Today: Mar 29, 2024

Men’s soccer captains take the lead

Bobby MartinezSports Reporter 

In a soccer program that is one of the best in all of D-II school, both Tyler Naef and Jonas Folstad were selected to lead to the pack for this upcoming season after being named team captains.

Folstad, who was born in Trondheim, Norway and was a team on last year’s team who finished the season with a 10-5-1 record, said it’s an honor being named captain again because he loves taking on the responsibility of the team.

“I always been that player that pushes my teammates to do better and strive for being better each day,” he said. “I also enjoy pushing myself to play better so I can help my team win more games each year.”

As for Naef, who was born in Livingston, N.J., said, it’s also an honor to be a team captain because the men’s soccer program at Southern has great history.

“This school has won six National Championships,” he said, “17 final four appearances 52 All-Americans, it’s just a great honor.”

He also said, “I always felt like I was a leader and it’s a good feeling taking on a leadership role at such a great program.”

This season, the Owls kicked off their year by defeating LIU Post 1-0 followed by another victory against Mercy College 4-1. After the success of the early part of the year, including wins in their first three games, the Owls have earned a spot ranked in the top-10 in the country. Southern ranks at number 10.

Last season, the Owls had their eyes on the prize which was their seventh National Title. After defeating Franklin Pierce University in the quarterfinals of the NE-10 Tournament, their win was revoked due to an ineligible player on the roster.

Following that infraction, the team headed into the summer with the mindset of coming back this season and making a statement said Folstad.

“What happen last year,” he said, “ I think made it easier for us.  After all that, no one needed another reason to work extra hard this year and that’s all we needed. We knew we had a very good chance on doing something good last year, so we all now feel we want to avenge on what happen last year.”

Naef followed on to say “I think it gave us a chip on our shoulder. We received a loss last season without even being able to play the game. So this year, we’re going to go out there, not just on the biggest games of the night, but every game and give it a 100 percent.”

With short and long term goals on their mind as team captains, the long-term goal being a national title said Naef, the short term goals are the ones him and his team are working on to achieve each day in order to have a successful season.

“We’re going to take it day-by-day and game-by-game,” said Naef. “Our short-term goals have been showing up to training camp every day, working hard and trying to get better and learning every day.”

Defeating LIU Post in their season opener against was one of the Owls best accomplishments so far. Folstad said that game was a very tough game and it could’ve gone either way but is glad his team stuck it out and grab the win.

“I got to be completely honest,” said Folstad. “They’re a pretty good team. At that day, they were probably better than us, especially in the second half where they really took it to us. But we still felt like overall that team was not as good of a team as us. When we don’t play our best and can grind out a win, that gives us something extra because we know we can be so much better. We’re going to need that when we play the defending champions Southern New Hampshire.”

Photo Credit: Derek Torrellas

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