The men’s soccer team began their season undefeated after two close games in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Invitational in Troy, NY. Head Coach Eric Miller said this is the first season in a long time that the team has had such a strong start.
The team tied RPI 2-2 on Saturday and handled Union College 1-0 on Sunday. This positive start to the season is greatly attributed to the team’s unrelenting defense and solid goalkeeping throughout the weekend.
The highlight of the weekend’s play for Miller was not any specific player, or spectacular play, but the team’s overall drive to succeed. “They really stepped up to win,” he said. This drive, he says, is going to be the force behind a successful season.
Last season the team finished with a record of 8-9-2, falling one win short of qualifying for the Little East Tournament. The team also lost three valued players; Ian Frank, Ian Doumas and Steve Read. Doumas, who graduated last year, has been the team’s leading scorer in past seasons.
This loss of talent, however, does not shake Miller’s confidence. “They can compete with any team,” said Miller. He also adds that the key to continued success will be “to get over the hump and beat the tough teams.”
To help boost the team over the proverbial hump is a strong foundation of new players. Two faces new to the team are midfielder Adam Fontaine (Newburyport, MA), and midfield/forward Kevin Dunham-Conway (Standish, ME), both freshmen. They are two solid replacements for the talent lost from the previous season and should have a substantial impact on the team in their first season at USM.
Not only is there new talent that Miller holds high expectations for, but there is an incredible amount of talent returning as well. Senior forward Troy Walz (Portland, ME) will be back for another remarkable season. Walz, whose return was questionable after he suffered from a back injury over the summer, is back on the field and a threat to any opponent.
Another player for opponents to watch out for is senior captain Andy Budelman (Rochester, NH), forward. Budelman scored a pair of goals against RPI in USM’s first tourney game. Miller predicts a “breakout season” for Budelman, who he feels will be responsible for much of the goal scoring.
Several other players for teams to be wary of are captain defender Mike Suesse (Westborough, MA), forward Zach Ansley (Tallahassee, FL), and midfielder Zach Rossignol (Portland, ME), all seniors. Sophomore goalkeeper Chris Willard (Hampton, CT) will also pose a threat on the field and strengthen the foundation of the team.
With a large group of seniors and support throughout the rest of the team there is a wealth of talent, experience and great chemistry. Even facing a strong conference with teams such as Keene State, Western Connecticut and Plymouth, Miller predicts great things from this year’s team. On the season, players and their efforts so far, Miller said: “it’s been a very positive experience.”