BY RACHEL GALATIS
The men’s club soccer team beat Hult International University at Hult House Athletic Complex in Cambridge with a final score of 7-2 on Sunday.
“It was within the first few minutes of the game when I went in and the ball ricocheted off of Chris (Desmarais) towards center field and I sprinted towards the ball and was able to get a foot on it before I practically got tackled and it went past the goalie,” Jack Bowers, who scored within the first few minutes of the game, said.
Stonehill had a 3-0 lead in the first half with goals made by Cam Koch, Jack Bowers, and Matt Graziano, whose goal was assisted by Johnathon Paulhamus. Koch scored the first goal of the season outside the 18-yard box.
The second half came with an additional four goals, two of which were scored by Johnathon Paulhamus. Chris Desmarias and Matt Graziano also scored, bringing Graziano’s total scores for the game up to two.
The team does not have a coach, leaving it up to the captains to organize games and find referees.
Bowers said that he credits the win to the team captains, who have been hosting practices three times a week.
“The captains are doing a fantastic job at keeping the team together, working subs, and setting up the game plan,” he said. “Although it is definitely different than playing with a legit coach, I did not really get the feeling that we didn’t have one when we were on the field; we were playing well.”
The first game was on October 10 against Bentley University and ended with a final score of 0-4, leaving the team with a 1-1 record.
Wyatt Egan, a senior captain, said that he started playing his sophomore year and has made a lot of great friends since joining.
“What I love most about this team is connecting with a bunch of fun guys that bring a good time and who are just good people all around,” Egan said.
The players don’t just see each other at practice. They attend team dinners, gatherings, and other social events to bond off the field.
DJ Rankins, a junior captain, said it is important to form good relationships with your teammates.
“The guys know each other, and most importantly trust each other, so if I could give advice to someone wanting to play club soccer, I would say be ready to know your teammates on and off the field,” Rankins said.
The team plans to play games through the end of November and will continue to practice through the winter months. They intend to play games again in the spring.
Rankins said that if the team can accomplish anything, it would be to end the season with the mindset that they “learned something new.”
“At the end of the day, this team is very competitive, and we have a lot of pride every time we step on the field,” he said. “That is the best part about having the opportunity to play sports in college even if it isn’t on the varsity level.”
The Skyhawks will play their next game at Stonehill on Saturday.
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