Young offense the only question mark as m. soccer begins season

Many Americans claim a dislike to soccer in part because of its low-scoring nature.

The men's soccer team is a case in point of this characteristic. In 2002, the Tigers managed just 19 goals in 17 games, which if one does the math comes out to 1.1 goals per game. Predictably, Princeton lost more games than it won, finishing the season 4-8-5 overall and 2-3-2 in the Ivy League.

This was a big step down from the 2001 campaign, in which the team finished 10-2-5 and won the Ivy League title, going on to lose to Farleigh Dickinson in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The team was expected to challenge for the crown again in 2002, but a combination of injuries, lack of scoring, and a total of eight overtime games undermined the team's chances.

The team's record, however, was not indicative of its play. According to head coach Jim Barlow '91, the record was a case of a good team getting a few bad breaks.

"Our record was disappointing, last season, but I thought the games weren't very different from the year before when we won the title," Barlow said. "Every game was tight, and we had eight games go to overtime. We just didn't win many of the close ones."

As the new season begins, the Tigers will look for several key players to step up on the offensive end in order to turn the overtime ties and losses into one-goal victories. Several talented young players will be asked to carry the load for the Tigers at the forward position.

"We are still looking for guys to step up in front and be consistent goal scorers." Barlow said. Among the candidates are sophomore Darren Spicer, who as a freshman tallied dramatic game winning goals against LaSalle and American University, and freshman Kyle McHugh, a standout high school player who has looked strong in early action and will look to make an immediate impact.

The offense, however, is the only place where Princeton must look to young stars to carry the load. At the other positions, the Tigers are loaded with talent, depth, and experience.

Midfielders

In the midfield, the Tigers return two senior stars, Gianfranco Trippichio and Marty Shaw. Each has three years of experience running the midfield, and each will look to end his stellar Princeton career with a bang. They will team up with junior Ryan Rich who, as the team's fastest player, will look to create scoring chances with his speed down the wing.

"The strength of this team is moving the ball and keeping possession," Barlow said. "We've got some key guys there in Trippichio and Shaw with a lot of experience."

Defense will be another Tiger strength, with senior co-captain Jeff Hare returning to man the middle. Hare is a two-time All-Ivy first teamer, and will look to anchor a defense that has been a strength throughout Barlow's coaching career.

The final piece of the puzzle will be in goal, where the Tigers must replace the graduated Jason White '03, perhaps the best goalkeeper ever to wear orange and black. Jason's younger brother, Erik White, earned the starting spot in the preseason and has turned in a couple of solid early season performances. Should White falter, there is considerable depth at the keeper position, with three backups playing well and looking for a chance to showcase their talent.

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The Tigers have a tough schedule, with the usual Ivy League battles to go along with non-league games against powerful teams including Loyola, Villanova, American, Seton Hall, and Farleigh Dickinson.

"Every match this season will be a tough match for us," Barlow said. "With the parity in college soccer right now, we will have 17 very good games."

If the Tigers hope to escape those 17 games with a winning record, goals will be at a premium. The youngsters up front must provide the extra push and the timely goal scoring that will make the difference between an Ivy League title season and a repeat of 2002.

"Our goal is to win every game," Barlow said. "You shouldn't play any game if you don't think you can win it."