups and downs. The team lost two of its first five games and started conference play 1-2. The Jeffs knew they faced an uphill battle just two games into the season, when they fell 1-0 to conference foe Middlebury College. Granted, the loss was to the reigning NESCAC and NCAA champion, but the differences between the two teams were clear to Coach Justin Serpone.
“We were outclassed the entire game, in every aspect: offensively, defensively, and coaching. If anyone saw the game, they can attest to how one sided the contest was,” said Serpone. “The biggest difference in the game was that they were tougher than us and cared more than us.”
Intensity has at times been a problem for the Jeffs this year. According to some players, their few losses can be attributed to harder play by the opposing team. However, according to junior midfielder Reid Wilson, that finally began to change for the men towards the end of the season.
“Early on in the season, we didn’t have the ‘win at all costs’ mentality that we have brought the past few games,” said Wilson. “Trinity, Williams, and Middlebury [Colleges] are all very good teams and we will have to play at our best to beat them, but I believe in this team, and I think that we have the ability to bring back a NESCAC championship this weekend.”
Both the team and its coach agree that the exact turning point for the Jeffs was during their first matchup against Wesleyan University in mid-October. Although the game ended in a 1-1 tie, Amherst played 70 minutes of the game—a large part of regulation time and two overtime periods—short one man. In the 41st minute, a controversial call forced Wilson out of the game with a red card. However, the team regrouped and was able to hang on for the tie against one of its most formidable opponents.
“Because we were always up and down until we played Wesleyan, it was very difficult for us to know who we really were as a team,” said first-year forward Jae Heo. “However, we came out big at Wesleyan, tying the game with one guy missing. Everybody on the team felt that something came together as a group at the game.”
When the Jeffs followed the close tie with a key victory against archrival Williams College the following weekend, they knew that their new mentality was there to stay. The team has not looked back since.
“With the great tie against Wesleyan in the books, the success over Williams finally gave us confidence in our own play,” said first-year goalkeeper Lennard Kovacs. “You have to trust yourself to play your best soccer.”
Throughout its early struggles, the team never ceased to believe in its ability to compete with the league’s best.
“I would say that a major factor towards our recent success is the fact that a lot of different players have stepped up and made positive contributions,” said quad-captain Grayson Holland ’09. “Although most people do not see the effort and work the team puts in on a daily basis, the group is full of hard- working and determined minds.”
“It’s a credit to the guys that they’ve turned it up a notch over the past seven games (5-0-2),” added Serpone. “A big part of that has been the midfield play of Greg Genco ’10, Chris Skayne ’11 and Ian Rothkopf ’11.”
Amherst has received contributions from both veterans and newcomers. Besides the strong play of Genco, Skayne and Rothkopf, the offense has benefited from the presence of its senior quad-captain, forward Jake Duker, who leads the team in goals, and first-year phenom Heo, who is just behind Duker in goals scored and has been the source of a number of game-winning goals.
Meanwhile, on defense Amherst has been led largely by Holland. The team has gained additional support from Kovacs, who has started consistently for the Jeffs this year and has been vital in several wins.
Without a loss since Oct. 8, the Jeffs hope to continue their run through the NESCAC Championships this weekend. On Saturday they will face Trinity, whom they narrowly beat out for the second seed. Although his team recently defeated Trinity, given his past experience with the Bantams, Serpone is still wary of the game.
“Trinity is not just good; they are one of the best teams in the region,” said Serpone. “They are the most dangerous team we played this year and they’re playing very well right now. The two times we’ve played Trinity since I’ve been coach have ended up in overtime. I think this proves how closely our two teams are matched and I fully expect the same type of game on Saturday.”
If the Jeffs get past Trinity, they will face their toughest challenge yet. If the bracket remains intact, the Jeffs’ opponent will be Middlebury College, the team to beat this season, both in the NESCAC and in Div. III nationally. The Panthers spoiled the Jeffs season early, crushing their hopes of a going undefeated in the NESCAC for the second straight year in Amherst’s first conference game, and the Jeffs have been itching for a chance at redemption ever since. Although the team has a “one game at a time” mentality, it is difficult for them not to look ahead to a long-anticipated rematch.
“If we do meet Middlebury again, it will be a chance to prove that we belong in the conversation of the best teams in New England” said Serpone. “The great thing about sports is that when you have a tough loss there is always a chance to redeem yourself. I just hope we get that chance this season.”