The Mary Washington College men's soccer program had another stellar season in 2002, remaining in the national rankings for much of the season, and earning top seed in the Capital Athletic tournament with an undefeated league mark. The Eagles finished with an impressive 13-4-2 overall record, and were ranked twenty-second in ihe nation in the final national NSCAA coaches' poll of the season.
The 2002 season began with the Eagles racing to a 5-0-1 record. MWC opened the year with a 2-1 win at Shenandoah University, and tied nationally-ranked Gettysburg College in a rematch from the 2001 NCAA Tournament. The Eagles then reeled off four straight wins, over Hampden-Sydney College, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Greensboro College, and St. Mary's College of MD. The victories over regionally-ranked Greensboro and St. Mary's came on the road by identical 4-1 scores.
The Eagles then went through a stretch where they dropped games to nationally-ranked Virginia Wesleyan College and Roanoke College, but did earn a 6-0 win over Christopher Newport University. MWC finished the season by running off six straight wins, including a pair of victories in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament. The seven matches at the end of the season proved that the Eagles were playing at their peak, as MWC outscored its opponents, 22-2, over that span.
After a 9-0 rout of Gallaudet University, the Eagles downed Salisbury University, 1-0, before a thousand fans at Homecoming. A shutout win over Marymount University and a thrilling overtime win at York College of PA closed the regular season, with the Eagles boasting an 11-3-2 record. Mary Washington blanked Gallaudet, 5-0, in the CAC Quarterfinal before edging St. Mary's, 2-1, in the semifinal.
MWC faced Salisbury in the CAC Championship, and after a scoreless regulation and a pair of scoreless overtimes, MWC fell in a shootout, ending the season with a 13-4-2 mark. The Eagles relied on a strong group of eight seniors in 2002 to carry the bulk of the production, and that group was more than equal to the task.
Forward Marc Salotti had one of the top offensive seasons in school history, netting 18 goals and 38 total points. Classmate Michael Nissim-Sabat, a three-time All-South Region selection and an academic All-America, netted nine goals and added five assists. Midfieider Ryan Geib scored three goals and added it team-high ten assists; and Jamie Scully scored three goals and four assists.
Defensively, co-captain Matt Heimerle started every game and thrived despite coming back from a torn ACL suffered during the 2001 season, and Adam Hamilton also emerged as a top defender. Forward Justin Harcum and goalkeeper Brian Hall provided needed depth, as Hall played in eight games, joining in on five combined shutouts and shutting down Gettysburg in that scoreless tie.
With the loss of such great numbers, a strong recruiting effort and the emergence of younger players on the roster will be the key for the Eagles to sustain their position as one of the top NCAA Division III programs in the South region. Heading the list of returnees for 2003 is All-CAC midfielder Steve Ramos, who finished third on the team in scoring in 2002 with four goals and eight assists. Clint Wivell, Roberto Morales, Andrew Shin, and Caleb Billmeier all have shown flashes of brilliance, and their continued progress will be a strong barometer for the 2003 season.
The defense, with the loss of Heimerle and Hamilton, still looks to return a solid, experienced group next fall, with defenders Ryan Kish and Paul Kodack and All-CAC goalkeeper Liam Garland returning to the fold for their senior seasons. With another schedule filled with some of the top Division III teams in the nation, Mary Washington will face another challenging run to the CAC Charripionship and the NCAA Tournament again in 2003.