In 2003, most thought 2004 would be "the year" for the AU men's soccer team.
But after a crazy, volatile and ultimately disappointing season last year, an older, wiser but depleted squad is taking things one step at a time.
"The only expectation I've given these guys," said AU head coach Todd West, "is to work harder than everyone else, and to play as a team. We didn't do that last year."
This year's first steps are two matches in the D.C. College Cup, against Howard Saturday and Georgetown Monday.
While AU's season officially started with a 1-0 loss at Drexel last Wednesday, this weekend's tournament at Reeves Field may be the first major test of the Eagles teamwork, heart and discipline - intangibles that were absent last year.
The 2003 team had loads of talent - including nine juniors who could've been two-year starters for. But it never gelled and missed the Patriot League tournament for the first time since AU joined the league three years ago.
Then in January, leading scorer Peter Philipakos signed with Greek pro side AEK Athens, leaving a year early. Tempermental forward Andrew Herman also left a year prematurely, defecting to Rutgers when West dismissed him for violating team rules.
AU graduated only one senior last spring, but lost nine other players. Some transferred, and some were released.
While eight starters do return this season, AU enters 2004 much younger and more fragile than expected.
"We had some talented players," West said of some of his departed players. "But they were not, in my opinion, good people to represent the program. I hope the strength of (this year's) team is team chemistry. We got rid of guys that thought they were 'the man'."
The seniors who survived last season's hardships are the key elements to that chemistry.
"As a whole, I think the team can look up to us, as a group that's been through good times and bad," said senior defender and co-captain Nick Zaron,
"We still have a lot of experience," added senior midfielder Shawn Kuykendall, who captained 2003's team, but will settle for being field general in 2004. "We've played in two NCAA tournaments. We have guys that have been there, work hard, set a good example, and are respectful to coaches."
Sean Albright is a senior defender and a co-captain, and Charlie Koniver is the third senior in AU's back four. Albright's strength, and Zaron and Koniver's work rate, should anchor this year's squad.
Kuykendall, sleek and skillful, will still marshal AU's attack. Senior goalkeeper Thomas Myers should again be solid in his second season as a starter.
And then there's utility man David Marut, who in his senior year will attempt to transform himself from a wing midfielder to a target forward.
Marut represents a new battle plan for the Eagles, which West said will try to make up for goal-scoring inexperience by pushing more numbers forward at opportune times.
"Our formation is going to change." West said. "You can call it a 4-3-3, but a lot of times it will look more like a 4-5-1 when we defend."
Marut should fill one of those quasi-forward positions, with juniors Freddy Llerena and Ryan Boyd and sophomores Sal Caccavale and Garth Juckem set to join him. Those four are all midfielders, though Caccavale most closely resembles a forward.
Junior midfielder Gordon Templeman is out with a foot injury, but should return by the time the PL season starts. He would complete a potent midfield that hopes to compensate for an inexperienced attack.
"I'm nervous about where the goals are going to come from," West said. "But I'm optimistic because I think we can get some team goals."
In the end, while last year's team sold itself on raw talent, this year's side is counting on attitude, work ethic and unity to light the way to a return to the postseason.
"What we lost on the field we gained in attitude," Kuykendall said. "The attack might be the weak point. But in terms of possession, I think we'll keep the ball a lot better. It actually motivates me to get up around the box more often, knowing more goals need to come from the midfield.
"We just have to do whatever it takes to win games," Zaron said. "It might not be pretty. But I'm excited about it"
