BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Men's Soccer Head Coach Todd Ervin doesn't believe in the proverbial rebuilding year. He believes in continually creating a culture of success.
The Greyhounds are coming off a 5-11-1 campaign in 2012, when the Moravian men were one of the youngest teams in the country. Ervin is not only expecting an improvement, but also a breakout season for his still-young squad that only boasts two seniors on the roster.
"I have very high expectations for this year," said Ervin, who enters his fifth year as headman. "The guys came back very strong this year. They came back ready to play. The intensity is there and the desire to be successful is definitely there, and they've shown that in the preseason."
The 2012 squad featured 20 freshmen, so naturally much of the focus to begin the year was on team chemistry and learning both the styles of the coaching staff and each other. A year has passed and now they know what to expect from the game at the collegiate level, and they know what to expect from their teammates. Ervin has already seen a vast improvement during a successful preseason slate.
"It's up to these guys how good they want to be," Ervin said. "They have the ability and they have the talent, it's about how much they want it and how much they're willing to sacrifice to make it happen."
Senior Jeffrey Algor returns to the Blue and Grey and reprises his role as team captain. A defender for most of last year, Ervin plans to move his senior star to his natural position of striker in 2013. Algor has been given two main directives for the fall season: put the ball in the back of the net, and lead the team by example. Ervin asked his captain to make sure the squad celebrates its victories, and vows to correct its shortcomings.
"Jeff is the hardest working player on the field, bar none," Ervin said. "He's a very dynamic player. He loves to take on players one-on-one and he has the speed and athleticism to do so."
Algor certainly isn't the only Hound who will be looked to for goal scoring. Ervin sees a limitless potential in his team's attacking ability. Their snafu seems to be getting that first goal. Once they unlock the secret of getting on the scoreboard, Ervin says the floodgates will open.
Scoring is at a premium in the game of soccer, a burden that is lifted somewhat by solid goalkeeping. Ervin has been happy to witness an excellent competition for the position between the posts in 2013. Sophomore Brian Boland and freshman Jimmy Amorebella are both fighting hard to win the job out of preseason camp.
Moravian's strength lies in the midfield, where a deadly combination of vision, speed and ball skills has the Greyhounds poised to control possession and pace of the game. Sophomores Brett Harder and Seth Reynolds will patrol the central midfield along with freshman Robert McKinley, who has already proven to be an outstanding player.
Junior Lewis Cooper will also be changing positions this year as he moves from the midfield to the back line in Ervin's 4-2-3-1 formation. Cooper's classmate Chris Gomez also returns as one the team's few upperclassmen.
"Coop is an outstanding player," Ervin said of his central defender, who also scored three goals last season. "His strengths lie in attacking players in a defensive mindset. He's a very strong defensive player and he reads the game quite well. He's tough as nails and that's exactly what we need out of our center back."
Ervin also commended the early-season efforts of young guns Austin Niekrasz, a sophomore outside defender, and freshman Travis Cifarelli, a speedy forward.
While the ultimate goal is for this preseason excitement to translate to the win column, Ervin is more focused on establishing a winning attitude both on and off the field.
"If you create a championship culture, the players will want to be successful, they will want to win," Ervin said. "If they see the rules and regulations translating to success, they will buy in and that's the first step in having a successful program."
The program looks for its first success when it opens the 2013 campaign on Friday, August 30 at 4 p.m. when the Greyhounds travel to Baptist Bible College. Moravian returns to campus on Saturday, August 31 for the home-opener against Lancaster Bible College at 1 p.m. at the HUB Quad.
