Aug. 31, 2010
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SPOKANE, Wash. - There were a lot of veterans that greeted Gonzaga University men's soccer head coach Einar Thorarinsson when camp opened this season as the Bulldogs began preparations for Wednesday's opener at UC Irvine.
But that doesn't necessarily translate to a lot of experience for the 16-year Bulldog head coach.
Only three players who started 10 or more matches a year ago are expected to dot the starting lineup on opening day, and only four other veterans who saw action in 10 more last season return this season. Fourteen true freshmen are on the roster which features just nine players with junior or senior status.
Thus, Thorarinsson is definitely emphasizing the team concept this year.
"We don't really have a go-to guy," Thorarinsson said. "We are stressing the team concept."
And in some ways Thorarinsson thinks that's a plus.
"We'll be harder to defend because you won't be able to shut down one or two players," he said. "It's not that we don't have talent on this team, we just don't have that one guy who seems to be the guy. Somebody could emerge into that role."
Gone from last season are the top two scorers, the top two defenders and the starting keeper.
Thus, it came to no surprise to Thorarinsson his squad has been picked to finish last in the always-tough West Coast Conference in the preseason vote of coaches.
"When you look at what we lost there's no reason for them to think we're going to finish any higher," Thorarinsson said. "But we've been picked last before and we've surprised some people over the years. That could be the case again this year."
Senior forward Nick Love is the top returning scorer from a year ago, netting four goals and four assists for 12 points while starting 11 of his 19 appearances. All three figures tied him for second on the squad a year ago with departed senior forward Ben Funkhouser. Tye Perdido, the team leader with 6 goals, 5 assists and 17 points has also departed.
Senior midfielder Collin Harrison started all 19 matches a year ago, and senior midfielder Stefan Eysteinsson started 13 of his 18 appearances.
Others who played in at least 10 matches in 2009 include sophomore midfielder James Matern, currently sidelined with a hip injury, who started all 16 of his appearances a year ago; junior forward Colin Flynn who played in 17 matches with five starts; senior forward Philippe Garre who is currently sidelined with a groin injury and started three of 17 matches, and junior forward Zach Smith who had one start in 10 appearances.
Garre and Smith, the latter making the switch from defense to forward last season, are the top returning goal scorers behind Love, each with two a year ago.
Sophomore forward Eric Nielsen, who saw spot duty in nine matches a year ago, has worked himself into a starting spot this year as has junior forward Mitchell Weller, who started four matches a year ago among his 16 appearances. Freshman forward Nick Hamer is also ticketed for a starting spot.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Caballero seems to have the starting keeper spot wrapped up to start the season, filling the void left by the graduation of senior Scott Barnum who posted a respectable 1.23 goals-against-average a year ago to go with his four shutouts. Barnum didn't get much offensive help a year ago as seven of the Bulldogs 10 losses were via shutout in a season that saw Gonzaga go 6-10-3 overall and 3-8-1 in the WCC.
"Ryan came to camp in shape and ready to play. He's been the best keeper thus far," Thorarinsson said.
Junior keeper Andrew Hickman seemed destined for the starting job coming out of spring ball, but a foot injury has him sidelined thus far in 2010. His left foot is still in a boot and he's projected as being at least two weeks away from being able to begin training.
"And that probably means no planting and lateral movement for awhile after that," Thorarinsson said. "So it might be another month before he's really ready to play."
Hickman saw action in two matches a year ago.
Sophomore keeper Jeff Renslo will be Caballero's backup at least until Hickman's return, and freshman Keane Ellis, the fourth keeper in camp, is expected to redshirt.
Defensively the Bulldogs lost Nick Barclay, the 2008 WCC Defender of the Year, and steady Tim Muravez. That leaves the Bulldogs young and inexperienced on the back line.
Senior Christian Seon, who played in just five matches a year ago, had earned a starting spot. But a virus will keep him out of action in Wednesday's opener and Thorarinsson was uncertain who would go into his spot. Sophomore James Partee, who started six of 13 appearances, and freshmen Josh Phillips and Andrew Sorenson will also get the call on defense.
"There's no doubt we're young and inexperienced on the back line," Thorarinsson said. "But I think we have some good athletes there who will develop as the season progresses."
Sophomore midfielder Casey Ames is also expected to give the Bulldogs valuable minutes off the bench after playing in just three matches a year ago.
Another freshman who has caught the attention of Thorarinsson is forward Alec Cutter who is expected to see playing time off the bench.
The WCC again figures to be a strong conference with Loyola Marymount University edging the University of Portland and the University of San Diego for the top spot in the preseason vote of coaches.
Four teams - LMU, Portland, San Diego and Saint Mary's College - received first place votes and just six points separated first through third place. The Lions finished with 32 points and three first-place votes, followed by the Pilots (28 points and two first place votes), the Toreros (26 points and one first place vote) and the Gaels (22 points and one first place vote). Rounding out the poll was Santa Clara University in fifth (20 points), the University of San Francisco in sixth (12 points) and Gonzaga University in seventh (7 points). Pepperdine University does not sponsor a men's soccer team.
"It's going to be another tough WCC season," Thorarinsson said. "But I think we will improve every week and be ready for the start of conference play. I think we can be a factor in the race."
2010 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll(First-Place Votes In Parentheses)
School Pts.1. Loyola Marymount (3) 322. Portland (2) 283. San Diego (1) 264. Saint Mary's (1) 225. Santa Clara 206. San Francisco 127. Gonzaga 7
