By Chris Vaccaro
A monarch is an emperor or individual of royal significance. Matching up in a contest without your main segment of attraction decreases the chance of success. Pride junior forward Michael Todd sat out, and the Old Dominion University (ODU) Monarchs gave the Pride men’s soccer team a noble defensive lesson in a 2-0 defeat Sunday.
Todd, who was sidelined due to a knee injury, is the Pride’s leading scorer with three goals and nine points.
“He has been playing very well,” coach Richard Nuttall said. “Thankfully the injury doesn’t seem too serious.”
Although other players can handle a backup role and fill the void left by Todd, his style of play is hard to imitate.
“He is the focus of the other team’s tension,” Nuttall said. “The others did a good job, but Todd is the main focus of our opponents.”
Todd remains questionable with his injury, and saw doctors this past week.
It was hard from the start to compete against a team that has been ranked as high as fourth in the nation. The Pride (4-6-1) was held scoreless for the third time this season, and couldn’t muster enough offense to break the powerful Monarch defensive front. Playing defensively poised soccer the Monarchs (7-3-1) out shot the Pride 13-8.
“They really worked hard, and countered all of our moves,” Nuttall said. “They’re so good in the middle, and it led us to go outside a lot.”
One reason is the 4-4-2 defensive style of the Monarchs, which clogs the middle of the field, and doesn’t allow for much traffic through the center. Instead, it forces most offensive players to run outside, and taking away a majority of shot opportunities.
Since the game against the College of William & Mary just two days prior, which ended in a 1-1 tie, the Pride had a one day gap between games for travel, many players were fatigued.
“We didn’t perform to our usual level, and especially not near the level of our previous game,” Nuttall said. “The travel time played a part, but there was still a lack of concentration.”
Brian Cvilikas scored first in the game for the Monarchs in the 37th minute when he netted a pass from AJ Kulp.
The Monarch insurance goal was scored in the 69th minute, when Ross Mackenzie scored from just inside midfield.
Pride goalie Matthias Gumbrecht had four saves in the effort, and Monarch goalie John Connelly had just one shot to save in his fifth shut out of the season.
Although the Pride couldn’t beat the Monarchs, the players and coaches know improvements are needed to stay alive in the conference battles.
“It was a challenge, and we know we can play at this level,” Nuttall said. “We’ll have to continue to battle and put the effort in, because it’s not going to get any easier. We’re going to have to come together more, and get a little mentally tougher.”
The Pride’s conference record falls to 0-1-1 and its next two contests are against the teams that ODU suffered its only conference losses to. They play No. 6 Virginia Commonwealth University at 7 p.m. and UNC Wilmington on Sunday to end a six-game road trip.
Junior forward Jason Gates had the Pride´s lone goal in a 1-1 tie against William & Mary. (Photo Courtesy Athletic Dept.)