Author: Taylor-Anne Esparza
The Occidental men’s soccer team (1-5 overall, 0-3 SCIAC) opened its season with a 4-0 win against UC Santa Cruz on Aug. 30, and the squad remains positive in hopes to regain its momentum after five consecutive losses. Although the Tigers are a returner-heavy unit this season, seven incoming first-years bring a fresh dynamic to the roster and show promise to strengthen the play on the field.
Co-captain Alex Duvoisin (senior), who has stepped up for the black and orange on both sides of field so far this season, spoke to the advantages of the new team members while also praising the returners’ cohesiveness.
“The new [first-years] are very good,” Duvoisin said. “We have more of a team unity than in the past which is crucial when the going gets tough.”
Head coach Rod Lafaurie’s emphasis this season is on attacking the field with force and showing aggression when passing and completing plays.
Lafaurie, now in his fourth season at the helm of the Tigers, instills confidence in his team and believes that this is the year the squad has the ability to reach the next level.
“The team is full of potential and has full quality,” Lafaurie said. “The key for us is to stay consistent.”
First-year Thayer Fisher is one such player that has displayed potential through his first six collegiate games. Along with goaltender Theo Atkinson (first-year), Fisher is one of two newcomers to start for the Tigers this season, getting the nod in five out of the six matches. Fisher offered his opinion on the team’s play and on how they can improve, analyzing their performance in the first SCIAC game of the season, a 3-1 loss at Redlands last Wednesday.
The match was a particularly difficult one for the squad, as they came out strong but became lackadaisical as the contest went on.
“The first 60 minutes we played pretty well, but we got fatigued and our momentum shifted,” Fisher said. “We broke down, but showed potential in the first half. We just need to stay focused for the whole game.”
Despite the team’s recent struggles that include back-to-back losses to Whittier (6-1) and Cal Lutheran (1-0) on Saturday and Monday, co-captain Marcus Brandford (senior) remains optimistic about his club’s success.
“This year is the best we’ve played,” Brandford said. “We play a style that’s entertaining to watch with a lot of attacking. It’s very fluid and way more fun.”
Lafaurie acknowledged the Tigers’ capabilities on both group and individual levels. He believes in the men that he helped to shape throughout the years and now sees a future full of success.
“I really think we are good enough this season [to make playoffs],” Lafaurie said. “It’s a matter of executing. Game by game, every minute of every game is key.”
The Tigers travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday at 1 p.m.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
