Traditionally one of the top men's soccer teams in the South region, the University of Mary Washington men's soccer team opened the 2004 season with one of its more inexperienced squads in recent memory, with just three seniors and one junior on the roster. Facing a very difficult nonconference schedule in addition to its always-tough Capital Athletic Conference opponents, 28th-year head coach Roy Gordon knew his team would have to mature quickly in order for the Eagles to have a successful season.
UMW opened the regular season with a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory against Gettysburg College, with freshman Ben Smith netting the game winner, one of four game winning tallies he collected among his five on the season en route to second team All-Capital Athletic Conference honors. After a solid outing against NAIA school Savannah Art & Design, the Eagles defeated Eastern Mennonite University, 1-0, and then topped Greensboro College, 2-1, in double overtime, before dropping a tough match to sixth-ranked Emory University.
After falling to Virginia Wesleyan College, the Eagles won consecutive road matches at Frostburg State University and St. Mary's College. After defeats at Goucher College and Washington & Lee, the Eagles hosted eighth-ranked Messiah College, and remained even with the eventual national champions for much of the match, only to allow a late goal.
Mary Washington would go on to win its next two matches, against Catholic University and Gallaudet University, before a thrilling double overtime tie with third-ranked Salisbury University at Homecoming before the largest crowd of the season. A tie with Marymount and a pair of losses ended the regular season, but set the stage for perhaps the Eagles' best effort of the season, a 2-0 win over St. Mary's College in the CAC Quarterfinals.
A semifinal loss at Salisbury ended the campaign for the young squad, who saw three players named to the All-CAC postseason all-star teams. In addition to Smith, goalkeeper Elliott Jones, a transfer from James Madison University, and Smith's high school teammate, defender Corey Rumberger, were recognized.
Coming off just its second losing season in the past 21 years, Coach Gordon will count on the experience gained by this year's squad to complement a recruiting class that will need to fill several holes in order for the Eagles to compete once again for the league championship. Depth will be a key for the Eagles, as will a sparked offensive output in 2005.
Smith will be looked upon for even bigger and better things in '05, as will classmate Luke Hostetter. After an early season ankle injury, Hostetter came on strong towards the end of the year, finishing second on the team with nine points. In the midfield, potential impact returnees include sophomoreYusuf Harden as well as juniors Glenn Gray and Bryan Hargrove. The defense will look to have a veteran look, with Rumberger being joined by Bryan Beers and Brett Nobile in front of Jones, who posted a 0.95 GAA in sixteen matches in 2004.