by BRYAN LAIL
Intern Sports Reporter

The Appalachian State men’s soccer team opened with a grueling five-game road slate in 2008, a feat they tackled on their way to a 4-1 start to the season.

It was the kind of success that propels teams to playoff contention, as it did for the Mountaineers when they hosted a first-round contest in Boone last November.

It is also a result the Apps would have gladly taken two years running, but after opening the season 1-2—including two consecutive losses against Radford at home and more recently on the road at Liberty—the Mountaineers’ young offense is running out of time to repeat last season’s early success.

“Most of the freshmen are experienced in Travel Academy so we feel comfortable playing away,” first-year defender Kojo Thompson said.

Appalachian went 1-1 in their opening week at home, beating Division III Emory and Henry 10-0 before losing to Radford 3-2 Friday.

Now, a stinging 2-0 loss to open road play against Liberty Monday, in which the Mountaineers’ only managed seven total shots, has abruptly upset their hope for another fast start.

With tournament time fast approaching, Appalachian now has a pressing need, even this early in their season, to put the pieces together on offense.

The Mountaineers are hardly in free fall just yet, but if things continue at this pace, they could find themselves in a hole too deep to climb out of.

“It’s a pretty good test over the next four games,” assistant coach Matt Nelson said. “It will give us a good indication of where we’re going to be at this year.”

Staring at them from atop that hole is a team that Appalachian’s soccer veterans least want to see there.

The College of Charleston, a team that brought Appalachian’s strong second half of 2008 to a surprising end, leads the Southern Conference with three wins.

Even though SoCon play has yet to begin, if the Mountaineers fail to establish themselves now, other teams may lay early claim to midseason momentum.

The once hopeful and youth-infused Apps are now left looking up early with four games to go in their lengthy stretch away from Boone, beginning with the UNC Wilmington Tournament this Friday, which includes contests against Alabama A&M and West Virginia.

Fortunately for Appalachian, both of their opponents for this weekend’s tournament are off to rocky starts as well.

With the matches being held at neutral UNC Wilmington, there will not be a better opportunity for the Mountaineers to get back on track.

After Wilmington, the Apps will get a weeklong break before they encounter what could be their stiffest test of the trip to kick off the UNC Charlotte Tournament Sept. 18.

Appalachian will face Winthrop, a team off to a 2-1 start after accumulating a 15-6 record last season. That record includes a 4-1 mark in neutral site contests.

“It’s a tough schedule, these five games away, they’re all quality teams,” senior Arie Muniz said. “It’s going to be tougher, I think, than last year, we just have to stick together and work as a team.”

Photo by Holt Menzies  |  Chief Photographer

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