Dan DaranciangComing off a disappointing conference road trip, the Washington University men’s soccer team traveled to Chicago this weekend with hopes of sending its seniors off on a winning note. The match would mark the end of very successful careers for a handful of highly talented Bears seniors.
The previous weekend, the Bears took on Brandeis University and New York University, two teams winless in the University Athletic Association (UAA), and the only pair of teams lower than the Bears in the standings.
Despite good play in places, however, Coach Joe Clarke’s squad came away with a 0-1-1 weekend record, which sent them down to seventh place out of eight in the UAA.
At the time of their match-up against the Bears, the University of Chicago held No. 25 spot in the national rankings. With the expanding pool of teams for the NCAA tournament, the Maroons came out looking for a win that could potentially push them into the mix for an at-large bid.
The two teams came out hard as they battled for a crucial conference victory, but it was Chicago who struck first.
In the 32nd minute, sophomore midfielder Stuart Phelps took advantage of a cross that was dropped by Bears goalkeeper Matt Fenn and was able to put his team up 1-0. When the halftime whistle came, the Maroons held their one-goal lead despite both teams having fired in six shots apiece.
The score stayed 1-0 for most of the second half until Phelps struck again in the 78th minute. Maroons sophomore midfielder Eric Kirkenmeier was able to nod a header down in the penalty area to a streaking Phelps, which resulted in the Bears going down 2-0. Then, with just three minutes to play, the Maroons were able to widen their margin to 3-0 with an own goal on the behalf of the Bears.
Although the loss was undoubtedly disappointing for the Bears, particularly their long-serving class of seniors, Coach Clarke certainly has a talented group of players with which to build.
Still, the Bears will miss senior defender John Horky’s steady play in the back. A likely all-conference selection, Horky was a four-year starter who dominated his position in nearly every game and provided invaluable leadership for his team.
Fellow defender Seth Schreiber will also be missed on the flank of the Bears defense. His controlled play and passing ability out of the back will be hard to replace for next season. Although senior Dave Borton missed most of this season due to injury, he has scored many crucial goals for the Bears over a four-year span. His skill on the ball will undoubtedly be hard for Clarke to replace.
Senior forward Nick Kalscheur is another Bears senior whose missing presence will be felt. Used as a substitute for most of his career, Kalscheur showed firepower coming off the bench and compiled impressive statistics. His physical brand of play and hard shot will certainly be missed by the Bears.
Lastly, the mark left by Rob Weeks and Andrew Franklin, two Bears seniors who missed most of the season due to injury, will always be associated with the team. Weeks, a two-time first-team UAA selection, would have aided the Bears with his goal-scoring abilities, as they struggled offensively for much of the season. Similarly, Franklin’s speed and intensity will certainly be missed by the Bears.
Clarke will have a strong midfielder core returning, but he will have to address his team’s offensive futility for much of the season. In addition, the losses of Horky and Schreiber will leave gaping holes at the back that Clarke will need to address.
And while their final season did not go exactly according to plan, the Bears seniors can look back fondly at a successful career while the remaining members of the team prepare for the future.