Is a late spurt by the men's soccer team enough for post-season play time?

Against overwhelming odds, the men's soccer team has broken .500, with a 6-6 record after soundly thrashing Penn last weekend. The Bulldogs have finally managed to combine all of the elements that make a great soccer team, but their resurgence has come too late in the season to matter.

COURTESY SPORTS PUBLICITY Men's soccer captain Danny Moss, MC '01, was out for the beginning of the season with a knee injury. The young team missed his leadership and experience.

"Right now, the NCAA's are a faint light at the end of a very long tunnel," Head Coach Brian Tompkins said. Even if the team manages to sweep its last four games, the prospect of getting an NCAA bid rests in a complex web of wins and losses over which the Bulldogs have little control over. Yale must not only win its next three Ivy matches, but also hope that Brown loses to either Penn or Dartmouth in order for the Bulldogs to win the league title. The Bulldogs' fate is not in their own hands.

The Bulldogs have been following this trend of uncertainty all season; consistency and maturity appear to be the biggest obstacles facing the Bulldogs. The team has only had one winning streak, against Hartford, Cornell, and Quinnipiac, which followed three consecutive losses against SW Missouri, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Wisconsin. "We have had trouble all season converting opportunities into goals," Jay Alberts, SY '03, said.

The Bulldog talent pool is immense, but their starting line-up is relatively young. The freshman and sophomores have big shoes to fill in order to replace graduated players. This pressure causes numerous small mistakes that are characteristic of a team that has had little playing time together. "We play well every game, but only in brief spurts." Tompkins explained. "I have seen great plays and bad mistakes from players within a 30 minute span."

Captain Danny Moss', MC '01, absence for the first five games due to knee surgery left the team lacking a major impact player on the field. "Danny is a key aspect of this team," Tompkins said. "He not only brings his talent to the team, but a strong sense of leadership, poise, and savvy." Other players have stepped into the leadership role. Brian Lavin, PC '02, who was first-team all-Ivy last year, and Stuart Yingst, BK '03, the Bulldog's second-leading scorer with two goals, have elevated their games to new heights. Alberts has overcome a herniated disc from earlier in the season to lead the team in goals scored, with three. Despite the impact of these players, the team struggled to overcome injuries, shaky nerves, and unfamiliar roles throughout the season.

Men's Soccer

Record:6-6-1, 2-2 Ivy Recent Results: Won against Penn, 6-0 on Sat., Oct. 21 Coming Up: Columbia on Sat., Oct. 28

However, the Bulldogs rebounded this weekend and in front of a packed stadium of families, friends, and alumni, managed to function as one cohesive unit in their 6-0 victory over Penn. "The Penn game not only provided us with confidence, but validated our entire season. This game was the first time we've maintained great play throughout an entire game," Thompson said. Alberts increased his point total to 13 with two goals within five minutes. Yingst contributed another two goals, capping a 4-0 run in the first half. Rookies Justin Burton, JE '04, and Mike Hollington, SM '04, recorded their first goals of the season.

The victory margin enabled Tompkins to look to his bench of freshmen to close out the game, providing much needed experience to this young group. "The freshman players have stepped up this year and played well," Moss said. "They need the experience to make them better players in the future."

The path to 10 wins begins with Columbia on Sat., Oct. 28. The team hopes to carry its newfound intensity and momentum into the matchup against the Lions, who are strong contenders for the Ivy title. The task will not be easy. Columbia boasts seven returning starters, including the team's five top scorers and a goalkeeper who was ninth in the nation in goals-against average last season.

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