Men’s soccer team struggles to defend goal

By David Thackham
thackhamd@thejohnsonian.com

It has always been said that to give your best performance, you need to lead with your best foot forward.
Unfortunately, the Winthrop men’s soccer team has spent a majority of their games on the back foot.

In all six of the Eagles’ losses this season, their opponents have scored within the first 30 minutes of play. Defender Josh Choice admits he used to feel a sense of “here we go again,” whenever the first blow was struck.

“It makes it look like the defense isn’t doing a good job, so when the ball comes back, it’s so much more pressure,” said the freshman.

Freshman midfielder Matt Stinson added to that, explaining, “It [was] frustrating because it puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and they’ll make mistakes from nerves and stress.”

With the team having to redouble their efforts to help out in their own half, less and less opportunities become available for the Eagles’ own attacking front. During their longest losing streak of four games this September, Winthrop was unable to score in nearly seven-and-a half hours of open play.

“We can’t let that happen,” said sophomore defender Daniel DiBiagio before the most recent conference loss against the High Point Panthers.

“Things could have been avoided, but we need to all take responsibility, help each other and not blame anything or anyone.”

The team has also seen its share of  bad  luck, including number one goalkeeper, Tom Banfield getting knocked out in the preseason. Banfield was unavailable to the team for a month.
More recently, Zachary Capito, a junior, was arrested for disorderly conduct. Add to those issues Winthrop’s need to win the remaining conference matches in order to make the Big South Conference playoffs, and the pressure becomes palpable.

Despite the reality of those sobering statistics and the brutal schedule that lies ahead, the Eagles are refusing to lose their grit.

“You have got to believe in yourself to come back,” freshman midfielder Tinotenda Chibharo said.

Whether or not that sentiment is enough to improve the team has yet to be seen.
What has proved effective, at least in the short term, is a maneuver that Coach Richard Posipanko tested early in the second half of October 2nd’s draw with Wofford College.

“After we went down [in the 3rd minute] we changed our style of play, pushing more of our outside players to help with the attack . It worked well to create a lot of chances,” Stinson said.

The ploy proved effective, as Stinson himself was able to steal a late goal from the Terriers and help Winthrop to its first draw of the season. It was also the first time the Eagles have been able to fight back into contention after being scored against.
With Winthrop looking to get back into the Big South race, they will need that type of effort and focused play.

“Our work rate has got to be better, regardless [of the results],” DiBiagio said. “Earlier in the season, our heads went down whenever we got scored on, but now we believe that we can come back and it makes us play harder.”

Winthrop will need this mentality as they prepare for rough the patch of upcoming games.

The Eagles will face conference foe Virginia Military Institute at home on Oct. 12th and then face another conference opponent when they travel to Radford University on Oct. 16th.