The Nipissing Lakers men’s soccer team knows they have the potential to be near the top of the OUA standings, now it’s just about executing on the field.
The Lakers kick off the 2014 season Saturday on the road against the Ryerson Rams and on Sunday against Toronto.
It’s an exciting time, but the Lakers aren’t getting caught up in the excitement, they realize they have a job to do and are prepared after a solid training camp and a few weeks of practice.
Lakers head coach Carlo DeVuono said he likes the makeup of the roster and can’t wait to see them in action.
“This is an important season for men's soccer as we have raised our expectations significantly and set lofty goals for the team,” DeVuono said. “We have a great group of players that are both talented and experienced, and they will play key roles in the future success of the program.”
Last season, the Lakers had a solid year but fell short of their ultimate goal as they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
With that still in the back of their minds, they are now prepared to take the next step and put together a strong post-season run.
With a solid group of veteran players and some new, exciting and talented players joining the program, the Lakers should have all the pieces to compete with the top teams.
“This is a great opportunity for us to pick up where we left off last season. We have a good group of returning players and some recruits that are ready to step in when called upon,” DeVuono said.
The Lakers start the season with four road games – Ryerson and Toronto this weekend, followed by RMC and Queens the first weekend of September.
Their home opener is Sept. 10 versus the Laurentian Voyageurs which begins a four game home stretch.
DeVuono said he doesn’t want to single players out because it’s going to be a team effort that leads to success for the Lakers, but he said there are some players who will be relied on pretty heavily at different positions.
“We are led by Ryan Mantle up front. He looks to continue his scoring from last season when he led the team in goals. We have a solid midfield with Cale England leading the way and on defence Scott Hoogkamp is a welcomed presence that keeps everyone calm,” DeVuono said of his veteran players.
The Lakers will hit the field both Saturday and Sunday at 2:15 p.m. to begin the 2014 OUA/CIS soccer campaign.
