Senior midfielder David Roth sat at the end of the first row of Lakeside Field’s bleachers Saturday, waiting to be honored in the final regular season home game of his Northwestern career. He and the program had come a long way since stepping onto the grass version of Lakeside Field in 2004.
As Roth stepped up to greet family, friends and teammates under the lights of the turf Lakeside Field, the mixed emotions of the moment and the progress NU made in four years was not lost on the departing senior.
“I was definitely a little sad,” Roth said. “I’m starting to realize that it is really coming to an end here. It was definitely a sad moment, but it was also a great time and moment. We also had a game to do, so I was trying to keep my emotions in check and just play.”
The No. 14 Wildcats (11-3-3, 3-2-1 Big Ten) tied Wisconsin-Green Bay in their regular season finale, but the outgoing senior class already put their mark on the program. They accumulated the most wins in school history, with 49, and helped the team reach two NCAA tournaments, making it to the quarterfinals last season.
The senior class prepares for a final postseason run, beginning with Wisconsin (6-6-6, 0-3-3) to open the Big Ten tournament today in East Lansing, Mich.
The Cats have come a long way since 2004, when many of the current seniors were freshmen. The team improved from 7-7-6 to a school-best 15-6-2 in 2004, earning NU’s first NCAA tournament berth.
Roth has scored 17 goals and has made 32 assists in his career. His seven assists this year added to the NU career record he set last year.
Senior defender Matt Witt scored the first two goals of his career this season and has been one of NU’s best defenders the past two seasons.
Senior goalkeeper Justin Pines has seven career shutouts and a career 0.70 goals-against average entering today’s game.
The play of these seniors has helped the Cats quickly build a solid program.
“A lot of the country was surprised (at NU’s ascent),” said redshirt junior Drew Ratner, who is planning to defer a quarter of medical school to play again next year. “I knew that’s why I came here. The way the coaches stressed to me the kind of program they were building and what all the guys on the team said. It’s no surprise to me the team has progressed the way it has because of how focused the coaches and players were.”
Roth said the expectations for the program have changed since his arrival. Now the team expects to make the NCAA tournament every year.
The Cats are trying to qualify for their first back-to-back tournament berths, which is a major step for a team that has two winless seasons in its history.
But what this class leaves behind is important in continuing to build NU’s soccer program. Last year’s senior class also left with the most wins in school history and left a legacy for this year’s team to build on.
Senior defender Matt Witt said the seniors are trying to leave a mindset of putting the team first.
“All the guys on the team know what we are all about,” Witt said. “We are a close-knit group. We play for each other more than we play for ourselves. That’s what we are trying to leave for these guys, that this is a team game and you want to play for the guys around you.”
The underclassmen and coach Tim Lenahan want to return the favor and make the seniors’ final season last into December.
Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected].
