Nov. 26, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern men's soccer is back on the map. The Wildcats made the Big Ten and the rest of the college soccer nation take note, as their 8-12 record matched the third highest win total in school history.
NU used a tough defense that cut the number of goals from 36 to 27, which resulted in seven more wins than in 2001. Over the course of the last two seasons, the Wildcats cut the number of goals allowed by 28.
Head coach Tim Lenahan, in his second season, did that much with his first recruiting class, the 28th-best nationally as rated by College Soccer News. The 13 freshmen who came in this season accounted for 37 of NU's 51 total points, including 14 of its 16 goals (88 percent of the team's offense).
Freshman Tito Lara (Joliet, Ill./Joliet) led the 'Cats with his six goals, including five game-winners. Lara totaled a team-best 13 points and 31 shots. Eric Brin (Westlake, Calif./Westlake), also a freshman, scored two goals, including the team's first of the season against Drury. The Wildcats went on to win that game, courtesy of a Lara game-winner, en route to an 8-5 nonconference record.
Northwestern notched its first home since 1999 when it defeated Northern Illinois, 2-0, on Sept. 25. The Wildcats would add three more home wins for a 4-5 mark at Lakeside Field.
Steve Jedlinski (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) and J.D. Martin (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) led the 'Cats' senior class of six. Jedlinski added three assists, bringing his career total to 11, good for sixth on NU's career list. He did not miss a start since 2000. Martin transfered from Rutgers for his final year of eligibility and made his presence felt. He posted a single-season school record seven shutouts in goal en route to his second-team All-Big Ten selection.
Doug Gibson (Novi, Mich./Novi), Justin Lesch (Bartlett, Ill./Elgin), Paul Elkins (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) and David DeHorn (Troy, Mich./Troy) completed their careers as regular contributors to the team. Gibson and Lesch each netted a goal, Elkins tied for the team lead with three assists and DeHorn started six of the 14 games in which he appeared.
Lenahan came to NU with a philosophy centered on a strong defense and the team continued its improvement in that area. Seven of their eight wins were shutouts, as the Wildcats allowed just 27 goals (1.4 per game), nine fewer than in 2001. They also allowed nearly 100 less shots. Freshman Jaro Pylypczak (Lombard, Ill./Benet Academy) became a mainstay in the backfield and one of the team's younger leaders. Pylypczak started all 20 games and put in two goals , including the game-winner against IPFW.
Freshmen Adam Sirois (Barrington, N.H./Berwick Academy) and Dave Vargas (North Olmsted, Ohio/St. Ignatius) and junior Jeremy Cook (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) were also three of the team's strongest defenders in the midfield. Cook, who garnered second-team Verizon Academic All-American honors, started all 20 games and held the Big Ten's three top scorers (Mychal Turpin, Pat Noonan and Chad Severs) without a goal. Sirois started all but one game and Vargas all but two.
Freshmen Kevin Earnest (Lemont, Ill./Lemont), Brad Napper (Dallas, Texas/Jesuit College Prep) and Alexander Renzi (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams) also enjoyed a solid first year. Renzi started 17 games and appeared in all 20, posting one goal and two assists. Napper added a goal and two assists in 17 games, and Earnest made 13 starts, recording one goal and one assist.
NU closed the gap on the rest of the Big Ten but came up just short of getting its first conference win since 1999. Northwestern lost one-goal decisions to Michigan State, Penn State, Wisconsin and top-ranked Indiana. The 'Cats went into the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 7 seed and nearly upended the Wolverines, the No. 2 seed. NU gave up a first half goal but rallied in the second half with numerous scoring chances before falling, 1-0.
Despite its struggles in the Big Ten, Northwestern, which started seven freshmen and one junior regularly, should enjoy continued improvement in 2003.