UPEI SEASON PREVIEW: After successful 2021 season, Men’s Soccer Panthers aim for more than a playoff berth
Last season, no one knew what to expect from UPEI’s men’s soccer team. They were a young, inexperienced group who defied expectations and battled their way to a playoff spot. A year later, this team is brimming with confidence and looking to do more than just make the playoffs.
“The goal is to win it all, and I’d like to go into the playoffs as one of the top two seeds, which means bumping off some of the big boys along the way. And, it’s about time we did,” said Panthers head coach Lewis Page.
Page said this team may be the deepest he’s ever coached, and like many past iterations, this squad is a defensive juggernaut.
Last season, the Panthers allowed the second-fewest goals (12) in the AUS conference and did so while fielding three rookies along the backline. Max VanWiechen and Jonathan MacKenzie, who bring size and grit to the lineup, will once again start as the two centre backs, while Riad Jaha and a combination of Colin Curran, Emmett Lyons, and Daniel Whalen will see the bulk of their playing time at wing back. As the last line of defence, Page plans to go with Evan Couturier as the starting keeper, with Isaac Wolters serving as the primary backup.
VanWiechen said the team’s defensive success is not about any one player, but about the collective, and he believes they can be as good as they were last year.
“Our roster is full of great defenders, and I think our back four is one of the best in the league,” he said. “But defending as a team is what makes us great. When we’re all moving and communicating together, we are one of the hardest teams in the league to break down.”
Meanwhile, the midfield continues to be in safe hands with Kasper Lasia, whose strong debut last season may have been a tease of bigger and better things to come for the talented sophomore. Page is excited to see that journey unfold.
“Kasper’s a special player,” said Page. “It’s time for him to take the next step and start dominating during our games, which I think he’s more than capable of.”
Khalil Sow returns after a year away from the club and will form a potent one-two punch with Lasia, as the two will be responsible for commanding the centre of the field and dictating the pace of the game. Duncan Murray will also see plenty of action in the midfield, while Curran’s versatility gives Page options to use the captain in various ways.
After depositing 14 goals last season, UPEI looks to generate more scoring opportunities in the attacking third in 2022. Page said his team is comfortable running different systems game-to-game to help improve in that area, whether it’s stretching out the opposition with a wide approach or stacking the middle with playmakers.
Leading the point of attack are strikers Nathan Chow and Samuel Akinsola, who look to become the first Panthers to score more than five goals in a season since 2017, when two-time all-star Sam Smiley recorded six. They’re both capable of accomplishing the feat, as Chow is coming off his first all-star selection, while Akinsola led the team last season with four goals.
If they find a way to consistently put the ball in the net and continue to play relentless defence, the Panthers could be more than just a playoff team. But with an unforgiving schedule, it won’t be easy as they’ll face off against the Cape Breton Capers and St. Francis Xavier X-Men twice each before closing their season in Newfoundland to take on the Memorial Sea-Hawks for a weekend set.
“The regular season is going to test us in a way that by the time we get to the playoffs, we’ll be battle tested and ready to go,” Page said.
Despite the difficult road ahead, the confidence the players have in each other outweighs the challenges that lie in front of them.
“We’re excited to get the season started,” said Chow. “We have a lot of talent on this team, and we believe we’re good enough to steal some points from the top teams in this league.”
The UPEI Men’s Soccer Panthers take on the Cape Breton Capers in their season opener this Saturday, September 10 at 3:15 pm. A week later, the Panthers will host the Saint Mary’s Huskies for their home opener on September 17 at 3:15 pm.
