In Friday’s home contest with Valparaiso, the Northwestern men’s soccer team didn’t show up ready to play in the first half. It couldn’t convert on much-needed second half scoring attempts. And it lost for the 14th time this season.
Although the winless Wildcats looked lackluster at times, one thing arrived in full force — the team’s physical play.
With the regular season winding down and the team taking abuse on the field, NU decided to put its foot down and hit back.
“In the first half we came out so flat,” senior defender Nick Spoerke said. “Valparaiso wasn’t the most skillful team. They found their success being physical. We finally struck back in the second half and killed them.”
Sophomores Steven Jedlinski and Doug Gibson each picked up a yellow card in the game. Gibson didn’t shy away from the occasional push and body check. Also getting into the act was senior defender Paul Van Huysen, who body slammed a Crusader forward and contested every ball.
Van Huysen has been the team’s physical leader this year. At only 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, the feisty defender isn’t the most vocal player off the field. But when he steps between the lines, he has to be reckoned with.
“He’s a smaller guy, but you’d never know it by the way he makes himself heard on the field,” senior midfielder Brandon Swalve said. “He grunts, he makes the hits, he inspires everyone to play harder. People even get excited on the sidelines when Paul comes by and kills someone.”
Gibson and junior defender Dan Doman have also contributed to the resurgence of physical play. But it has been the seniors, knowing this is their final time around, who have shouldered the grunt work.
And even though Spoerke and Swalve admittedly aren’t the most physical players by nature, even they have joined the action.
“The younger guys look to us a lot,” Spoerke said. “We dictate how the team plays in a lot of respects. And us older guys know that the bigger the opponent, the harder you have to him them.”
Sitting on the sideline because of a fractured ankle, Swalve is itching to return. But while he has been unable to play, he has been delighted to see his team finally returning blows.
“I know everyone on our team is a fighter,” Swalve said. “It’s nice to see the emotion finally coming out. It’s not about frustration for us, it’s about a new mentality. Everyone realizes it’s the end of the year and we have to do anything possible to get a win.”
Swalve plans to be a factor from the sidelines as NU takes on Division-II Lewis University today at Lakeside Field. He said he will yell at players who aren’t striving for every ball.
NU’s opponent may be second division, but they are far from a second-tier team. The Flyers — who hail from Romeoville, Ill., about 40 miles southwest of Evanston — are 14-3 on the season, on a nine-game winning streak and had shutout five consecutive teams before allowing a goal this weekend. The team’s strong defense has ceded only seven goals this season.
The Cats beat the Flyers in a spring tournament game. While the game didn’t count on NU’s current schedule, the win may give the team confidence coming into the battle. One thing is for sure, however: Cats players who were around two years ago remember what transpired in that Lewis game.
“There was a mini-brawl,” Swalve said. “They jacked our goalie and the game turned into a shoving match. The referee ended up walking off the field.”
So NU’s more physical style of play should continue when the teams square off again. And this time the Cats have something even more to play for.
“Our team has a lot pride, Swalve said. “This season has been one long embarrassment. If we lose to a Division-II team it’ll be our crowning embarrassment. That should be our motivation.”
