DePaul University Athletics
Men's Soccer Bids Farewell to Seniors on Saturday
10/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO - The Blue Demons will say goodbye to five extraordinary student-athletes Saturday when the men's soccer team faces Providence in a 1 p.m. BIG EAST match at Wish Field.
Three of them have spent the last four years of their life at DePaul and another is graduating after only two and a half years. The fifth senior has spent his last year of eligibility competing as a graduate student after playing at Notre Dame.
All five have made quite an impact on the program. Simon Megally and Kevin Beyer are team captains whose leadership will be hard to replace.
Beyer had a tough decision to make when deciding between DePaul and Georgetown. But the Boulder, Colo. native found his home in Chicago and has made significant contributions to the Blue Demons. Even though he was playing against bigger guys as a freshman, he held his own and found himself logging minutes on the field to gain experience.
"My goal has always been to be a consistent player in the midfield," Beyer said. "I wanted to be someone that people can look to and count on to be in a full game and give 100 percent."
Megally is from Park Ridge and wanted to stay close to home. Having his family's support at his games was something that meant a lot to Megally, and that would come signing with DePaul. Coincidently, his younger brother Aidan chose to do the same by attending Loyola and got to play against his big brother on Oct. 4.
Defying the odds, Megally started in his first three games as a freshman and led the Blue Demons in shots that season with 24.
As the years have passed, he has continued to make a statement and grown more comfortable on the field.
"People say experience means a lot, and it really does," Megally said. "Each year, I have taken another step forward and my maturity level has grown a lot. I have learned to harness my energy in a more positive way than when I was a freshman."
Erik Rodriguez has also spent the last four years of his life as a Blue Demon and recently made a push to spark the team's comeback.
The Blue Demons are battling for the sixth and final playoff spot and currently sit in seventh place, one point removed from the BIG EAST postseason. They have gone 7-5-2 and 2-3-0 in conference with games remaining against Providence, Butler, St. John's, and Marquette.
Rodriguez scored twice against Seton Hall for a 2-1 win to break a three-game losing streak and notched the game-winner in a 1-0 victory at Georgetown. He leads the team with his career-high seven goals.
"I play in a position that gets judged based upon your statistical measurements," Rodriguez said. "My role on this team is to score goals and it can get pretty tough out there sometimes, but I knew this year I had to be a leader and a mentor to the younger guys."
Rodriguez has made remarkable progress in his statistics from 2015 to 2016.
"I think my biggest jump is the mental aspect of the game," he said. "Emotionally, I have gotten better as a teammate and I have learned to not yell at my teammates as much and hold in my tantrums on the field. Going through a few hard moments with the guys my first couple of years prepared me well to become more mentally tough."
Defender Ryan Martire and midfielder Danny Lojek have left their mark in transforming this team.
Martire is set to graduate in just two-and-a-half years and will enter the seminary in Washington, D.C in January to prepare for the priesthood. He successfully competed in Division I soccer and flew through his academics in order to graduate so early.
He looks back on his time here at DePaul and reminisces on the 2015 season when the Blue Demons made it to the BIG EAST playoffs after starting the season 1-10.
"We persevered through the losses both on and off the field last season," Martire said. "We grew way closer as a team and barreled through adversity together. We kept a winning mentality and to have those wins was a really fun way to end the season."
Lojek spent his undergraduate years at Notre Dame and continued with his last year of eligibility as a graduate student at DePaul. He is working towards his master's degree in finance.
"My biggest fear was not fitting into relationships that had already been established," Lojek said. "But I came in and these guys accepted me. We joke, we laugh, and we have a good time. The relationships I have built in the few months that I have been here are my favorite."
Coach Craig Blazer has headed the men's soccer program at DePaul for the last 15 years and has watched each and every one of these players grow and develop. The seniors say that they wouldn't be the same without him.
"The guy is always coaching," Rodriguez said. "Whether we win or lose, he is always at the airport on our way home from away games giving you coaching points. He's always willing to talk to you about how to get better or how to execute your role."
These five seniors are all going their own ways when the season concludes. Rodriguez does not know what path he will take, but he hopes to find an internship. Beyer has battled a few injuries throughout his career and plans on taking some time to heal his body while figuring out his next move.
Megally would like to extend his soccer career at a professional level, but if that doesn't work out, medical school is his back-up plan. Martire is headed to the theological seminary and Lojek will complete his master's program within the next year.
All five have made a name for themselves and for this team during their time at DePaul. As they wrap up their final season, they are hoping to leave yet another mark by returning to the BIG EAST tournament.
And with just a few games left, these seniors plan on working harder than ever to leave a lasting impression on the program.
