The Ravens men’s soccer team beat the Algonquin Thunder 3-1 on Aug. 26 ( Photo: Adam Dietrich ) 
 
 
The Carleton Ravens varsity men’s and women’s soccer teams are well into their training camps, preparing for the coming season and one which brings big changes to both teams.
 
The men’s soccer team has some big gaps to fill after players Ahmad Berjawi, Matt D’Angelo, Arjun Langford, Andrew Park and brothers Roberto and Jorge Gutierrez completed their five years of eligibility to play on a Canadian university team last season.
 
Coach Sandy Mackie said it will be difficult to fill the holes they leave behind.
 
In addition to the graduating players, key returning members of last season’s team are injured.
 
Goalie Karl Wasslen, midfielder Peter Mangrias and defender Nicholas Persichino are all struggling with injuries.
 
Persichino said his chances of playing this season are not looking good right now due to a chronic back injury. Right now, he said he is aiming to be back for next September.
 
Mackie said he is now actively recruiting new players but has to wait until the end of training camp to see how the team will come together.
 
“It’s a bit early to say [how the rookies will do],” said Mackie. “But I’ve got three or four rookies coming in that I’ve scouted and hopefully they can fill the mark.”
 
Mackie is no stranger to a young team. In 1994 Mackie was named Ontario University Athletics (OUA) coach of the year for taking ten first-year players to the post-season.
 
“We have to remain optimistic [this season],” said Mackie, “but it will be a transition year for sure.”
 
New women’s soccer head coach Alex McNutt, filling the shoes of nine-season head coach Andy Nera, said he is impressed with the new talent at his training camp.
 
He said there is definite competition for places on the women’s squad, so much so that some returning players may not retain positions on the team. Currently, he said, there are 21 returning players and eight recruits at training camp fighting
for the 22 spaces.
 
In preparation for the season, McNutt had to put together a coaching staff around him.
 
“The coaching staff I’ve put together is probably equal to anything out there,” he said.
 
McNutt said he believes having a new coaching staff will positively benefit the team this season.
 
“I think whenever there’s a new coaching staff coming in, things freshen up,” he said. “Players are not so comfortable; they get shaken up a bit.”
 
Last season the men’s team played host to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championship, where, after a 12-1-1 regular season, the Ravens came in a disappointing fifth place after a first-game defeat against Laval University.
 
Mackie said his goals this year still include making the final four.
 
“We’ll make the playoffs and take it one game at a time,” he said. “Carleton’s men’s soccer will still be a competitive team but there’s a bit of an experience gap that makes it difficult.”
 
The women’s team is also aiming for a final-four finish.
 
“What we’ve said to the players is that we must make the final four. That’s black and white. That’s what we’re aiming for,” said McNutt. “We’ve got a really athletic squad; it’s a squad that there’s a lot of drive and a lot of ambition. There’s a definite buzz in the air that the players want to learn and they want to work hard and they want to improve. There’s a good atmosphere around the [training] camp.”
 
Both the men’s and women’s teams will travel to Montreal Aug. 29 and 30 for exhibition games. The men will face off against the University of Montreal Carabins and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins, while the women challenge the Laval University Rouge et Or and the Sherbrooke University Vert et Or.
 
Mackie and McNutt cite these pre-season exhibition games as important to establishing team chemistry early in the
season.
 
Mackie said he is placing “huge importance” on these games.
 
“Just to see how we can compete, they’re critical,” he said.
 
McNutt echoed Mackie, noting that every game is important in such a short season.
 
“The importance is not on a result,” he said. “Of course we want to win – but what is important is that we get ourselves organized.”
 
The rosters for both teams will be finalized in early September.
 
Both squads kick off their regular season with road games Sept. 5 against the Laurentian University Voyageurs.