This is the best team in the last eight or nine years, Brandeis head boys soccer coach Mike Coven exclaimed about his 2005 roster.
The Judges did not let him down by beating local rival Endicott College in the 2005 season opener. Ed Colburn 09 and the rest of the Judges kicked the season off on the right foot with a 2-0 win. Forty eight minutes into Colburns first career game at Brandeis, he gave the Judges the lead, the 1-0, with an assist by Mike Snyder 07.
Colburn commented after the game, I was a little nervous going into the first game. After playing for a few minutes, the tension was relieved. He described the goal as receiving a touch pass and slotting it under the goaltender.
The game was tightly played but with less than twenty minutes remaining, star forward Shelton Stewart 06 added an insurance goal which sealed a victory for Brandeis from the right corner of the 18-yard line.
The Endicott Gulls had a great opportunity to tie the game early in the second half when Mike DeNuzzo 09 hit the crossbar. They (Endicott College) go right at you. They are a high pressure team, but we matched their intensity, said Coach Coven. With the win, Brandeis is 1-0 on the young season.
This year, co-captains are Shelton Stewart 06 and Yuval Ezer 07 Coach Coven has an optimistic feeling about this years club. After coaching for the past 32 years, the coach believes that this team compares very favorably to past teams and is very impressive. There are mature upperclassmen and freshmen playing together. It is a nice mix of young and old, Coach Coven pointed out.
The team had a 9-10 record in 2004, but hopes are high for the 2005 campaign. Coven has led the Judges to 22 postseason tournaments—nine teams to the NCAAs-and his teams have also made 13 trips to the ECAC tournamentg. The team was ranked 6th in the UAA mens soccer preseason poll this year. Even though the team won their first game, Coven hopes to play a more sophisticated game with more control throughout the rest of the season.
A new addition in 2005 is the state-of-the-art A-turf. The addition of the turf makes playing and practicing much easier. The field drains more quickly and is regulation size. With new light towers installed, the team can schedule night games, which should bring out larger crowds. Coven is ecstatic about the brand new renovations to Gordon Field. We can play the game now. There is true passing and the field is not narrow. We can spread the game out.
Coach Coven believes the team can finally play soccer how its supposed to be played.
Brandeis next game is against Clark University tomorrow afternoon. Brandeis continues this opening road trip with games against Clarke University and Wentworth before they take on UAA juggernauts such as Carnegie Mellon, conference winner of the previous four seasons.
Editor's Note: Goalie Pat Makridakis '06 was named the UAA mens soccer defensive player of the week. Hehelped the Judges defeat Endicott College in their season opener by making six saves for his first career shutout.
