by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
Goalkeeper Mike Graczyk sees similarities between this spring and the spring of 2005.
This fall, if the UNM men's soccer team plays anywhere near the level of the 2005 squad, it could be a good year for the Lobos.
UNM played two exhibition games Saturday, beating Division II Fort Lewis 1-0 in Albuquerque and then Division III Trinity 3-0 in Santa Fe.
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"The thing that is positive for me is that the time we went to the College Cup Final, we had a very successful spring, and this spring has been a lot like that," Graczyk said. "That's what's exciting for me."
In 2005, UNM tied a school record in wins, going 18-2-3 and advancing to the championship of the NCAA Tournament, where the Lobos lost to Maryland 1-0.
Last season, the Lobos went 14-4-3 and won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title. UNM advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling 3-1 to the University of California on Nov. 15.
The only two seniors on last year's team were Lars Loeseth and Andrew Boyens, who was drafted 10th overall by the Toronto FC in the MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 12.
With so many players returning and the success so far, Graczyk said the Lobos are anxious for the regular season.
"We're definitely very excited for next fall," he said. "The spring is the time when we work really hard. People think the spring is an offseason, but we work really hard to prepare for the fall. I think people are just excited to see all that hard work pay off."
UNM head coach Jeremy Fishbein said the Lobos have had a good mix of competitors this spring, and having a variety of opponents is important.
"The good thing is, we got to play up to our best level, and not just to the level of our opponents," he said.
Throughout the spring games, Fishbein said he has moved players around. He said he wants players to get experience at different positions.
Doing so will help the team when fall comes, he said.
Graczyk said the team members who move around will feel more comfortable in the long run.
"I think it just helps out in our versatility, especially with a team that had a bunch of freshmen," he said. "I think the spring gives us an idea of where players fit better."
One of the most important aspects to preseason games is that less experienced players get more playing time than they do
during the season, he said. Fishbein said getting a lot of players on the field is key.
"The spring games are a chance to keep developing, and most importantly, the opportunity to get guys who didn't get many minutes in the fall," he said.
Although the 2007 regular
season is a few months away, the Lobos are optimistic about a successful year, Graczyk said.
"I think there's been a ton of improvement from our younger guys," he said. "It's definitely a good opportunity to get those guys on the field. I think it's definitely a benefit to our team."
