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Volume CXXXIII, Number 7 |
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Winning streak extended to seven
SEAN WALKER
STAFF WRITER
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| Men's varsity soccer players gather around on a chilly fall afternoon to work out the last little quirks before entering postseason play. The mean are ranked 12th in Division III in the recent national poll. (Hans Law, Bowdoin Orient) |
The Bowdoin Men's Soccer Team took another step towards its goal of becoming NESCAC champions by defeating Colby 2-1, running its winning streak to seven. With the win, the Polar Bears clinched a guaranteed home game in the first round of the NESCAC tournament.
There is, however, one last regular season contest left to play before the tournament starts. Are the men viewing their Saturday contest against Bates as merely a tune-up?
Absolutely not, according to senior tri-captain Ethan Roth '04. "We want to ensure positive momentum going into the tournament," said Roth. "Our practices have been very intense leading up to this game, which is something we look to carry with us against Bates."
Roth's leadership will surely help in keeping the team focused against Bates and beyond. He has been one of the most important, if unheralded, members of this year's squad, both setting the table offensively for the team's stellar forwards and aiding Bowdoin's strong defense from his midfield position.
While Bowdoin teams have been extremely talented in the past few years, there has been plenty of quarreling and finger-pointing on the field. Much of that has been erased with this year's team, leading to greater success and unity, which shows in the team's play.
Since losing to Amherst early in the NESCAC campaign, the Polar Bears have not suffered a defeat. "Against Amherst, it seemed like a lack of team unity was our downfall. Since that game, we have gone undefeated and continued to improve in all aspects of our game," said Roth.
In a match-up against Colby, the usual suspects, Bobby Desilets '05 and Drew Russo '06 provided the goals in the 2-1 victory. While these two players have been outstanding, many other Polar Bears have played key roles in this year's success. Danny Sullivan '05 has been virtually mistake-free in the backfield, despite playing with a broken arm for most of the season. Tommy Bresnehan, Bucky Jencks and Tucker Hodgkins have represented a strong junior class well and stepped up to replace the talents of Jacques Guana '05 and Mike Crowley '06, who have both suffered leg injuries.
As with any successful team, the younger, less experienced players in the rotation have also been factors. Brendan Fisher '06 and Willie Waters '06 have played well, along with strong first years Simon Parsons and John Hollis.
Hollis, a back, has contributed two goals and started 11 games thus far. The transition from starring in high school to contributing to the twelfth-ranked team in the nation has been "reasonably smooth," said Hollis. "The only difficulty I really had was adjusting to the pace of the game, but my teammates have been really helpful and supportive which has made the transition that much easier."
The selflessness of a team can always be traced back to its leader, in this case fourth-year coach Brian Ainscough. The animated coach, who played for the 1983 Irish Youth National Team, sometimes provides more entertainment than the play on the pitch. His sharp tongue and intense presence on the sideline have caused many a line judge to dread running past the Bowdoin bench.
This intensity is a trademark of Ainscough's team. As Hollis said, "If I ever become a coach, I see myself being something like Coach Ainscough. His passion for the game really helps me get my mind on the task at hand and I think we all feed off his intensity."
Roth echoed this assessment, "Coach Ainscough has continued to raise the bar for players, both in their abilities and commitment to the game." This weekend's contest against Bates and the subsequent NESCAC tournament will be a concrete indication of just how high the fiery coach has raised the bar for the Bowdoin Men's Soccer Team.
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