Jan. 28, 2008

One of the immediate goals for head coach Dennis Currier and the Dayton Flyers was returning to the conference tournament after missing out on postseason play in 2006.

UD accomplished that feat finishing 10-4-5 overall and advanced to the opening round of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Championship. Using an old-fashioned method of hard-work, team play and good defense, Dayton exceeded expectations thanks in part to a senior class that stepped up toward the end and viewed the emergence of its young stars.

Overall it was a good building block year for UD. The Flyers finished the season on a six-game unbeaten streak, had two players selected to the All-Atlantic 10 and NSCAA/adidas® Middle Atlantic Region teams and finished No. 8 in the regional rankings.

With a strong core of players set to return next season and the continued development and recruitment of the young talent, the success in 2007 will only bring added optimism for the 2008 campaign.

Defining Moment - There were almost too many to choose from, but the signature moment came in their first road victory at Butler. Trailing by a goal at two different points in the game, the Flyers used two second-half goals, including a game-winner by Joe Olwig with 1:50 remaining in regulation to pull out with the win. That game catapulted the Flyers in the NSCAA/adidas® Middle Atlantic Regional Rankings as high as No. 3.

What Went Right - The coaching staff knew that in order to reverse the team's fortunes from a 6-9-2 season in 2006, the club had to be better on the defensive end in order to spark the play of the midfield and forwards. With a healthy back four of Ryan Handbury, Randy Dennis, Sonny Renner and Tommy Watkins, the Flyer defense was as good as any group in the NCAA. In the nine games as a unit UD went 6-1-2 and allowed just eight goals on 110 shot attempts. At one point in 2007, the Flyers did not allow a goal in their last 282:25 minutes of play, Dayton's longest stretch of the season. Although Watkins went down with a season-ending injury, the Flyers eventually regrouped to secure the final spot in the A-10 Tournament.

What Needed to be Improved Upon - Eventually finding another go-to scorer. Dayton had a lot of balance on the offensive end with 10 different Flyers recording at least one goal. Alex Torda eventually developed into a premier player from the midfield position leading UD with six goals and five assists en route to a First Team, All-Atlantic 10 selection. However, the Flyers still looked for a consistent second and third option. There are plenty of candidates returning like Joe Olwig, Florian DeCamps and Jeff Popella who can become the next big scoring threat.

Biggest Surprise - Zac Gibbens established himself among the Atlantic 10's top goalkeepers. With a stellar defense in front of him, Gibbens became a strong presence on-and-off the field. In 2007 Gibbens was an A-10 Honorable Mention selection and ranked among the conference's Top Five in victories, goals against average and save percentage. The Loveland, Colo. native went 10-4-5 with a 0.89 goals against average and a .783 save percentage with six shutouts in 2007.

Fun Facts - Dayton has played well at Baujan Field over the past two years going 8-0-4 in its last 12 home games dating back to 2006...Dennis Currier's teams at UD are 13-0 when scoring three or more goals...UD had an international flavor on the 2007 roster with six players from overseas...four Flyers, Gibbens, Handbury, Dennis and Torda started all 19 games for Dayton this season...UD went 3-for-3 in penalty kicks with Gary Long converting two of them in the same half...speaking of Long, he scored all five points in the final two games of the year.

2008 Forecast - The core of Dayton's lineup will return as all four members of the back are in the fold and nine of the team's top 11 scorers also return. There is a question mark in goal after the departure of Gibbens, but the coaching staff believes one of the returnees, or a new member, will solidify the position. If the Flyers can build upon the foundation laid in 2007, expect the Flyers to be back in contention for the A-10 title.