CLEVELAND, Tenn.-The extremely hot conditions have let up just in time for the Lee men's soccer team to open the 2023 season. The Flames will test the University of North Georgia on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Ray Conn Sports Complex. It will be Faculty and Staff Night (free popcorn with ID) and Bishop's BBQ and KONA Ice Cream Trucks will be on hand for food purchases.
The Flames posted a 9-4-2 overall mark and were 7-3-1 against Gulf South Conference (GSC) opponents in 2022. Coach Derek Potteiger's club is predicted to finish second behind West Florida in 2023. He is rebuilding from a team that lost 12 players to graduation, including All-American Eemeli Makela and All-GSC defender Jeremy Bischoff. Makela, the team captain, tallied seven goals and dished off six assists while Bischoff will serve as this season's graduate assistant.
Missing Big Group of Players
"Obviously, Makela and Bischoff have been important players for us during their time here, and those types of players, leaders, and people are not easily replaced," explained Potteiger. "In addition, we had a big group of guys graduate that loved each other and loved being a part of the Lee soccer program. I can honestly say we miss all the guys that graduated last year."
Navarro is Team Leader
With only seven players returning from last season, junior Fabian Navarro will be called on to carry a heavy load. Coming off a year where he produced three goals and nine assists, the Dalton, Ga. native is projected to become an All-GSC for the third straight year. Eamon McLaughan and Marc Ehmann are the other goal and assist players who return.
"We have a good number of new players (eight freshmen), and they have all done well so far," noted Potteiger. "The trajectory of getting ready and becoming impactful is different for all of them, but if we are to be successful, we are going to need several of them to step up and have important seasons."
Defense is Key
The Lee coach was right on point when he said, "The key to winning in the GSC is to not give up goals." The Flames allowed only 18 goals in 21 goals last season. Noam Stein and Matias Siems earned their share of playing time as defenders while Stein was also credited with four assists. "We have a veteran group in the back, so our foundation will be in our defending, and then we hope to be able to score goals as a collective unit."
Appropriate Depth
The roster shows 26 players and is made up of eight freshmen, three sophomores, eight juniors, three seniors and four graduate students. "I think we have appropriate depth this year, and as some of the new/young players develop throughout the season, my hope is that we can lean on that even more," Potteiger pointed out. "Friday (followed by) Sunday games are always going to push us. We need to have top players to win in the GSC, but we also need to have appropriate depth as well."
Strong Partnership
Coach Potteiger was extremely pleased when he was able to bring Coach Danny Brandt to begin to build the 2023 season. Potteiger said, "Danny and I work together on all aspects of the program, and I think we have already developed a strong partnership in that way. He sees the game very similar to me, but also has different perspectives and ideas. I think that is a good balance and challenge as well. I am looking forward to getting into the season with him, as well as (graduate assistant) Jeremy Bischoff and (goalkeeper coach) Ryan Swartzentruber."
Peaking Right Time
Potteiger says the landscape of DII soccer changes so quickly from year to year – particularly now with the transfer portal. "You never quite know what to expect with the first few games because you have not had a chance to see your opponent on video. We are just hoping to compete at a high level and be ready to keep growing as a team. The key to college soccer is peaking at the right time and of course you want to win every game, but those first few games are a key part of a team's growth."
GSC Even Better
The coach took time to peek at the upcoming conference opponents. "As far as the GSC, I think this could be the strongest year from top to bottom the conference has had. There are so many returning talented players, and we have a top group of coaches that are good recruiters and good coaches. I only expect the conference to be even better this year. Every weekend will be tough, and we will have our work cut out for us that first weekend in Alabama, but hopefully we can get a few points and then come home for the next weekend of games."
