Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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ND SPORTS BY JORDAN WELLS C ollege athletics are equally as tax- ing mentally as physically at the highest levels. Just ask the veterans of Notre Dame's men's soccer team, which was ranked No. 4 nationally in the 2015 preseason polls. The Irish marched to a national title in 2013, and entered the 2014 season with a preseason No. 1 ranking. That offseason included a three-week tour of Zimbabwe, where the program participated in community service projects and three exhibition contests (1-1-1 record). The combination of the lengthy summer trip and repeat title expectations weighed on the Irish. "This summer gave everyone a bet- ter chance to recover, whereas last year we went to Africa [for Grassroot Soc- cer] and came back without a lot of rest time," fifth-year senior left back Max Lachowecki said. "Everybody feels rejuvenated and ready to go this year — everyone was excited to get back." "We're not coming off winning a na- tional championship anymore," senior midfielder Connor Klekota said. "We all have a point every single day when we go out to train; we all know what we want our end goal to be. "Everyone has those goals in the back of their mind, and we're trying to do everything that we can to get there." Notre Dame returns 10 monogram winners and six regular starters from last year 's 12-5-4 team, a squad that won the ACC regular-season champi- onship with a 6-1-1 league record. Still, gone are a few leaders like second- team All-American Nick Besler — who was selected in the first round of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by the Portland Timbers with the No. 5 overall selec- tion — and second-team All-ACC de- fender Luke Mishu. The Irish return senior midfielder Patrick Hodan, the reigning ACC Of- fensive Player of the Year. Hodan, who was also tabbed as a first-team NSCAA Division I All-American and a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist (nation's top player) as a junior, ap- peared in all 21 matches and led the team in goals scored (nine) and points (21). On the back end, Notre Dame will have a new goalkeeper for the first time since the 2012 season. All-ACC third-team goalie Patrick Wall gradu- ated in 2014 after starting the last 46 matches for the Irish. Senior Brian Talcott, junior Chris Hubbard or freshman Ryan Kurtz could replace him. Hubbard was up to the task in an exhibition contest against Butler on Aug. 19, helping the Irish to a 1-0 shut- out win. "We opened both halves very well this time, but we ran out of steam a No. 4 Men's Soccer Refreshed For 2015