Injury-Plagued Terriers Enter Final Week of Pre-Season
August 24, 2000 | Men's Soccer
The men's soccer team, with five starters sidelined by injuries, heads into its final week of pre-season as it readies for its season opener against Syracuse University. The game will played at 4:00 p.m. on Sept. 1 at Harvard's Ohiri Field.
The most serious injury is to sophomore goalkeeper Matt Smith, who suffered a broken bone in his right hand prior to the beginning of pre-season. Smith, who compiled an 8-5-5 record with an 0.98 goals against average and a .722 save percentage last year, was trying to make a save on a shot by freshman Alan McNamara during a drill before camp opened. Smith's right hand glanced off McNamara's head resulting in the broken bone.
It is not certain how long Smith will be out of action.
The other injuries are not as serious and none of the players is expected to miss the season opener.
Senior Kirk Miller, who led the team in both goals (14) and points (29) last year, had a groin injury that forced him to miss the team's pre-season scrimmage against Providence.
Junior Joachim Kaland, who was second to Miller in both goals (7) and points (21) last year; was also sidelined for the scrimmage with a wrist injury.
Senior Chris Bone and freshman Michael Feely played against the Friars but were severely hampered. Bone had a charley horse, while Feely had a groin injury.
"The injuries have forced us to play some of the freshmen more than we might have wanted," said veteran head coach Neil Roberts, who will take a 193-74-39 record into his 16th year at the Terrier helm. "We have some very good freshmen but it's going to take awhile to get them all on the same page.
"The problem with so many of our veteran players on the sidelines has been that we haven't been able to put our entire system in yet. We're not sure what is going to work.
"Of the 20 players who we have in camp, there are a total of 16 freshmen and sophomores," continued Roberts. "So, we are really having to spoon feed them.
"I have been really impressed, though, with how hard everyone has worked. That has been a real positive thing to have come out of camp thus far."
