After losing to No. 1 Concordia University in the Golden State Athletic Conference championship game and missing nationals by one win, the men’s soccer team looks to do better in the upcoming season.
RECRUITING BEGINS
“Last year [2013-2014 season] we lost in the GSAC finals and were 13 in the nation but didn’t make it into nationals,” said junior captain Joey O’Keefe. “We missed it by one spot and everybody is playing with a chip on their shoulders right now. The only thing we want to do is get ourselves into that National Tournament.”
Biola will miss some familiar faces on the field next year as five players are graduating including third team NAIA All-American Daniel Chew and honorable mention Kevin Kiser. To fill these holes in the lineup, Biola is placing extra emphasis on recruiting. O’Keefe said, “We already signed about four or five guys, mainly transfers. We are also waiting on two of our biggest signings.”
The soccer team will now be led by captains Joey O’Keefe and Michael Kute. O’Keefe explained their leadership style as one of servitude.
“I guess the biggest thing that comes with it is that it’s an honor that puts you into a position to serve more. Now you have this role to serve everyone more than we have been. We try to put ourselves as low as we can.”
CHANGING STYLE OF PLAY
With different players on next year’s team, Biola is planning on changing their style of play.
“We’re not going to have any individual stars,” O’Keefe says. “This coming year is going to be all teamwork, and our goal is to get back into that GSAC championship game and win.”
Kute also commented on how the defensive will change their style of play saying, “We’re a lot smaller. We don’t have as many physically big guys, so we won’t be able to play the ball over very often. We’ll have to possess, work it around and use the outsides a little more.”
Kute continued to say that even though they were losing a number of players, he is confident that people will rise up and fill the open positions well.
LOOKING FORWARD
This summer the soccer team will be working through individual workout packets and reporting to their coach on a weekly basis. O’Keefe emphasized how important it will be for the team to come back fit and ready to play their early season games in August.
Biola is preparing for the season with Concordia as the focus.
“This is [Concordia’s] last year in NAIA and I’m glad we have another opportunity to beat them, and I want to beat them in the finals,” O’Keefe said.
Kute is also looking forward to playing Arizona Christian, remembering Biola’s loss to them last year which cost them a spot at nationals. Kute said, “We need to win the games we should win as well as beating the teams that are tough.”
