Despite the final roster not yet being set in stone, members of the University men’s club soccer team are confident heading into the upcoming season.
After suffering early exits from last season’s regional and national tournaments, this year’s team aims to make it past the early rounds.
“We fully expect to win regionals, and we expect to compete at nationals,” said Zach Calvert, a senior midfielder and assistant coach.
It’s been some time since the team has seen success at either tournament. It last won nationals five years ago, and hasn’t won regionals since two years ago, according to senior striker and midfielder Raoni Demnitz.
“We are under the expectation that we’re going to go to nationals every year,” head coach and player Kyle Wallace said. “And when you don’t reach those expectations it really sets the bar higher for the next year because nobody likes to lose.”
Leading the team in reaching those expectations are top returning seniors left midfielder Josh Herman, center midfielder Chris Turney and defensive midfielder Colby Smythe.
“There’s got to be seven or eight guys willing to step up and take responsibility for the team,” Wallace said of his team’s leadership. “Everybody’s to blame for either a win or a loss. It’s just a matter of accountability this year.”
To help prepare for the season, many returning team members got together at least once a week over the summer to work out and have team activities. Over the past couple weeks, the team organized optional pre-tryout “daily doubles” in which those interested in trying out for the team could scrimmage with returning team members twice per day. Calvert said the daily doubles were meant to build up endurance and get players in game shape.
These scrimmages have allowed the team to get to know some of the incoming talent this year. Freshman goalkeeper Jake Glicker and sophomore transfers from the University of Portland Trent Hamilton and Gerald Buxton are some of the fresh faces that have the rest of the team excited about their arrivals.
Glicker gives the team more depth at goalkeeper, which is a position of concern heading into tryouts as the team has only one goalie returning from last year’s squad. His play in high school also garnered him state awards, according to Demnitz.
Hamilton and Buxton were scholarship players on University of Portland’s varsity team last season. The Ducks look forward to having their experience and athleticism in the midfield.
“(Hamilton)’s one of the fastest guys I’ve ever seen on the soccer field, and he can jump through the roof,” Calvert said. “With (Buxton), he’s just really an intelligent player. He’s got a high soccer IQ, and he’s really calm and composed on the ball.”
Despite the promise the three newcomers show, each will still have to go through tryouts, which run through Thursday. Calvert, however, doesn’t think Glicker, Hamilton or Buxton should have anything to worry about.
“Nobody has a guaranteed a spot on the team, but if there were such a thing, then these guys would have it, including returning members on the team last year,” he said.
With tryouts, Calvert said he is looking to fill the roster with “skill players.” He does not want a team that leans toward one specific attribute such as speed or size.
“We feel that if we get a real technical team that can play well together and keep the ball, then we have the best chance of winning,” he said.
Looking ahead to the season, the Ducks open with a game against Lewis & Clark on Oct. 2. The Ducks also have regular season matchups with other in-state foes such as Portland State, Portland, Oregon State and Southern Oregon. The team does not have a scouting report for its battle with Lewis & Clark, nor does it plan on compiling one.
“We play our own game,” Calvert said. “We’re going to be a really technical and tactical team. We expect to be more skilled than our opponents, and I think that will be the biggest factor.”
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