An Abnormal Year Leads to Growth for DePaul Men's Soccer
The Blue Demons have raised expectations as the squad eyes a return to normal later this fall
6/8/2021
CHICAGO - As last summer drudged on through the ongoing pandemic, hope for a fall sports season was dwindling. The DePaul men’s soccer team’s fall campaign was dismantled on August 12 when the BIG EAST office announced the postponement of the 2020 fall sports season. For a team that was welcoming a large crop of newcomers and looking to solidify its mark in the conference, DePaul men’s soccer would face hurdles that required perseverance and togetherness. More than nine months later, the Blue Demons are a more experienced group that hopes to establish a new normal for soccer in Lincoln Park.
While the fall sports seasons were postponed by the BIG EAST in early August, the DePaul teams still reported to campus for training. The Blue Demons were able to complete a “fall camp” while operating without much knowledge of what the future would hold. For the coaching staff and team, especially the incoming freshman, the situation was anything but normal.
“When we first found out what the situation was going to be with the freshman and how they were going to be isolated in their dorm room by themselves, we were really worried about how it was their first time away from home,” said head coach Mark Plotkin. “This was the beginning of their college experience and they’re just stuck in a room by themselves.”
The Blue Demons trained in smaller groups and pods in order to keep exposure to others limited. The team trained in masks and had to restrict normal activities off of the field in order to stay safe and healthy.
As training in the fall progressed, the group was able to come together to tackle the abnormal training situation. By the time the team was able to get on the field and compete against someone other than themselves, the bonds formed quickly between both newcomers and established leaders on the squad.
“Watching the relationships between the freshmen, at the end of the year they’re all best friends,” said Plotkin. “If a stranger walked up to the field, they wouldn’t be able to point out: that’s a freshman, that’s a senior. They’re just looking eye to eye and that’s been really important. The bonds between these guys have been fantastic to see.”
The Blue Demons welcomed 10 freshmen to Lincoln Park in the fall and a big goal for the coaching staff was getting the newcomers up to speed in the college soccer environment. The staff knew that a number of the freshmen would play significant roles right away, but getting the group up to the collegiate level of speed and intensity would be different than a usual year with a full slate of exhibition and non-conference matches.
By meshing the newcomers into training with a group of returners, the Blue Demons prepped for a spring season that would begin in late February.
After months of unknowns, the Blue Demons finally kicked off the regular season with a match versus Northern Illinois in Rockford, Illinois. After falling behind 1-0, junior Jake Fuderer converted a pair of scores to give the Blue Demons a 2-1 lead. After the Huskies equalized late, the teams battled to a 2-2 draw after a third goal from Fuderer was disallowed by the officials. The Blue Demons fought to another tie against Loyola-Chicago before falling in the first two BIG EAST matches against Butler and Marquette.
After a start to the season that featured some ups and downs, the Blue Demons were able to get settled in with their personnel and consistency as March progressed. A key matchup against Xavier in Cincinnati offered a handful of big moments that allowed the squad to gain confidence going forward.
Freshman Marek Gonda scored his first goal of the season to get the Blue Demons on the board and senior Timmy Iscra was able to head home a cross to tie the game at two in the second half.
“The second half of the Xavier game was when we felt like, okay, this is who we are and this is who we’re going to be moving forward,” said Plotkin. There was a feeling out process and some learning on the fly but I think if you asked any of our guys, they’d say we played well from there on out.”
The match with the Musketeers moved to overtime with the score knotted at two and the Blue Demons were able to grab the first win of the year when freshman Jacob Huth intercepted a pass and scored the game-winning goal with three minutes remaining in the extra period.
The victory provided a boost of confidence for the team and showed the newcomers that they belonged in the moments provided by BIG EAST play.
“Huth scoring the goal in overtime was huge,” said Plotkin. “We told him, if you’re playing in overtime for us, that’s the ultimate level of trust. When you make a play like that, that’s really big for your confidence and he just took off from there.”
