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EWING– Gut check.
In the midst of a stretch in its schedule filled with hard-fought matches, the men’s soccer team at The College of New Jersey is facing its greatest adversity of the season.
At 6-3-2, the Lions find themselves on their first losing streak (two) for the first time all season. Despite the unfavorable outings against Kean University (4-1) and Stockton University (3-1), the atmosphere in the Lions’ locker room remains focused and motivated.
“We are not out [of the playoffs], there is still plenty of soccer left,” said Lions’ head coach George Nazario. “I believe in our team.”
The Lions seek to bounce back and make a statement against one of their toughest conference opponents, Montclair State University, tonight at Lions’ Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
Both squads have attained successful seasons thus far, and could be potentially crossing paths yet again in the nearing postseason in their pursuit of the 2015 New Jersey Athletic Conference title.
At 11-1 and fresh off a five-game winning streak, the Red Hawks have proven to be a consistent powerhouse in the NJAC this season, with their only loss in a 2-1 defeat against Oneonta.
Although holding a 2-6 overall record since 2007 against the Red Hawks, the Lions have found themselves in many tight and competitive matches with the conference opponent over the years.
Regardless of records and history, the mentality remains the same for the Lions.
“This team continues to work hard everyday in practice,” said midfielder Matt Taylor. “As the season has progressed, we have functioned more as a unit.”
Unity will prove to be a key factor for the Lions, especially in the face of recent adversity. Coming together as a team over the course of a challenging second half of the season will be vital for the team and how they handle tough opponents like the Red Hawks.
“We must stay focused throughout every game from this point on, ” said Nazario. “We’ve had too many mental lapses that have cost us games that we should’ve won and it’s starting to take a toll on us. We are creating chances, but at the same time we are giving up too many goals because of silly mistakes. We will be fine once the mental part of the game is taken care of.”
The recent shortcomings could very well be the ultimate driving force for the Lions tonight as well, as they are hungrier than ever to earn their first conference victory and get back to their winning ways shown earlier in the season.
This will be a crucial game for the Lions, as they are eager to regain the control of their season and make their case to be contenders for the NJAC title.