With the season coming to a close in the next few weeks, the soccer team is hoping for a big finish in the conference tournament.
With only two losses in their overall record, including non-conference games, making it to the finals is no pipe dream. Picked to finish fourth in the USA South preseason poll, the Scots are currently sitting in third place, behind two teams they have already beaten this year, NC Wesleyan and Greensboro.
Covenant has four games remaining in the regular season, all of which they are the favorite to win, and three of which are home contests. Currently, the Scots only have one home loss on the season and are looking to build off the support of the home crowd in order to make a run at the one or two seed heading into the conference tournament.
When asked about how this year’s team has accomplished this so far, Ian Meredith, one of ten seniors on the team, says that the depth of this squad is a big part of what makes this team successful.
Meredith said, “We are each individually talented. If one is to look at each position on the field there is complete confidence in the man playing behind the starter.”
Meredith has contributed six goals, a career high, to the team's overall season goal total of twenty-eight. But being talented is not the only strength of the soccer team. Daniel Kubin, a junior and goal keeper for the team, says that the team has great chemistry on and off the field.
Kubin said, “Everyone gets along and envisions the same goals.” The closeness of the team may be enhanced by the fact that there are a good amount of returning seniors on the field, but also because there are a couple of sets of relatives on the team as well.
Hunter and Russell Harrison are not only twin brothers, but are both returning seniors. Builder Brock, a transfer from UGA, and his cousin Hunter Brock, who is a sophomore this year, join Builder’s brother Hudson Brock, who is another returning senior this year.
Builder, who previously played on UGA’s club team and Chattanooga’s local semi-pro team with teammate Snoopy Davidson, says that this team is different from any he has ever played on.
“I've never been on a team where the whole team views and plays soccer as a form of worship. It is amazing to have 20+ guys around you working their tails off every day and seeking to glorify God through the way they play and interact on the pitch,” Brock said.
In this case, it is not just a clique to say that the soccer team is playing for more than just another game win, but to glorify God and lead by example in the process. And although it seems like they have the recipe to success, they still go into every game with the mindset to work hard.
“It’s a game-to-game performance that we can’t overlook,” said Kubin. Meredith continued by saying that the goals of the team will increase as the season comes to an end: “After the NC Wesleyan game we are expecting to build on that win and play better each time, setting the standard higher. Each of us wants to get better with each game.”
With a few weeks left in the season, the soccer team hopes to represent Covenant well upon entering the conference tournament. Coming off a big 4-1 win over second place N.C. Wesleyan, the Scots now have a conference record of 4-1-1 and an overall record of 8-4-2.
Come out and support the team as they try to build on their momentum in their final conference home games next weekend against Averett and William Peace!