In September the men’s soccer team went through a difficult streak, losing five straight games and closing out the month with a 2-6-1 record. It did not look like things were going to get any easier for the Jays, since only one of their eight remaining opponents had a losing record. The team could have accepted a losing season, but instead with the help of the upperclassmen, came together to fix their season, according to sophomore forward Kenny DeStefano.
This resolve made a difference as the Jays went on a six game unbeaten streak against some of the top teams in the country, including Neumann (7-2-2 at the time), Mulenburg (7-5-1 at the time) and Franklin and Marshall (ranked 21st in the nation). With all of the success of the past few weeks the team was finally becoming what it had hoped to be, but players knew they would have a difficult task against 18th ranked Haverford (11-4-1).
Saturday’s game occurred during Family Weekend and was the last game of the regular season. As a result, despite the cold and windy night, one of the largest crowds of the season came out to support the Jays. Hopkins took control in the first half with nine shots, while Haverford only mustered five. Despite the dominant play by the Jays, it appeared that the half would end without a goal. Instead, DeStefano put the ball in the back of the net.
In the 39th minute, sophomore midfielder Nigel Joseph stole the ball from a Haverford defender, hustled down the field and crossed the ball into the box. It was a perfect cross to DeStefano who one-timed the pass for his fifth goal of the season. DeStefano has become one of the top players on the team this season, but he has remained modest and always gives his teammates the credit they deserve. “I laugh though, when people congratulate me for scoring," DeStefano said. "That goal was entirely Nigel Joseph. All I did was redirect the ball.”
Thanks to Joseph's run and DeStefano’s finish, the Jays went into the half feeling confident and determined yet knowing they couldn’t let up yet. The second half proved to be tighter than the first, as the two teams constantly pressured each other. However, both teams struggled to capitalize on their opportunities. It seemed that the Jays would pull off an upset until the 81st minute when Haverford’s Colin Seitz lofted the ball into the box where freshman Tejan Walcott was standing alone. Walcott settled the ball and volleyed it high into the top of the net past goalkeeper Nick Cerrone’s outstretched arms to tie the game at one apiece.
The Jays continued to pressure Haverford through two sets of overtime to finish the game with a tie.
Saturday was full of great news for the Jays with the return of goalkeeper Nick Cerrone, who had been out with an injury since September. He seemed to be back in top form, playing all 110 minutes and making seven saves during the night.
With the tie, Hopkins finishes the regular season with a 7-7-2 record — good for the fifth seed in the Centennial Conference Tournament.
Hopkins will play Dickinson in its opener. Earlier this season, Dickinson defeated Hopkins 3-1, but DeStefano said he looks forward to the challenge. “I'm excited to play Dickinson again. The mindset of a team going into a (playoff) game is huge, and I love the underdog mentality,” he said.
Hopkins has also become a different team since the last time it played Dickinson, coming out of each game with a more focused attitude. “I think we need to continue to play our style of soccer and focus on ourselves,” senior midfielder Birin Padman said. “We've been doing that lately and it has made a huge difference.”
If Hopkins is able to play as well as it has been playing lately and not let Dickinson gain the momentum, the team will have an excellent chance to pull off an upset.
