Isabel Abarca
Staff Writer
The Wooster men’s soccer team is off to a shaky start but certainly has the potential to produce a better record within conference play. The men have a 2-4-1 record after winning in overtime against Earlham College, losing by only one goal to Carleton College, Muskingum University, Heidelberg University and John Carroll University, tying Capital University this past weekend and then beating Marietta College at home in overtime on Tuesday.
Despite their losing record, the Scots are moving in the right direction. The team has a solid foundation with captains Adam Hansell ’14, Noah Wagemann ’14, Zach Jergan ’14, Matt Naticchia ’14 and Philip Charnley ’15. These five are expected to lead the 2013 team to a successful season with much help from the underclassmen.
“What is working well for us this season is that we have been working a lot better collectively as a team,” said Jergan. “Every guy on the team works for his teammates and that is something we hope to continue and build off of the rest of the season.” Team chemistry has been a crucial aspect for the Scots thus far and has allowed them to keep their opponents close.
In addition to the strong chemistry within the team, there are key players who have really made an impact on the field. Goalie Aaron McKee ’14, Wagemann (who unfortunately has been out due to injury) at forward, and midfielders Matt Ehrenburg ’16 and CJ Polak ’17 have been especially impressive in early season play.
This 2013 team is full of youth and energy. Not only does this add depth to the team, but it also brings an urgency and intensity to the squad that is giving inspiration to the returning players. The first-years bring individual talent to the squad as well as an excellent work ethic, which has resulted in highly competitive practices.
A handful of the new players have started off their careers at Wooster strong. Matt Parmelee ’17, Polak, Alexi Pelkonen ’17 and Ashland transfer Lucas Hunt ’16 are all consistent starters for the team.
Over the weekend, the Scots played their homecoming match against Capital. For most of the game, the Scots were trailing 1-0. By keeping high pressure throughout the game, Wooster was able to come back to tie the match. Sheamus Dalton ’16 scored in the 88th minute of regulation. After a long throw from Pat Pickering ’16 and a flick on from Ehrenburg, Dalton was able to volley the ball into the net. This led to a 1-1 tie for the team, their first tie of the year.
The outcome from the Capital game might not have been what the Scots were expecting, but shortly before press time, the team was able to improve their record even further with a 1-0 win at home against Marietta, George Skelly ’14 scoring the go-ahead goal with three seconds remaining in overtime. Both of these hard-fought matches provide the team with a good base on which to build for their upcoming conference games.
Their first conference matchup will be at Ohio Wesleyan University tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. This game will set the tone for future conference play. The team is hoping to shock conference opponents and earn a winning record over the final nine games of the season.
Ehrenburg finished his thoughts about conference play by adding, “Our biggest goal is to make the conference tournament and to compete with every team we face. Our team hasn’t been in the conference tournament for a long time, and all of us want and expect to end up there.”