DePauw Tigers men's soccer kicks off the regular season tonight at Boswell Field against Centre College.
The Tigers are coming off a very strong season last fall going 14-2-5. Leading scorer junior Andy Morrison looks to lead the team from the front again, with support from senior George Elliott and sophomore Adrian Ables.
The team also has a solid defense anchored by junior Nick Williams. Goalkeeper Jake Pezzuto said the Tigers still have an important position battle for center back. Junior Kevin Tolley, senior Brandon Johnson and senior Jake Hulewicz all seem to have an even chance at winning the starting job.
The first-years have already made a huge impact by providing much needed depth off the bench. The new recruits showed off their abilities in the preseason match against Illinois Wesleyan University scoring all three goals in a 3-1 victory. Pezzuto praised the recruitment class on their ability to change games.
"Anyone of them can come on off the bench and make an immediate impact," Pezzuto said.
This year's team consists of 21 first-years that add irreplaceable depth to an already strong team. Freshman goalkeeper Caleb Cartmel said the bond is already strong amongst the players.
"This team is the most talented close-knit group that the captains have seen at DePauw," Cartmel said. "But the freshmen do show show respect for our upperclassmen leaders at the same time, all the while maintaining a high level of play."
Last season, the Tigers were knocked out of the NCAA tournament in the third round of competition. This year, however, the team hopes to take the NCAA by storm and win a national championship. Pezzuto commented on the team's chances this season,
"I think I speak for the whole team when I say that we have a fantastic chance at winning a national championship this year," Pezzuto said. "With the depth that we have we should really have a great chance at winning."
The Tigers certainly look confident and strong heading into the season with high expectations. Only time will tell whether or not the team can stay healthy and achieve their goal of greatness.