CRUZ CONTROL: Successful Season Ahead for Crimson

College soccer is a tricky sport to follow. It defies the laws of the game mandated by FIFA, with its unlimited substitutions and clock management (running down instead of up).

You’ll also never confuse a collegiate match—and its proclivity for long passes to nowhere, atrocious tackling, and inept refereeing—with a European night of Champions League. Brazil circa 1970, this is not.

But despite initial misgivings, the collegiate soccer scene is one of surprising regional parity, replete with traditional powerhouses and one-year wonders.

And in the midst of a revolutionary shift in American soccer towards a traditional amateur/professional set-up akin to European club soccer, our national team and professional clubs still rely on college soccer as a valuable resource for young talent.

But where, you may ask, does the Ivy League rank in all of this? While Ivy teams are traditionally an after-thought in big-time collegiate sports, the league has been resurgent on the soccer landscape over the last few years and looks to once again figure prominently in the post-season discussion this year.

Sure, the NCAA College Cup (the annual post-season college tournament) is routinely dominated by teams from the Big East, Pac-10, and ACC.

But Ivy teams have become permanent fixtures on weekly soccer rankings and will look to bring at least three teams into the post-season dance for the third year straight. The league also features top players such as Dartmouth’s Craig Henderson (2008 Ivy Player of the Year and member of New Zealand’s U-23 National Team) and the Crimson’s own Andre Akpan (Pre-Season First Team All American and contender for college soccer’s top honor, the Hermann Trophy).

With each passing year, the league has become more competitive and this year may prove to be the most exciting one yet. Four teams enter the season with legitimate hopes of winning the title this year, and several players will be looking to receive national accolades as well. Here are some items to follow throughout the year:

BEST GAMES OF THE SEASON



Oct. 3, Princeton at Dartmouth:

The first weekend of the Ivy League campaign showcases defending champions Dartmouth hosting up and comers Princeton. The Tigers boast an array of young talent, and this game will reveal whether they’re up for the challenge or just kittens in disguise. An early slip-up by the Big Green may prove costly for their title ambitions.

Oct.17, Brown at Harvard:

Brown will be looking to avenge a 4-1 defeat at home last year. Serving as the Crimson’s Ivy home opener, expect the Bears to bring their best, especially if the Crimson remains undefeated to this point.

Oct. 24, Princeton at Harvard and Oct. 31, Dartmouth at Harvard:

Harvard may be able to lay claim to the Ivy title during these two weeks... or quickly fall out of contention. Back- to-back home dates against two of the top teams in the League will serve as a mid-season gauge for the Crimson and will test the mental resolve of Harvard’s youngest players. The October 31st date with Dartmouth is already shaping up to be a de-facto championship game.

Nov. 15, Dartmouth at Brown:

Last game of the season for both teams. Major implications for NCAA seeding and possibly the Ivy title if Dartmouth and/or Brown successfully topple the Crimson at home. Both teams also played on the last day of the season last year with Dartmouth winning 2-0 at home.

OTHER IVY LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR



Daniel Keat, junior midfielder, Dartmouth:

The Big Green won the League last year despite missing Keat all of last year with a knee injury. A teammate of Henderson on the U-23 New Zealand team,Keat is fantastic in the air on set pieces and already leads the team in goals (four).

Lucky Mkosana, sophomore forward, Dartmouth:

The reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year will look to improve on his 11 goals and 24 points of last year and once again join the All-Ivy First Team. Dartmouth boasts a formidable attack with Henderson, Keat, and Mkosana and will serve as the Crimson’s chief contenders for the title this season.

Nick Elenz-Martin, senior midfielder, Brown:

Will be heavily relied upon to control the middle of the pitch for Brown. Elenz-Martin will also be looking to recapture his form from sophomore year, when he was an All-Ivy First Team selection.

Paul Grandstand, junior goalkeeper, Brown:

Grandstand saw his save percentage decline last year from his stellar Rookie of the Year season in ’07 (0.811 to 0.636) but has gotten off to a fantastic start in ’09 (one goal allowed in four games). Still arguably one of the best keepers in the league when on his game, look for Grandstand to play an integral role in guiding Brown back to the NCAAs and contending for an Ivy title.

Antoine Hoppenot, sophomore midfielder, Princeton:

All-Ivy Second Team last season, will certainly push for a place on the first team this year. Already has two goals in three games for the season. He will be the catalyst for Princeton’s young armada.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2009

WHO’S DANCING AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT?



Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard:

Princeton and Penn come close, but will ultimately miss out on post-season play.

The Tigers’ young lineup will certainly contend, but road games to Cambridge and Hanover will put the kibosh on any Ivy-title aspirations.

The Quakers, co-defending champions, lost quality seniors such as Alex Grendi and Omid Shokoufandeh and will have trouble replacing their goal contributions. Road games to Brown and Harvard at the end of the season also spell trouble for their post-season chances.

IVY ROOKIE OF THE YEAR



Brian Rogers, Harvard:

Rogers has already gotten his Crimson career off to a fine start, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists in four games (coming off the bench in each one). Head Coach Jamie Clark has brought in a stellar freshman class (topped only perhaps by Dartmouth’s) and with it, the best rookie in the league.

IVY PLAYER OF THE YEAR



Andre Akpan, Harvard:

Does the sun rise in the east? Will Kanye West embarrass himself on national TV? Like all things pre-ordained, you could have declared Akpan the 2009 Ivy Player of the Year in his freshman year. After a good, but not great, season (by his standards) last year, Akpan has never looked so determined than he has this season. 11 points in four games (Four goals, three assists), Akpan looks motivated to finally get the Crimson into the sweet six and perhaps further while racking up individual accolades in the process.

IVY FINAL TABLE

1. Harvard 2. Dartmouth 3. Brown 4. Princeton 5. Penn 6. Yale 7. Columbia 8. Cornell



The season, for all intents and purposes, comes down to that October 31st fixture between Dartmouth and Harvard. The Crimson were blessed by the scheduling gods this season—playing Brown, Princeton, and Dartmouth at home.

It seems awfully curious for a Crimson columnist to predict an all-around sweep for Harvard, but Cambridge is a tough place to play at once the winds start changing and the temperatures begin dropping.

Beating Boston University and Boston College back-to-back wasn’t an aberration; it was a precursor of sthings to come.

—Staff writer Mauricio A. Cruz can be reached at cruz2@fas.harvard.edu.