When Chase Brooks, coach of the Duquesne men’s soccer team, spoke to forward and graduate student Ali Nasser, he did so from the perspective that he had already identified a very competitive level that needed further improvement.
Nasser felt that it was not just up to him to go above and beyond, but that this was a missing piece of the puzzle that could help the Dukes in their collective quest for the Atlantic 10 championship.
“Coach Chase basically said we want you to raise the level and the level was already at the top here,” he explained. “So I’m here as the missing piece of the puzzle to get that extra push and score some goals, make some assists with my brothers, put a smile on everyone’s face and celebrate.”
Duquesne started the preseason with an extra gear in many ways, perhaps most importantly in the area of fitness.
Countless individual players on the roster took their work seriously over the summer and offseason, and this allowed for a greater focus on the tactical aspects the team wants to implement.
“It shows growth and maturity,” Brooks said. “We’re a program that demands high standards, integrity and discipline, and the team has met us exactly where we needed to be. It allows us to start training faster. We can start playing as soon as possible. We’ve always had a fitness-focused program, but this year it’s even better, which is exciting to see.”
Duquesne’s preparation for Thursday night’s season opener against Seton Hill has been all about blending the new players with those already returning. The result has been a culture that Brooks considers one of his best in years, and one that has led to agonizing decisions between the 11 starters, the 18 players who will get the most playing time and the 22 players who will travel.
When junior defender/midfielder Ashton Jell realized that, he couldn’t help but smile. He knows the potential to put it all together could make this season special.
“The drive and motivation has always been there and considering how tight the program has been the last three years, I really feel like this could be the year and that’s where the motivation comes from,” Jell explained.
Many of the newer players have considerable experience at the collegiate level, including Nasser, junior forward Dakota Jonke, who scored consistently throughout the spring and preseason and showed an advanced skill level in the six months he spent in the program, graduate forward Jack Rhead, redshirt sophomore defenseman Blaize Hardy, who came over from A-10 opponent VCU, Mikey Morales, who transferred from Tulsa, and redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sam Coss, who brings a winning tradition from Syracuse.
As for the newcomers, the dynamic Danish duo of Bendix Bennetzen and Marko Rasmussen have “started off full steam ahead,” according to Brooks.
Maxi Hopfer, who was selected to the Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference, leads the returning players. Hopfer, who once again adorns the captain’s sleeve, one of two on the team, is healthy again after recovering from a groin injury.
“I was looking forward to playing with him, but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance my freshman year and after my freshman year he got injured,” Jell noted. “I’m really excited to finally be on the field with him. He’s talented and raises the level of everyone on the field.”
The other captain, Christoffer Vie Angell, also helps lead a defense that is aiming to keep a clean sheet this season.
Angell will be joined by his friend Jesper Moksnes and a few other players who will be part of the defensive wall. Jell can also be relied on in defence. All of them will protect Zoltan Nagy, who will return as the best option for goalie.
One of the team’s shortcomings in the spring was its inability to communicate with returning players who were looking to combine forces with some newcomers, but Nasser said the difference between then and now is “immaculate and only getting better.”
Preseason polls are often based on the previous season, so coaches have little to no reference point. Ultimately, Duquesne finished No. 8 in the poll, but Jell’s expectations are much higher than a narrow berth in the Atlantic 10 Championship; he and the entire team are hungry for a ring.
“With this team, the sky’s the limit,” Jell concluded. “We showed that in the preseason. The defense is solid, it will be difficult to score against us this season, if at all. We have high goals in terms of clean sheets and we have a lot of goal scorers this season. We have firepower and a good defense and I believe that is the combination that will take us to the championship.”
VIDEO
