The Lehigh men's soccer team is accustomed to success. Just three years removed from a Patriot League Championship, the current senior class has experienced what it takes.
 
"What it takes" is the right mindset and an understanding that the journey of winning a championship is a marathon, not a sprint.
 
"If we're so focused on a championship at this stage of the season, we may forget about what we have in front of us," said Dean Koski, who is entering his 27th season as Lehigh head coach. "I really want us focused on the process."
 
One way the Mountain Hawks are focused on the process is creating a team-first culture, a culture that will result well beyond a single practice or game. It will be a staple of Lehigh men's soccer's identity.
 
"While it is still preseason, I do see a sense of playing for one another out there," said Koski. "If we can continue to build, I would like to think that team-first culture is (and will be) one of our strengths."
 
When looking at Lehigh's recent history even beyond its 2015 championship, the Mountain Hawks captured the No. 4 seed last season to earn their second Patriot League Quarterfinal home game in three years. And despite losing several talented seniors from last year's roster, the Mountain Hawks have all the ingredients that it takes to make 2018 special.
 
Goalkeepers
Junior Will Smith returns in goal after starting 18 of the team's 19 games last season and posting a 1.26 goals against average and 0.732 save percentage, with four shutouts. Smith leads a strong group of four goalkeepers. 

 

"Will is our incumbent starter and it's his position to lose," said Koski. "He's coming off a good spring and so far, he's been sharp in preseason. Ian Marshall is right now our backup and also had a good spring for us. He's a very capable backup and if he ever needs to step in and start, we'll be fine.
 
"Paul Steingraber is a senior and a great guy to have on a team," Koski continued. "We love Paul because he's here to help the team in any way that we need help. Noah Sutherland is a freshman who is finding himself and doing great.
 
"We really feel like we have four capable keepers who we could count on at any time."
 
Defenders
Junior Zarin Tuten looks to lead Lehigh's back line after starting all 19 games last season. Along with his defensive efforts, he scored the game-winning goal in a thrilling 2-1 win vs. St. John's.
 
"Zarin is going to bring the most experience as our center back," said Koski. "We're also looking at two sophomores, three freshmen and another junior in Nolan Coulter, who are all competing."
 
All battling for playing time are sophomores Tyler Dressman and Jonathan Blaine and freshmen Dawson Berger, Justin Scharf and Patrick Adams. Senior co-captain Matt Morana is expected to return by Patriot League play, which will provide the Mountain Hawks with some experience and leadership in the back. 
 
"We have talented players, but we're going to be reasonably young in the back," said Koski. "Hopefully, if you're good enough, you're old enough. Starting to solidify ourselves in the back and get that squared away has been one of our primary focuses."
 
Midfielders
The Mountain Hawks are arguably deepest in the midfield, led by senior Oscar Greene, who scored three goals a season ago to earn third team All-Patriot League honors.
 
"Oscar will play an important role in the midfield," said Koski. "Matthew Peralta is a junior while the rest of the guys are all sophomores - Stevo Bednarsky, Trevor Koski, Blaise Milanek, Ikem Mbalewe. We have a young and solid core there."
 
Freshman Nick Jennings is also in the mix in the midfield, as is sophomore Sam Steinberg.
 
"We're freshman-sophomore heavy in our midfield, but we really feel good about what we have," said Koski. "There's a potential for us to platoon all four midfield positions because we have depth there. Our starting four and our subs will change a lot, but we feel really good about the eight guys we have right now. We could literally play two lines of four at any given time and feel like we haven't lost anything."
 
Forwards
Lehigh's forwards are led by one of the nation's most dynamic offensive players in senior Mark Forrest, named a United Soccer Coaches third team All-American in 2017. Forrest finished the year tied for the second most points (38) and third most goals (15) in the country, also garnering Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year following the season. 

 

For all Forrest has accomplished, he will need someone else to step up alongside him now that Doyle Tuvesson has graduated (after recording five goals and 10 assists in 2017).
 
"We have to find the right partnership with Mark," said Koski. "Junior Tommy Dokho, freshman Josh Luchini and freshman Michael Tahiruall possible options. No one right now has distinguished himself to be that guy. We could also play Luchini out in the midfield if needed.
 
"We don't have extensive depth at the forward position, but we're only playing with two," Koski continued. "We certainly should have two capable starters and two capable guys coming off the bench. I feel pretty good about where we are right now."
 
Freshman local product Valentine Perevalov is also someone who will look to add depth at the forward position.
 
Outlook
A theme for the Mountain Hawks in 2018 should be healthy competition in practice.
 
"What I like about our group is there's not a great difference in most of our positions - between our starters and the guys who are pushing them," said Koski. "I believe our starters are feeling appropriate pressure and are being challenged. The guys behind them are eager to find some playing time."
 
The Mountain Hawks will be pushing each other in practice, but in the end, they understand they're in it together, all going for the same goals. By pushing each other in practice, it makes the whole team better.
 
One example of a team-first mentality has been Forrest, who only cares about winning. If he had to score a third as many goals as last year and it meant the team won, he would choose that option in a heartbeat.
 
"I really like how our team has bought into the notion of team-first," said Koski. "We're only as good as the sum of our parts and while we have some really good individual players, we don't want Mark to worry about carrying this team on his back. We want other guys to step up and fill their roles."
 
At this point in the season, a number of roles are open to be filled, the biggest being on the defensive end.
 
"We want to continue working on solidifying ourselves defensively," said Koski. "We know we have players who can score goals and we know we can create opportunities. We need to make sure we can defend well in the most critical moments against the best teams. Defense for me will always be the foundation to our program. That is not a concern, but a question mark at this stage."
 
The Mountain Hawks are experienced at two important positions, with Smith in goal and Tuten at center back, who both look to bring the younger players along. 

 

"Will is a good vocal leader who understands what we need in terms of communication and organizing his back four," said Koski. "He should be much further along this year than he was his first two years. He's been around a really good training environment in the summer, being around professionals in his training. He comes back with experience and confidence that will hopefully permeate through the rest of the backs.
 
"Having said that, I still want Zarin and all the other backs to keep communicating more as well."
 
The Mountain Hawks have questions to answer, including solidifying the defense and finding a partner for Forrest up top, but they're well on their way. With the right mindset and a focus on the process, positions should be solidified by the time Patriot League play comes around.
 
If that happens, Lehigh should be in a position for a strong seed in the Patriot League Tournament. And if that happens, the Mountain Hawks would be in a strong position to succeed in the postseason as Lehigh's senior class looks to end its careers the way it entered… with a Patriot League Championship.
 
"The 2015 experience is incredibly important, but I don't believe our seniors right now are thinking about what it takes to win a championship. I believe they're more focused on what it takes to be successful and how we stick to the process," said Koski. "The year we were successful in 2015, we really just talked about the process and it led to us reaching our goal."

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