Coming off of a sweet sixteen loss in last year’s playoffs, the men’s soccer team hopes to use that loss as motivation for a better season.

“Us losing in the sweet sixteens is definitely a drive for us to work harder to have a successful season this year,” said keeper Nick Petolick, junior in business management.

Head coach Doug Elder said a key factor in winning games this season is for the team to learn from the past.

“We want to win it all. We want everyone else to be chasing us,” Elder said. “Every year we go in trying to put the past seasons behind us. We take it one game at a time and try to learn something from every game.”

With many returners and several new players making up the team, Elder said some early-season adjustment is necessary.

“We’re trying to get everybody on the same page, blend the new players with the returners,” Elder said.

The team’s chemistry is their strongest asset, Elder said, as the guys seem to get along really well.

“We’ve been bonding and getting to know each other, so hopefully that’ll translate onto the field and we’ll be able to do good this season,” junior transfer Albert Rodriguez said.

Not only is their chemistry a strong suit but also the way they’ve been working together on the field.

“Our teamwork [is a strong suit],” said left midfielder Ben Clarvis, junior in business management. “We work for each other.”

As the guys have been training since the spring and have just finished with two-a-days, their strength and ability has improved. Clarvis said it is shown in the many goals they have executed so far in the pre-season.

“We’re a very strong team, very fast and disciplined,” Petolick said.

The team trains everyday for three hours with special sessions that focus on each position played on the field. Each player has a personal goal apart from winning for their team. Petolick says as a keeper, he wants to try to get scored on as little as possible.

Of course conceiving goals is inevitable in the beautiful game of soccer, but Elder says that shouldn’t happen when playing a team that can be beat.

“We need to do a better job penetrating and not giving up goals,” Elder said. “We want to make a team beat us so we don’t beat ourselves.”

Poor defense would be the only reason for self-defeat. According to Clarvis there should be no need for that since “we pride ourselves on a good back four.”

Even with a strong line of defense it isn’t just the defenders in the back that have to do work.

“Everyone needs to work together in the back, everyone needs to defend,” Petolick said.

Approaching the regular season the guys keep in mind that in order to have a successful season they have to continue to work together.

“It’s not how you start,” said Elder “it’s how you finish.

Men's Soccer plays FC Dallas

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, heads the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The game ended 2-0 against FC Dallas. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, heads the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The game ended 2-0 against FC Dallas. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, heads the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The game ended 2-0 against FC Dallas. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Juan Farres, economics junior, heads the ball over a FC Dallas defender at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Juan Farres, economics junior, heads the ball over a FC Dallas defender at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Juan Farres, economics junior, heads the ball over a FC Dallas defender at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, tries to get the ball past FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, tries to get the ball past FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, tries to get the ball past FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, tries to get the ball past FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, tries to get the ball past FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Hindowa Momoh, psychology freshman, tries to get the ball past FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Andrew Power, business senior, runs upfield at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match against FC Dallas ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Andrew Power, business senior, runs upfield at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match against FC Dallas ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Andrew Power, business senior, runs upfield at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match against FC Dallas ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Laurence Chamberlain, undecided sophomore, runs to the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match against FC Dallas ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Laurence Chamberlain, undecided sophomore, runs to the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match against FC Dallas ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Laurence Chamberlain, undecided sophomore, runs to the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match against FC Dallas ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Members of the men's soccer team sit in the shade during halftime against FC Dallas at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The tempature was 99 degrees with 45% humidity. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Members of the men's soccer team sit in the shade during halftime against FC Dallas at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The tempature was 99 degrees with 45% humidity. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Members of the men's soccer team sit in the shade during halftime against FC Dallas at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The tempature was 99 degrees with 45% humidity. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Andrew Power, business senior, runs past a FC Dallas defender at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Andrew Power, business senior, runs past a FC Dallas defender at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Andrew Power, business senior, runs past a FC Dallas defender at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Ben Clarvis, business management junior, is held by a FC Dallas defender attempting to kick the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Ben Clarvis, business management junior, is held by a FC Dallas defender attempting to kick the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Ben Clarvis, business management junior, is held by a FC Dallas defender attempting to kick the ball at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Paul Sunderland, criminal justice sophomore, kicks the ball through two FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Paul Sunderland, criminal justice sophomore, kicks the ball through two FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Paul Sunderland, criminal justice sophomore, kicks the ball through two FC Dallas defenders at Moneygram Soccer Park in Dallas Saturday afternoon. The match ended 2-0. Photo by Lauren Roberts