New faces look to make an impact this year for men’s soccer in their quest for another SLIAC championship
Kenya Rosabal
Staff Writer
Assistant coach Dino Music said he has confidence Webster’s men’s soccer team has what it takes to win a championship.
The team welcomed seven new freshmen and transfer players to the roster who come from around the globe and share one goal: to win. The new faces of the team said they are eager to bring their game to the field.
The Gorloks started the 2018 season with a 7-0 winning streak and ended as the third best season in Gorlok history according to SIDEARM Sports Incorporated.
Webster and Fontbonne University soccer have seven men’s conference championships according to the SLIAC website. The Gorloks have a chance to win their eighth title this season, the most out of any team in the conference. The team finished 2018 in second place with a 14-4-2 overall record.
Music said the players felt excited to get on the field and showcase their skills. He said they have been working hard during the offseason, showing they are ready to go in and take the season by storm.
“They’ve been waiting on the moment for a while now,” Music said. “The new players know what we expect of them and our culture.”
The new players said they’ve felt excitement since preseason started where they got a taste of what they’d do for the upcoming season. However, with excitement came nerves for some new members on the team.
Freshman forward Jarret Gabriele said his teammates were welcoming for the first practice which helped him ease onto the team.
Gabriele started varsity at Rolla High School all four years where he had 83 goals and 32 assists for his high school career. Gabriele said his goal for the season is to contribute in any way possible.
“I’m focused on working as hard as I can to establish myself on the team,” Gabriele said.
The players agreed team bonding is one of the most important parts of the game. From carpooling to and from practice to getting dinner afterward, the Gorloks have kept one another company.
“The longer you spend time with people, the more you can feel comfortable around them,” freshman defenseman Tavis Cameron said. “That definitely helps when you’re actually playing on the field.”
Cameron attended Parkway South High School. His school named him Defensive Player of the Year and he earned team MVP honors his senior year according to the Webster Athletic Department website.
Junior midfielder Valentyn Trehub said bonding helped him transition onto the team. Trehub served as team captain for Webster Vienna’s men’s soccer team before he made his way to play for the team here.
“The first day I thought I would explode because there was so much energy from the team,” Trehub said.
Trehub chose to play for the Webster home campus during the fall semester before he returns to Vienna. He said his goal for the season is to make an impact before he leaves.
Music said he’s excited to see all the new talent and how that will shape the entire team.
“Our goal for the season is to, go out and attack, don’t let off the gas and keep running through teams,” Music said
Contact the writer:
websterjournal@gmail.com
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