WENHAM, Mass. – It didn't take long for first-year head coach Derek Potteiger to put his stamp on the Men's Soccer program. The minute the Fighting Scots took the field in their home opener—a 4-0 thrashing of Framingham State—there was a sense that this group of 23 men could do something special.
And special it has been, as the Scots played their way to a 17-1 record and the top seed in the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs, which begins tomorrow morning in Wenham at 11 a.m.
While the record-breaking accolades are a product of the team's cohesiveness and family-first attitude on the field, the team isn't naïve enough to think they can waltz into the national scene with a strong regular season. The Scots focus all season has been playing towards something bigger, something they may not fully comprehend.
A conference title is obviously in the team's sights, but such a feat will require every ounce of energy they have left after a long three-month season. The regular season record look good in the weekly coaches polls, but a few postseason wins will go a long way toward cementing their place on the national scene.
As tough as winning 17 games on their schedule was, winning three more to claim the school's first CCC title since 2010 will be even tougher. Playoffs require a certain amount of desperation and intensity as the matchups become tougher and tighter.
Gordon's road to a CCC crown begins with a home game against Wentworth tomorrow morning, a team they beat 5-1 in Boston only two weeks ago. The upset-minded Leopards will have that score in the back of their minds when they take the field tomorrow, for better or for worse.
The Scots strength has been their depth and ability to pick up Potteiger's precision-based philosophies. Injuries have nicked the Scots starting lineup in the latter half of the season, but their role players adjusted well to being more prominent cogs in the engine.
Senior Andrew Vandervoort (Memphis, Tenn.) leads the Scots in goal scoring for the fourth season in a row, as well as leading the conference in the same category for the second time in his career. Vandervoort's midseason dominance in the goal-scoring department was a major reason for the team's two record-setting win streaks.
Fellow senior Kellen Kasiguran (Oakwood Village, Ohio) picked up the scoring whenever Vandervoort wasn't find the back of the net. Kasiguran's touch on corners made him a valuable asset for the Scots, as Gordon outscored opponents 49-11 in the regular season. Kasiguran and Vandervoort combined for half of the team's goals.
Trevor Hinshaw (San Jose, Calif.) has continued to be a mainstay on defense that has allowed their opponent's very few scoring opportunities. Hinshaw's leadership in the back made the switch at goalkeeper a smooth one, as the Scots only allowed three goals in their final eight games.
The combination of Tim Hardy (Gorham, Maine) and Josh Spoonhour (Greencastle, Pa.) has been attributed with nine shutouts on the year. When Hardy, a senior captain, succumbed to an injury in the Scots only loss of the season, Spoonhour entered without missing a beat. The freshman posted a conference-leading .912 save percentage down the stretch and kept Gordon from being on the wrong end of a few close games.
Spoonhour isn't the only freshman to make a direct impact on the 2013 squad. Midfielders Caleb Cole (Coatesville, Pa.) and Colten Corey (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) are both in the CCC Rookie of the Year conversation after finishing third and fourth in points for the Scots. Cole also finished third in assists in the conference with seven.
Wentworth enters the game 0-5-1 in their last six games as they have struggled to find the net. The Leopards have three players with three goals apiece to lead the team in that category. However, as preseason favorite Roger Williams found out the hard way, their offense can break through at any moment.
The key for the Scots will be breaking through talented freshman goalkeeper Chase Richard (Smithfield, R.I.). Gordon found a recipe of success in their first meeting, but potential soggy conditions could change the style of the game.
Wentworth and Gordon will kick off tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. with a bid to the semifinals on the line. Live stats and video will be provided barring weather conditions.
