The climb to the top of the mountain may be slow, but the descent can be swift. Quinnipiac men’s soccer experienced this firsthand, finishing with an underwhelming 3-9-5 record after winning the MAAC championship in 2022.
Securing only three wins after a championship season signals that something went wrong. The problem, you may ask? Scoring. The Bobcats, who netted 56 goals across 21 games in the 2022 season, managed just 20 goals in 17 games during the 2023 season.
“We have to be more clinical,” junior defender Joao Pinto said. “Last year we dominated most of our games that we played. We had more possession, we had more chances and it just came to moments where we weren’t clinical in front of goal and we have to be much better in that aspect this year.”
Although the record seems daunting after being at the top of the conference, it doesn’t tell the whole story. In 11 out of its 17 games the men’s soccer team either ended in a tie or a loss by one goal. Despite this, the Bobcats remained confident, feeling that they were just one step away.
“(Head) coach (Eric) Da Costa talks a lot about our mentality in these close games,” captain and junior goalkeeper Karl Netzell said. “He likes to say that we got to be dogs out there, that we got to die before we lose and that’s something I think we all need to embrace as a squad, that losing is not an option.”
Putting last season in the past let’s take a look at the 2024 squad.
Before the season began, the Bobcats named three captains, Netzell, senior midfielder Noe Cabezas and graduate student defender Terrance Wilder Jr.
Wilder Jr., decided to stay in Hamden for his fifth season of eligibility. The Miami, Florida, native started in every game last season — a career-high — and was praised as one of the “best fullbacks in the league” by Da Costa in 2023.
“He’s the guy that we look to for an example,” sophomore midfielder Fransisco Ferriera said. “He puts the work in every day, even if it’s a practice that people think doesn’t matter. They always matter to TJ. TJ is an example for everyone in his locker room.”
Netzell, now entering his third season as the team’s last line of defense, has started 26 games and earned nine shutouts, showcasing his consistency and reliability needed in a goalkeeper.
Cabezas, playing as the center defensive midfielder for the Bobcats, brings the ability to slow down the game with his comfortableness on the ball he can distribute the ball to his teammates.
But who are the captains leading?
The Bobcats’ commitment to giving opportunities to all class years is one of their greatest strengths. The current roster features 10 players from the 2022 MAAC championship team, alongside 10 underclassmen, bringing a blend of experience. However, that doesn’t guarantee a starting position.
“We don’t have a hierarchy in our program, because everyone is an equal when you walk in the door,” Da Costa said. “Whether you’re a senior or freshman, whether you’re 24 or whether you’re 17, everyone is an equal and we train that way, we pick our teams that way and it’s just the way it is.”
Five freshmen have graced the pitch for the Bobcats with three of them, midfielder Fredrik Moen, attackers Andrew Monteserin and William Holum — who has started all three games so far, also playing in all three matches.
“I think we’ve got a lot of really talented young players and new players, and hopefully they make an impact,” Da Costa said. “If you can help us and you train well, and you can help us compete and help us win, you’re going to play.”
“Dying for the three points” is a common soccer phrase. You need to work as a team and sacrifice personal goals for the sake of the team, the way Quinnipiac did in its first win against Columbia. Whether it’s playing 19 or just 11 players, the Bobcats are ready for the task at hand.
“When we face challenges individually, that continues to bring them together, and they understand why they’re here, and we can share in everybody’s success, whether it’s individually or someone else beside you,” Da Costa said.
The mix and matching for this team will become evident as the season continues because of conference expansion.
With the installment of Sacred Heart and Merrimack, it poses a steeper challenge if the Bobcats want to make it back into the MAAC tournament. With their inclusion, to make the tournament, Quinnipiac must finish within the top eight.
The MAAC has changed the number of conference games from 10 to eight, making it more challenging to get to the playoffs.
“We got to think game by game,” Pinto said. “We’re gonna have difficult games. The MAAC this year has two new teams, which means there’s more competition in general. So we’re gonna have to be at our A game to be able to win the conference.”
Sitting at 1-2, the Bobcats will host five non-conference games in a row before taking on five 2023 MAAC playoff teams — Iona, Rider, Manhattan, Niagara and Marist — in their long road back to the top of the mountain.
“We’re going to be playing the top guys. But we like that. We embrace that,” junior midfielder Alex Miller said. “We want to be there. I think it’s going to be a competitive game, every single game.”
