By Eoghan Kelly, News Staff
The thud of Don Anding’s hands slamming into the Parsons Field turf was audible from the bleachers more than 20 yards away.
The senior forward had just lost the ball in a challenge with a Harvard University defenseman during the men’s soccer team’s match Sunday. As the Crimson (0-1-1) carried the ball over midfield, Anding fell to the ground and pounded the field in frustration – evidence of the fierce competitive spirit that has motivated him to be so successful early in the 2012 season.
“He’s been excellent for us,” sophomore forward Donovan Fayd’Herbe de Maudave said. “He’s just such a workhorse up there. He’s fast, strong – he’s a great player for us.”
Anding avenged his turnover in the 64th minute when he and Fayd’Herbe de Maudave combined to score the only goal in the Huskies’ 1-0 win over Harvard. After receiving a ball from Fayd’Herbe de Maudave, Anding dribbled just inside the 18-yard box and fired a shot at Harvard freshman goalie Evan Mendez. The rebound popped out to Fayd’Herbe de Maudave, who tapped the ball in for his first collegiate goal.
Four days earlier, Anding, a native of Amity Harbor, N.Y., drilled a ball off the post in the second half of a 0-0 game against Marist College. He answered by scoring the game-winner with four minutes remaining in double overtime after a Marist defenseman misplayed a punt from senior goalkeeper Oliver Blum.
For Anding, using that motivation is just how he plays the game. As a result, the Huskies have jumped out to a 3-0 record, and Anding quickly has a goal and an assist under his belt.
“It makes me feel like the goal is coming,” Anding said in a phone interview on Aug. 31. “It’s sort of just a boost of confidence that [a goal] is getting closer and closer.”
Anding was part of an experienced 2011 team that went undefeated at home and reached the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) playoffs before losing to the University of Delaware on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals.
Northeastern graduated six seniors in the offseason and lost sophomore forward Ricardo McDonald, making way for Anding to become one of the team’s top forwards this season. He joins Blum, redshirt sophomore defenseman Ambry Moss, senior midfielder Andre Ciliotta and junior midfielder and 2011 First Team All-CAA selection Dante Marini as the team’s core group of players in 2012.
Head coach Brian Ainscough said Anding’s role on the team is a testament to his talent and work ethic, which was on display in Sunday’s game against Harvard.
“Don led the forward line against a very strong Harvard team,” Ainscough said. “Don battled and he was able to hold the ball up for us well, bring the midfielders into the attack – I thought this has been Don’s best game in this small season.”
Anding said losing the core group of seniors was a struggle but commended the team for adjusting to a new style of play that has thus far been successful.
“It was kind of worrisome going into it about how we would be able to get used to playing a different style, but we sort of switched around the formation a bunch and tried to keep people at different spots,” Anding said. “So far, it’s been streaky but we’ve come out on top.”
Northeastern has lofty goals to live up to after its season-ending loss in the 2011 CAA quarterfinals. The Huskies were picked to finish fifth in the 2012 CAA preseason coaches’ poll, but Anding thinks his squad has the ability to surpass those expectations.
“I think we’ve never really been given the respect that we deserve when it comes to placing in the CAA preseason polls,” Anding said. “I think everyone sort of saw [last year’s performance] and realized that we have to prove this year that we have to come out and put a strong performance in to get to the playoffs.”
But finishing the season strong will take winning on the road. The Huskies have only won five of 22 games since 2010 away from Parsons Field and will be the visiting team in five of their next six matches.
But Fayd’Herbe de Maudave said his squad isn’t worrying about that. Instead, the Huskies are taking it one game at a time, and winning will require strong efforts from the whole team – Anding included.
“We’ve got Michigan,” Fayd’Herbe de Maudave said. “That’s our next focus. We’re not looking too far past that. They’re a top side …We’ve just got to play our game and work hard.”
