By Chris Judd & Jake Fischer, News Staff
The Northeastern men’s soccer team’s 2013 effort came to an end Saturday as the Huskies dropped their first round Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament matchup to Delaware in a 1-0 double overtime decision.
The loss caps off what was a season full of high expectations for the 2012 CAA conference champions. This season, the Huskies and coach Brian Ainscough returned most of their key pieces from their championship run, including the majority of their back line and senior midfielder Dante Marini. But ultimately, the loss of 2012 leading scorer Don Anding to Major League Soccer proved too big of a hole for Northeastern to fill.
On the season, the Huskies scored just one goal per game, 18 on the season.
After defeating Delaware back at Parsons Field on Oct. 16, Northeastern claimed sole possession of first place in the conference standings and looked on pace to secure home-field advantage throughout the conference tournament. But Ainscough’s team dropped all four of their season-ending matchups before bowing out to the Blue Hens in the playoffs.
“It was definitely a rough season just with injuries and guys being ineligible,” Marini said. “We really caught some tough breaks and really didn’t get anything in return. It seemed like we weren’t that far away throughout the whole season. It’s frustrating, but that’s also the game of soccer.”
Northeastern’s season ended when Delaware’s Roberto Gimenez scored on a penalty kick in the 106th minute.
“There are a million different plays you wish you would’ve done differently, but that’s the game and that’s why it’s a game. You can’t change it,” Marini said. “There are none that really, really stand out but you flash back to moments during the season where you think you could’ve done something different. But we didn’t so we can’t dwell on the past. We have to move forward.”
Marini led the Huskies (6-9-3) in points (17), goals (6) and assists (5). And although Marini and fellow seniors Conner Alexander, Nikko Lara, Jonathan Eckford and Laurence Braude saw their career’s end on a negative note, the program is still in great shape for the future.
“It’s a little frustrating and definitely not the way you want to end your season, but I guess you can take some positives away from it,” Marini said. “A lot of freshman came in and did well, so there’s definitely a lot to build off of for next year.”
In fact, the Huskies will return 11 true freshmen from this season next fall and also bring back standout sophomores Terence Carter, Devin Devoy and Dylan Faber. Those youngsters will go back at it with a strong returning cast of upperclassmen as well, most notably defenseman Simon Cox and Ambry Moss.
That strong nucleus is just another nod to the prolific program Ainscough has built in Brookline. Marini said he feels fortunate to just have been apart of it.
“It’s just been an awesome experience through all of the ups and downs, from coming in freshman year and not knowing if I was going to even play to being a captain the past few years and winning a CAA Championship and scoring a goal in an NCAA Tournament game,” he said. “It’s just been an awesome ride. I just want to thank the whole Northeastern athletics [department] and [Coach] Ainscough for giving me a chance. In high school, no one else recruited me. So, I’m really thankful for him for just giving me a chance to have this experience. It’s been fun.”
The former captain thinks the program has a bright future. What would his advice be to the younger players he’ll leave behind upon graduation?
“Take every moment for what it’s worth, you can’t sit a play out,” Marini said. “Play everything game like it’s the last chance you’re ever going to get, because you never know who’s watching or what a difference it’s going to make.”
