“With such quality opponents it’d be foolish to look too far ahead: right now, we’re feeling refreshed and eager to begin preseason,” saisd co-captain senior Matt Lewis.
Head Coach Justin Serpone agreed, “Last year’s success is far in the past. The only thing we are focusing on is beating Bowdoin on September 12.”
The Jeffs’ first game of 2009, at home against the Polar Bears, will be a chance for the team to take the field for the first time without the 2009 graduates.
“Last year’s graduating senior class had the most wins for any class in program history,” said Serpone. “We are going to miss them dearly. You don’t replace a group like that, you just hope to carry forward all of the lessons that they left behind for the returning players.”
Of course, recent graduates like all-NESCAC First Team players Jake Duker ’09 and Grayson Holland ’09 will not be playing this season, but neither will standout forward Jae Heo ’12, a South Korean citizen who has to fulfill his country’s mandatory military service. Heo has opted to spend the next two years serving in the South Korean navy and will return to Amherst in 2011.
Still, Amherst will have a solid team this season. “We have a really deep and talented pool of returning players, not to mention a promising incoming class of freshmen,” said Lewis.
Leading the Jeffs’ offense will be senior co-captain midfielder G.L. Genco, who was named to the all-NESCAC Second Team last year. Sophomore goalkeeper Lennard Kovacs, on the other hand, will anchor the team’s defense. In last year’s postseason, Kovacs posted seven consecutive shutouts. Other strong returning and incoming players will also boost the Jeffs in their quest for another great season.
After facing Bowdoin on Hitchcock Field on Saturday, Amherst will take on Bridgewater State College on Gooding Field on Wednesday. The Jeffs will then take to the road for the rest of September.
For now though, the Lord Jeffs remain focused on the immediate future. “Like all NESCAC teams, we’re competing for the chance to win a conference championship. We know from experience just how hard that is. At the moment, we’re fully focused on a tough Bowdoin team,” said Lewis.
Serpone echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the focus on the coming weekend. “I have no expectations at all for this season — whatever happens will happen. We’re just focused on beating a very talented Bowdoin team in our first game. They beat us 4-2 last year in a game that wasn’t nearly as closed as the score makes it seem. It’s going to take a total team effort to survive against Bowdoin this year.”