Lake Forest College Sports Information
Contact: Mike Wajerski, SID

2003 Preview: Another Run at the Title
  

Senior forward, Dan Carver, hopes to kick start the season in the right direction.
LAKE FOREST, IL - It seems the goal every year for the Forester men's soccer team is the same - to win the Midwest Conference Championship. If the team can accomplish that feat in 2003, it will have as many such titles since 1974 as the rest of the league - combined.

While a few early-season losses prevented Lake Forest from repeating as conference champs in 2002, the team did post a 6-3 league record (the same mark as the 2001 championship team) and qualified for the four-team conference tournament. The Foresters played host and eventual tourney champ St. Norbert to a 2-2 tie through regulation and two overtime periods of their semifinal game. The Green Knights advanced to the final with their 4-3 advantage on penalty kicks.

The devastating loss dampened head coach Ed Kositzki's spirits, but only for a short time. "That was a frustrating way to lose a game and have the season end," he explains. "However, it has given us a little extra motivation going into next year, and we're anxiously awaiting the opportunity to redeem ourselves."

The 2003 team will be led by a pair of senior forwards who combined for 17 goals and 15 assists last year. Caleb Chase scored a team-high 12 times while Dan Carver paced the squad with nine assists. The duo had a part in 21 of the team's 38 goals and one assisted the other nine times. Chase was selected to the MWC's First Team while Carver earned Second Team honors.

Joining Chase and Carver among the league's best were midfielder Steve Teisl (second team) and defender Phil Schwab (first team) who will also be seniors in 2003. Teisl was third on the team with 14 points while Schwab anchored a defense that allowed just 1.5 goals per game and held each of its final 12 opponents to two goals or less.

"The 2003 squad will feature numerous players who are both talented (three have been named to all-region teams) and experienced," touts Kositzki. "With a few newcomers that can give us a little extra spark, we'll be able to continue our championship tradition at the conference level and advance well into the NCAA Tournament."