They’re only a few games into the season, but it’s never too early to get some national recognition.
The Saint Leo men’s soccer team (2-0-2) has earned a ninth-place ranking in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll. The poll was released before their two most recent games: a 1-0 victory over 21st-ranked West Alabama on Sept. 19, and a scoreless tie against the University of West Florida Sept. 21.
(Courtesy of Mike Carlson)
While they’ve won just two games in the new season, the first was a big one: The Lions toppled second-ranked Carson-Newman University out of Tennessee, 2-0. The victory boosted the 17th-ranked Lions up to the 11th spot in the poll, and a scoreless draw against Clayton State propelled them into the top 10.
According to coach Keith Fulk, a good showing against Carson-Newman — which also was last year’s national runner-up — was important to establish momentum at the beginning of the season.
“We’ve built the program for four years now, and if you’re going to try and get to the final four or get to win a national championship, you have to play the best,” he said.
Even with the confidence he has in his Lions, Fulk admitted to being a bit surprised at how well the team came together so quickly and dominated the second half of that game.
While Saint Leo’s defense has shined with three shutouts, opponents are spending a lot of time trying to keep the Lions from scoring. The team has outshot its foes 87-35 so far, including commanding 35-10 advantage in shots on goal.
While Saint Leo is playing well in both aspects of the game, Fulk believes his offense is the team’s strength right now. The team is pressing forward well and displaying a dynamic style that’s giving opponents problems.
That offensive style is making it harder for teams to get many shots on the Lions, so their goalkeeper doesn’t have to work as hard. It’s been a recipe for success, but Manny Schoenhuber, now in his third year, actually wishes he was a bit busier.
“I like getting a lot of shots on goal, to be honest. It keeps me ready,” he said. “Of course I’m glad I get shutouts and all that, but I’m also here to save the ball. I like my job. I like being a goalie.”
Schoenhuber has had plenty of time to learn to like his job. Now 22, he started playing soccer when he was 5, and was involved in club soccer at 7. He hails from a small town near Munich, Germany, and played at the professional club level before coming to the United States.
Now in his third year with Saint Leo, he’s become a team leader and has seen a great change in the Lions’ approach to the game.
“When I first came here, the biggest issue we had was discipline,” Schoenhuber said. “It was just not a very professional way of thinking among the players. But that’s changed a lot now.”
Fulk credits a lot of that change to players like Schoenhuber, who have joined the team from other countries. Saint Leo has a number of players from Germany and France on the team, and having athletes who come from countries where soccer is so important makes everyone better, he said.
“I think the difference is their experience, their culture, their knowledge, their confidence. It’s contagious to the younger players,” Fulk said. “The Florida kids have learned. A kid said to me the other day that he’s learned more in three weeks than he learned in 15 years. And a lot of that is learning from the other players.”
For now, Saint Leo is having to learn to play with some national recognition and status associated with their name. They won’t be able to sneak up on teams, Fulk said, and playing in the tough Sunshine State Conference means there aren’t any easy games on the schedule.
Fellow conference member Lynn University was ranked No. 6 in the same poll, for example. Since then, the Fighting Knights lost their first match on Sept. 20.
While the Lions are proud of their ranking and excited about the attention, they all agree that the goal isn’t to ascend in polls, accumulate statistics or earn votes. They want to keep winning games and play well when it matters most at the end of the year, and in the playoffs.
“We want to be there in November and December playing,” Fulk said. “That’s our real target.”
And Schoenhuber agrees.
“At the end, the only thing that matters is that we win as a team,” he said. “I don’t care if I have 15 shutouts this season or only two. If we win the national title, that’s all that matters to me.”
Published September 24, 2014
See this story in print: Click Here
