On Sept. 14 the Men’s Soccer team began Northwest Conference play with a matchup against the Whitman College Blues, ultimately losing 3-0. The team followed the loss with two more conference games, losing 1-2 against Whitworth University, and tying 1-1 to Linfield College.
The season still looks bright for the Boxers, as they look to continue improving their play as the conference matchups progress. Head Coach Eric Mild said, “The team is playing really well, and I am very excited to keep coaching this team.”
The Men’s Soccer team had a rough start to the season, plagued with injuries that affected several key players on the roster, early on. Part of the team’s struggles have come from trying to position players differently on the field, to accommodate for players missing from injury.
Mild would like to see his team be more aggressive on offense and finish out games stronger. He also appreciates the contributions freshmen have made to the overall team, and how they have stepped up.
Mild also highlighted players really pushing the team to be better. According to Mild, sophomore Braden Kojima has stepped into a leadership role and has “outstanding leadership with the team.”
Another player Mild highlighted was junior Robert Nurmi because of how well he is playing and the impressive goal he scored against Whitworth. Senior Eamonn Hartmann has also been a role model, both on and off the field, and has taken a huge leadership role for the team.
The Boxers will continue their Northwest Conference play when they travel to the University of Puget Sound on Sept. 29, and Pacific Lutheran University the following day, Sept. 30.
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