By Julian Markese
Sports Editor
Men’s soccer began their NE10 schedule against Southern New Hampshire University on Friday, Sept. 19 at Jess Dow Field.
The game was a tough test for a team still trying to find their footing and their first victory.
“When you play against a talented team like Southern New Hampshire, you have to be patient, and you have to be willing to suffer in difficult moments,” Head Coach Kevin Anderson said.
The Owls would be the first to inflict suffering on their opponents, scoring in just the fourth minute. Defender Kazuki Amegavie, a sophomore, found himself on the end of a corner and directed the ball into the back of the net.
Defender and captain Edward Mensah, a graduate student, commanded the back line. The Owls offered clearance after clearance but struggled to stay patient in the middle third.
The team took a tentative 1-0 lead into the half. Tempers flared between the two teams heading into the locker room, a preview of the physical second half to come.
The Owls’ lead would evaporate quickly. The Penmen scored twice in the first fifteen minutes of the second period.
After conceding the second goal, midfielder Ryad Benmessaoud, a freshman, rallied his teammates. He pointed to his own head, then pushed his open palms to the ground, signaling the necessity of calmness.
His teammates listened and responded. Just three minutes after conceding, attacking midfielder Samual Nagy, a graduate student, asked pressing questions of the Penmen defense.
He beat one man, then two, then three, before slotting the ball into the net for the tying goal.
“I trusted myself, trusted my abilities and executed it,” Nagy said.
He was dangerous all day. Both Nagy and his fellow midfielder Jeremy Martin, a graduate student, played with creativity and purpose.
Nagy’s goal closed the accounts of both teams. Despite being dominated in possession, the Owls withstood the pressure and escaped with a point. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.
An unsatisfying result, but an invaluable 90 minutes spent together for a team looking to mesh as they hunt for more than just their first victory.
“Our goal is to win the national championship,” Nagy said.
This purpose propels the team. Men’s soccer holds a record six Division II national championships. Their coach was a member of the team that took home the 1992 title.
“This group has something. This group is a bit different than years past,” Anderson said.
The process of building a team and culture is slow. It manifests itself only in small moments. Moments that the team and coach hope will coalesce into ultimate triumph.
The ability for the team to meet expectations hinges on four poignant nouns.
“Discipline, commitment, and I think if we can add concentration and execution, we’ve got the recipe,” Anderson said.
The Owls face Pace University on Tuesday, Sept. 23, at home. Coach Anderson, as much as he may want to, cannot lace up his boots and play. Instead, he must rely on his tactics and hope his measurements are right.
Fortunately, Anderson finds himself the leader of a group of believers.
“Everyone is buying into coach’s project,” Martin said.
