The UNC-Greensboro Spartans may find themselves at a crossroad of sorts as they enter the 2001 season of play.  In some ways the Spartans are a team with a lot to prove in 2001.  After losing to Charleston 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Tournament, UNC-G head coach Michael Parker issued a pretty stern challenge to his team when he stated  “This team lacked the ability to win, and that’s very serious.  Again we won the easy games, the ones we were supposed to win, but we couldn’t get ourselves in position to win the tougher one, without exception.” 

 

The seven  UNC-Greensboro losses in 2000 came at the hands of Coastal Carolina 2-0, Wake Forest 2-1, Furman 3-1, Dartmouth 2-1, Appalachian State 3-2, Duke 5-0, and Charleston 3-2 in the conference tourney. 

 

After winning their opening match of the season against Old Dominion, the Spartans recorded three defeats in a row with losses to Coastal Carolina, Wake Forest, and conference rival  Furman.  The Wake Forest loss was somewhat representative of UNC-G’s season.  The Deacons  scored first but UNC-G fought back to tie it 1-1 early in the second half on a goal by forward Alejandro Moreno.  It appeared that the Spartans might be getting the momentum but were unable to put the game away and Wake’s Ben Stafford scored at the 70 minute mark to give the Demon Deacons a 2-1 win.  The Spartans were in the game but they were unable to come up with the big goal needed to get the win.  

 

The 3 to 1 UNC-Greensboro loss to Furman was further evidence of the fact that Furman has become the team to beat in the Southern Conference.  UNC-G won the Southern Conference title in 1996, 1997 and 1998 but Furman took the title in 1999 and 2000 and they are the preseason favorite to take it again in 2001.  UNC-G has now lost their last three matches in a row to Furman and five out of the last six.  The gap between the two traditional Southern Conference powerhouses seems to be growing in favor of Furman.   One of the Spartan’s objectives and keys to success in 2001 has to be to turn the corner on that trend and to find a way to defeat conference rival Furman. Davidson, coached by Charlie Slagle,  is also very capable of making a run for the Southern Conference title.  In addition, conference foes Appalachian State, Charleston, and Georgia Southern have very competitive and well coached programs.  Wins over those conference foes certainly can’t be taken for granted. 

 

The 5-0 loss to Duke at home at the UNC-G Soccer Stadium in 2000 was the largest margin of victory ever against UNC-G for any visiting team.  Duke had a good soccer team last year but they were not that good.  Conversely, UNC-G was not that weak a team and that score was in no means reflective of the talent and ability of the UNC-G soccer program.  However, the fact that they allowed Duke to come into their house and thump them like that does make one question the toughness of the UNC-Greensboro team in 2000.  Just a year before UNC-G had played an equally if not more talented Duke team on the road losing by a score of 1-0 in a game in which they more than held their own.     

 

In 2000 UNC-Greensboro had wins over Old Dominion, Kentucky, Denver, Georgia Southern, V.M.I., Wofford, Charleston (during regular season play), The Citadel, Radford, Rider, Davidson, and N.C. State.  They tied William and Mary 2-2.   Kentucky, Radford, and Davidson were all very good soccer teams in 2000 and beating them was an accomplishment.  However,  Coach Parker was on target when he stated that his team won the games they were expected to win but they were unable to play well enough to defeat any of the ranked opponents that they faced. 

 

In that regard, UNC-G just like Furman (and any other team in the Southern Conference), must get wins over their ranked non-conference opponents in order to be recognized nationally.  Whether that is a fair reflection on the level of play in the Southern Conference is immaterial.  The fact is that in the past wins in Southern Conference play for the most part have not been given a great deal of weight in determining a teams effectiveness on a national level.  

 

Coach Parker also challenged his team when he stated  “The only solution to what’s wrong with this team is to recruit players.”   In that regard Parker recently announced that five recruits had signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Spartans in 2001.  The new recruits are as follows:

 

James Goodman of Palm Coast, Florida played high school soccer for Flagler Palm Coast High School.  A very competitive midfielder, Goodman was a four-time All-Conference selection and a First Team Florida All-State selection in 2000. 

 

Justin Towns of Lilburn, Georgia played high school soccer for Parkview High School.   Towns, a midfielder,  had an outstanding high school career and was also a  Georgia State ODP member.

 

Caleb Reed of Tulsa, Oklahoma is a tough and quick marking back.  Reed is a member of the Region IV ODP team.  

 

Jay Benfield of Lewisville, North Carolina is a very promising goalkeeper.  Benfield was a North Carolina All-State selection in 2000. 

 

Matt Durrant of Cary, North Carolina is a goalkeeper from Athens Drive High School.  Durrant has gained valuable playing experience as a multi-year member of the North Carolina ODP team. 

 

UNC-Greensboro and  Coach Parker have a tradition of winning.  In the 17 years that Parker has been at the helm of the Spartans they have never had a losing season.  As a Division III team, UNC-Greensboro won the national crown under Parker in 1985, 1986, and 1987.  In 1989 they were the Division II national runners-up.  In 1993 UNC-Greensboro made it’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a Division I team.  Since then they have earned a berth in the Tourney five more times.  In 1998 with All-American forward Siggi Eyjolfsson the Spartans had possibly the most talented team in the school’s history.  The lead the nation in scoring and advanced to the second round of NCAA Tournament action for the first time in school history.

 

However the Spartans have had a sub par season by their own standards for the past two years.  In 1999 they finished with an overall record of 13-8 and a second place finish in the Southern Conference behind Furman.  In 2000 they had an overall record of 12-7-1 finishing in a three way tie for second place in the Southern Conference once more behind Furman.