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EWING – Preseason is a bittersweet time of the year for any athlete in his or her respective sport. Although the wait for the action is a long and strenuous one, preparation for the moments under the lights are quite comparable.
In mid-August, The College of New Jersey men’s soccer team made its way into Ewing with their sights set on nothing less than a winning season. After last year’s 7-9-2 finish, the Lions looked to bounce back with a vengeance.
The summer festivities included double sessions six days a week with a major focus on the team’s physical fitness.
“The ‘big scare’ of preseason was the three miles in 18 minutes fitness test,” said junior defender Domenic Polidoro. “Although this test never happened, it forced the team to prepare for it – resulting in the high level of fitness we currently have.”
Soccer is fast-paced game that keeps the players in motion constantly, so having the upper hand in the endurance category is vital.
Aside from on-field workouts and practices, preseason is a prime time for team chemistry building. A team that can stay fit, healthy and cooperative is a team that is destined for success.
Outside the lines, the Lions bond over pasta, chicken, and the friendships built throughout their years as teammates.
“These ‘pasta parties’ add to the team’s chemistry and camaraderie, making us feel more like a family than just a team,” says Polidoro.
The hard work put in on and off the field proved to be beneficial during the Lions’ first seven games of the season in which they did not lose a single one. This was one of the best starts to a season that the program has experienced in nearly a decade.
A season opener that featured a 5-0 blowout of York College was followed by three more victories. During that four game span, the Lions only allowed one goal while scoring 11 of their own.
Defense has proven to be one of the staple factors of the Lions’ success in this young season. Even with their loss to Rutgers-Newark, each game has been decided by two goals or fewer and opposing teams are struggling to find the back of the net.
“As a central defender, it is a part of my position to command and coordinate the defensive shape of the team as the opponents are attacking,” said Polidoro. “Having people in front of myself and the back four that trust our judgment and listen to our instructions we relay to them has lead to our defensive success.”
The Lions have a tough road ahead of them as they continue their journey through conference play. In the past five years, the team has only seen two seasons with winning records against other New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents.
Their three-game streak of games against conference teams kicks off on Saturday against Kean University, followed by second place Stockton and then Montclair State University.
Despite suffering defeats to all three a year ago, this new look Lions team is sharper and well prepared to make the cut. As long as their win column continues to buzz, the team will find themselves in the NJAC title discussion as the season progresses.
“The best part about our future is that we, the team, are the only ones who can write it,” said Polidoro. “I believe that with the personnel we have this year, we should be able to accomplish great things.”
With this dominance and determination, the Lions will solidify themselves as a serious contender for their first NJAC title since 2005. As the hard work from the preseason transitions into the regular, the men’s soccer team may be in for quite the offseason celebration.
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