The Keene State College men’s soccer team fell just short of winning the Little East Conference championship title this year.
In their championship match-up against top-seeded UMass Boston on Nov. 8, the KSC Owls came up short in a low-scoring 2-1 affair that required the match to go into overtime.
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The loss left the team, according to Senior Captain Brett Sullivan, in a state of disappointment.
“[The team was] very disappointed. I think everyone had the same goal in mind — make it to the NCAAs and win the game for the seniors. So there was a lot of disappointment on the team’s part. But I think we regrouped quickly and I think we’re all ready for next year — ready to move on,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan is a senior this year, but due to an injury last year he has gained an extra year of eligibility and will be able to suit up for the Owls again and will return to the team next fall.
Regardless of the talent that will graduate from KSC in May, Sullivan said that the goal of the team remains the same.
“Win it. Same as it was this year — get back to the finals and win it,” Sullivan said.
Men’s Soccer Head Coach Rick Scott said that despite losing many members of his team next season, he thinks that next year’s effort will still be influenced by those who had to hang up their Owl gear.
Sullivan said that seeing the seniors leave the team is tough, but he’s looking forward to seeing who will step up and become leaders.
Promise Kpee, a first year forward, recently earned LEC Rookie of the Year.
In addition, rookie Cameron Rogers and Junior Eddie Mercer were also named to the All-LEC Second Team.
Plus returning players Brett Sullivan and Ian Downing were also named to the All-LEC First Team, meaning these players were selected as the first or second best player for their position in the conference.
Scott said these five, along with other members on the team, are expected to make an impact in next year’s season.
“I think the seniors all the way around provided an awful lot of leadership for our young team … I think we’re going to be strong because the seniors are leaving their mark on this program. They turned it around,” Scott said.
Scott noted the change of success in the team this season compared to that of 2013.
In 2013, the men’s soccer team held a record of 7-12 including postseason games, whereas by the end of this year, the team held a combined record of 12-7-1, and winning nine of their last eleven games.
“[The team] had come so far,” Scott said.
As the seniors move on, so does the team. Senior Captain Yazid Eideh said that he expects the younger members of the team to take what it learned from the veterans and use it as motivation next year.
“I think we set a good example of what the standard is … And now they know what they have to do to reach the level that we’re at,” Eideh said.
Eideh later expressed what being a KSC Owl has meant to him.
“To play for Keene State, it’s been an honor … To be a senior captain of this team, a program like this, it’s been a huge honor, I’ve been very grateful for it,” Eideh said.
Scott and his team are already getting ready for next season, scouting new recruits and training to get ready for 2015.
Scott said that his team’s loss in the LEC Finals will only fuel the fire in his players to do better for next year.
“We were knocking on the door this year. This young team, they got a taste of it. I hope that taste stays in their mouths for a long time because it will only serve as motivation down the road,” Scott said.
That taste is all but evident in Sullivan, who looks to make it back to the LEC title game again in 2015.
“We’ll be back next year,” Sullivan said.
Jacob Barrett can be contacted at jbarrett@keene-equinox.com