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LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY
POST PIONEERS
DOWLING COLLEGE
golden lions
return, LIU can really start expecting more
victories. Even with that, the Pioneers have
some areas to improve upon, and Collins has
already been making adjustments.
“Going into the year, we felt solid in
certain areas, but we had certain question
marks in other areas,” Collins said, “We have
to stop giving up the big play.”
Story by Kevin Freiheit
Photos by Morgan Harrison
The defense has had a rough time,
especially over the past two games, giving
up 86 combined points. It was a major
difference as the defense allowed just 28 in
the first pair of games. Collins is confident
that the Pioneers can recover from the losses
and put together a winning season.
DOWLING
Men’s
Soccer
A
Stands
Tall
“This team is sticking more together,”
Collins said, “Adversity causes some to
break, and others to break records. We’re
always working hard, and we have excellent
recruiting class that is showing.” A big piece
of the Pioneers’ puzzle is how the younger
players perform. “It’s a huge role from
younger players,” Collins said, “We’re very
happy with the freshmen class. We want to
he Dowling College men’s soccer
team was unsatisfied with their
T
“
We have a tremendous roster and Pioneers got off to a
This season, the
we have already won hot start again, winning the opening pair
more games
of games and scoring 71 points. However,
this year than all of last step backwards as they dropped
LIU took a year.
the next two games, falling back to .500
maintain a winning attitude, and make sure
the freshmen are seeing it.”
The confidence level for LIU is still
high, and the Pioneers believe that they are
a talented enough team to put together a
successful season. The coaches believe in
the players, and they are willing to work to
make them even better.
“I really do believe this is
a special group of players,”
Collins
said,
“They’re
preparing very hard to play
these games. Everything is
in place for them to succeed,
and we’re hoping for big
things from the Pioneers this
season.”
declining, and they have lost that winning
touch they held onto for so long.
results from a year ago. After
DiRico noted that the team lost eight
posting a 2-15-1 record, the Golden Lions games by only one-goal last year, but
knew that change was necessary. With regardless, it was still a disappointing
fter a disappointing finish to only 13 returning players, Dowlingfacing season. The Golden Eagles have played
last on the year. The Pioneers are has
already collected more wins than all one
season, the Long Island University an eerily similar situation to the of in four one-goal games this year, but have
Post Pioneers are looking to last year bythey were three ofseason, but are been on the winning side more frequently.
get that winning in last the first five
games this season.
back where they belong. Following two looking for a completely opposite
With an experienced coach like
successful winning football seasons, theHead coach John DiRico is game losing
outcome. Despite the two in his
DiRico, Dowling already has a starting
Pioneers finished with a 3-7 record 22nd year of coaching and understands
last streak, head Coach Bryan Collins is
point to get back on track. “We have a
year, falling short of their ultimate goal.
what itconfident that his team can get back on the
takes to win. The Golden Lions completely different team than last year,”
were right track.
Despite winning the first two games National champions in 2006 and DiRico said, “We have a tremendous
would consistentlyexpect season of 10 roster and we have already won more
of the year by a combined 91-36 score,
“I fully post us to compete,”
or
LIU was unable to keep the momentummore wins.said, “Our goal is the go 9-2, games this year than all of last year.”
Collins However, over to last
two one their performance has down.
going. Bloomsburg University halted years, week up and one week been
the energy and the Pioneers started an Attack the next opponent.” The
unfortunate string of defeats. Throughout Pioneers have been battling injuries
the rest of the season LIU would only during both this season, and the
win one other game,
Story by Kevin Freiheit a 20-15 victory over last one. While many coaches will
Millersville University
Photos by Morgan Harrison on homecoming never use injuries as an excuse,
weekend. A losing season can be looked they certainly hurt the overall
at in more ways than one. While it wasn’t quality of the team.
the anticipated or wanted outcome, the
“Our starting running back
Pioneers used the year to learn, rebuild has battled an ankle injury, but
and improve.
he’s playing through it,” Collins
“
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST
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Freshman infielder Alex Hailes is
one of the new players on the team
and is looking to get his collegiate
career off to a good