After the win at Xavier, the Blue Demons tallied their biggest win of the season: a 2-1 victory over Creighton, the program’s first win against the Bluejays. After a Fuderer goal in the first half, Iscra tucked in the game-winning goal after a corner-kick cross by Ramadan. The goal was Iscra’s second in two games, earning him BIG EAST offensive player of the week honors while Ramadan claimed freshman of the week recognition.
Iscra, one of the Blue Demons most important senior leaders, played all over the field during the 2020-21 season, totaling a pair of goals while also providing key minutes on the Blue Demons’ back line. Iscra, along with goalkeeper Drew Nuelle and defender Brayden Callipari, helped set the standard as seniors who logged significant minutes all year. Nuelle, who has played every minute in net for the Blue Demons since arriving on campus, wrapped up an illustrious collegiate soccer career.
The three guys that everyone will know about are the ones you’ll see on the field,” said Plotkin. “Those three on the field have been outstanding by buying in and being great leaders. They need guys to look up to and see that this is how this is done.”
Plotkin emphasized the winning mentality that the group provided with Callipari winning a BIG TEN title at Wisconsin and Nuelle playing at national power Indiana prior to becoming Blue Demons.
Also completing their senior seasons were Eddie Perry and Cam Beezly. After DePaul’s scheduled senior day matchup was canceled due to COVID issues within the Xavier program, the Blue Demons held a scrimmage at Wish Field and honored its senior class.
“Eddie and Cam are two of the best people I have ever met,” said Plotkin. “They did everything the right way. We tell the guys to be great teammates on and off the field and those two were two of the best teammates that you could ever ask for. That’s the kind of character we want coming out of this program and those two will be extremely successful going forward.”
By the time the BIG EAST slate had wound down, the Blue Demons had fought in a handful of closely contested matchups. The final five matches of the season were all decided by one goal. The Blue Demons were outlasted in overtime by Butler and Marquette before falling to Creighton in Omaha, 4-3.
“In a lot of games this year, our guys were more frustrated because they felt like we played well enough to win the games, we created more attacking opportunities than we ever had but we just couldn’t finish those,” said Plotkin. “It was a different mentality this year and our guys don’t feel like their season was fully fulfilled and they’re hungry to get back out there.”
In the BIG EAST, the margin for error is slim when matching up with some of the premier talent in college soccer. Plotkin mentioned how important it is to assemble 90 minutes of play that include both making key plays in the defending side while also executing key chances offensively. The Blue Demons were able to convert on the attacking end in the season finale at Creighton, scoring three times but came up short against a side that moved on to the BIG EAST Championship Tournament.
Overall, the Blue Demons made the most of a year that featured plenty of unknown and unprecedented barriers. By embracing the challenges, the squad is now positioned with more confidence and hunger going forward to the full fall 2021 season. The Blue Demons will return leading goal scorer Jake Fuderer along with Matty Brickman and Jack Richards who both found the back of the net last spring.
“You really saw the development of Matty, Jack and Jake,” said Plotkin. “Their leadership roles grew a lot. Jake really leads by example, when he’s playing well, that means the team is playing well. Richy and Matty are a little more vocal, Matty really took a turn in the Creighton game and became more vocal and his leadership qualities started to come out. I’m really excited to see those guys step up.”
Plotkin also mentioned a handful of contributors among the DePaul reserves that will have increased opportunities heading into next season. With the culture aspect of the DePaul program being so important, the players who may not have had ample opportunities on the field yet, will be positioned to be contributors and leaders going forward.
The Blue Demons are eager to move to the fall, away from the hectic and unpredictable year that everyone around the world had to endure. While battling through so much both on and off of the field, the team will bring a new perspective and more experience back to Lincoln Park later this summer.
“I think the guys had a taste of success and what we can do, it almost feels unfulfilled,” said Plotkin. “There’s just some unfinished business. Those guys coming back, going into their senior year, they’re going to make sure we get over the finish line this year.”
