VANCOUVER – To follow up on a 19-1 season, which included a Canada West title, CIS Championship as well as the honour of being dubbed the province's team of the year across all sports, is no easy task. For head coach
Mike Mosher and the UBC Thunderbirds men's soccer team, expectations remain high for the 2014 season with a slew of strong recruits and the majority of last year's squad returning.
The 2014 season has potential to be historic as the Thunderbirds can do what no other Canadian university has accomplished in winning three consecutive CIS championships.
As the most decorated program in Canadian history, UBC has achieved this feat twice. The team won three national banners in a row from 1984 to 1986. Then the Thunderbirds ran off four straight titles, beginning in 1989.
UBC opens the 2014 as the No. 1 team in the CIS rankings.
"Winning two in a row is quite an accomplishment and with the opportunity for a third, this year is an opportunity to do something very special," said Mosher. "As a coach I can sense it's a motivator amongst the group, which is fantastic. I think that with the core here that's been successful in the past, our group is aware of how hard it is to win it."
The UBC Thunderbirds are a stunning 33-1-3 (0.932) over its past two seasons in Canada West and CIS championship action, including a 16-game winning streak to close out the 2013 season that culminated in the team's 13th national title, nine more than any other CIS program. Last year, UBC became the first team since 2000 to sweep all five conference honours at the Canada West annual awards.
The team's sole loss over the last two years came at the hands of the University of Fraser Valley, which UBC faces in its second regular season match, after the team opens up its season against the University of Victoria Vikes on Friday, September 5. The Thunderbirds make their home debut Saturday, September 13 against the University of Northern BC for a two-game home stand. The newly structured league schedule sees UBC kickoff against solely BC-based schools as the Canada West conference grows to 14 teams with the addition of UBC Okanagan, Thompson Rivers University, and MacEwan University, based out of Edmonton.
Despite the success of the previous two years, the Thunderbirds looked to improve on their depth as some of last year's starters had minimal experience at the university level. With this year's recruiting class, and the returning players having one more season of experience under their belt, that issue has been addressed.
"Some of the players gained experience through a baptism by fire, where they were put into situations and opportunities which may not have been the case in any other year given the team's injuries," said Mosher. "Given the nature of our Canada West schedule we need to be able to rotate players in order to keep everyone injury-free and fresh in light of the bigger games at the end of the season. I'm confident that we've been able to address our depth concerns where our squad is now 20-plus deep and that's important in achieving our goals for 2014."
The T-Birds lose three core players from the 2013 squad including the Canada West Most Valuable Player and Joe Johnson Trophy nominee
Reynold Stewart, captain
Greg Smith, and veteran All-Canadian defender
Will Hyde. Yet, the team returns the majority of its offensive weapons, including four of the top five assist leaders from last year's Canada West regular season, as well as the league's top scorer in
Milad Mehrabi. Mehrabi was named to the CIS tournament all-star team, as well, after scoring the game-winning goal in the CIS final.
A constant target of opposition defenders,
Niall Cousens tore up the final portion of the season during the conference playoffs and CIS championships, scoring five goals over the last four games including a four-goal performance in the Canada West title match. The CIS Tournament MVP is sure to be an offensive threat again this year after a summer of action with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Under-23 roster. The team also returns the 2013 Canada West Rookie of the Year in
Sean Einarsson.
"We had Niall, Harry (Lakhan), and Sean spend time with the Whitecaps under-23 squad this past summer so all three enter the year quite sharp," noted Mosher.
Overall, the Thunderbirds led the Canada West in goals scored with 47, as well as leading in goals against, conceding a league-low 0.62 goals against per game. The team brings back three of its defensive anchors, including
Tyler Mertens and
Bryan Fong, but none more vital to the back end than
Paul Clerc, who returns for his fifth year as a T-Bird. The Coquitlam native is coming off his best season to date, finishing with seven goals. In terms of awards, Clerc was one of the CIS Top Eight Academic All-Canadians, the winner of the Canada West Student-Athlete award, a First Team Canada West All-Star and a First Team CIS All-Canadian. After winning the national championship, he was named to the CIS Championship's All-Tournament's team.
Now entering their third year of eligibility, Mertens and Fong are relied upon heavily, and have earned praise from Mosher for their ability to stay calm and collected.
"Both Bryan and Tyler certainly stepped up last year as starters and were able to get championship experience under their belt to go along with two national championships," he said. "There's no better way to gain experience than be put in at key moments in those big games."
With the departure of several key players come new opportunities for the younger generation, as the team boasts a strong recruiting class to continue the long-standing tradition of excellence at UBC. Striker
Kyle Sohi headlines this year's class, as he helped Surrey United reach the Challenge Trophy National Club Championship in the fall on top of representing Team BC at last year's Canada Summer Games. Sohi's teammate at Surrey United,
Karn Phagura, also enters the picture this season after helping Surrey United win the Provincial Premier Cup Under-18 Championship.
"Both Karn and Kyle have caught my eye with what they can on the ball as well as being very intelligent players away from the ball," said Mosher.
The Thunderbirds also add transfers
Jules Chopin and Tristan Wallis-Meyer from Simon Fraser University as well as Vancouver Whitecaps Residency product
Chris Serban.
"Chris is coming off a gap year where he spent time with the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency which helped him develop and prepare him for our level of play," said Mosher. "Jules also has a legitimate shot at factoring into our attack this season."
Out for the majority of last season with a lower body injury, goalkeeper
Luke O'Shea returns this year after playing just five games during the 2013 campaign, four of which were crucial playoff matches. O'Shea will be backed up by fifth-year senior
Richard Meister, third-year 'keeper
Chris Beck and second-year netminder
Ante Boskovic.
Because of injuries, all four players saw significant playing time and all responded with excellent performances when called upon.
The Canada West Final Four takes place October 31 until November 1, hosted by the Prairie Division's highest-seeded team come season's end. It all culminates at the CIS national tournament as the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown hosts November 6-9, a year after UBC triumphed at the University of New Brunswick.
