By Chris Brown
After ending its season last year with four straight losses – the first to then-eighth-ranked Indiana and the others against unranked C-USA teams – U of L’s men’s soccer team is looking to kick off on a better foot with its debut in the Big East conference.
Despite a 1-0 loss to rival UK on Friday in the University of Kentucky Tournament in Lexington, Ky., three exhibition wins last month may give players some added confidence as they head into conference play tomorrow night against Cincinnati.
“I thought it was a gutty performance by both teams,” said head coach Tony Colavecchia after Friday night’s loss at the UK Soccer Complex.
“It was a difficult baptism by fire for our new players,” he said, particularly because the Wildcats dominated the ball for much of the first half.
Louisville’s lone scoring chance in the game came on a breakaway by sophomore forward Franke Jonke, but UK’s defense, including All-American senior goalkeeper Andy Guenebaum, managed to hold the Cards scoreless to secure the win.
Nonetheless, it seemed to some that the Cards’ performance was really just a glimmer of what may come.
“I give Louisville a lot of credit. They came out and fought and scrapped. All credit to them – I thought they played fantastic,” said Kentucky Head Coach Ian Collins. “If they play like that all year, they’re going to have a great season.”
Indeed, Louisville will have to keep the coals in the fire if it hopes to burn through what may prove to be a rigorous schedule: the season itinerary pits the Cards against several big names from the Big East – including three of four teams from the conference ranked among the nation’s preseason top 25. Indiana, ranked No. 1 in the nation, hails from the Big Ten Conference, while national powerhouses Connecticut, St. John’s and Notre Dame represent the Big East in the preseason rankings.
Later this month, No. 5 Connecticut is set to visit Cardinal Park for a match-up that many expect will give Louisville a run for its money. Last season, the Huskies went 12-8-3 overall and finished sixth in the Big East conference. UConn started this season, though, with a win, a loss and tie in three exhibition games.
The return of senior captain Tim Velten, who received a red card in last season’s final game at South Florida and was sidelined for the game against UK, may also strengthen the Cardinals’ chances in upcoming games.
But even with Velten watching from the bench for the first regular-season game against UK, Colavecchia seems confident in the backfielder’s skill and poise as the team prepares to face No. 10 St. John’s and No. 19 Notre Dame, both away, in the two weeks following the UConn game.
“Velten was one of the players that really established a mark on the team last year,” Colavecchia said. “He is quite a leader and he will really need to rally the troops and get everyone on the same page. Without question he is a major asset to our team.”
Senior Matt Neely and sophomore Charlie Edwards are also expected to see a lot of playing time in return for their productivity on the field. Neely, a backfielder who started in all 62 games during his first three years at U of L, goes into the season with one goal, three assists and 35 shots overall.
Edwards, the Cards’ 6-foot-3, 210-pound primary goalkeeper, brings a coach’s award and 57 saves to the table from his freshman season last year. With a 2-7-2 record, and 2.09 goals against average, Edwards is expected to vie for a new career high to replace his current eight saves against Memphis in 2004.
“[Edwards] has really established himself as the number-one goalkeeper,” Colavecchia said going into the season. “He needs to really command and control the penalty area and really develop a good relationship with the defensive unit of the team. It will really affect the success of the team.”
And, as if the whirlwind of notoriety surrounding their opponents early in the season weren’t enough, the men have only one month to prepare before they host top-ranked Indiana. In 2004, the Hoosiers blanked the Cards 2-0 before going on to claim the NCAA title. The Oct. 5 rematch against the two-time defending national champions may be Louisville’s chance for revenge.
