In 2006, the Trinity men's soccer team managed just a 1-8-0 NESCAC record — with six of those losses coming via shutout — and finished tied for last place in the conference. At that time, the current crop of seniors was in its first season in Hartford, Conn.
"I remember playing Williams freshman year and feeling like there was just a big gap," said senior tri-captain John Graves, referring to Trinity's 2006 3-0 setback to the eventual-league champion Ephs. "I think a lot of it was not being able to score goals. We were always very competitive, but we were never really able to break into that upper echelon."
Since then, however, Trinity has made a steady climb up the conference ladder; it finished sixth in 2007 and then third a year ago, when it also slid into the national polls in the 22nd spot. Following their 1-0 overtime win at Bates on Saturday, the Bantams now find themselves in even more unchartered territory: tied with Wesleyan and Williams for first place in the NESCAC. It has, indeed, been a significant turnaround for the entire program.
"The kids decided that they wanted to make a commitment," coach Michael Pilger said. "We were ranked second in New England for a lot of last year. That was special for those kids to see us come through like this. We have [seven] seniors this season. In this league, senior leadership is everything."
Trinity has managed to string together a successful campaign thus far despite scoring only seven goals through five games. Every one of the Bantams' tallies, however, has come in the second half or overtime, indicative of the team's propensity for late-game magic.
Perhaps the best example of this came during a home matchup against conference heavyweight Middlebury on Sept. 19. After senior tri-captain Sam Wisner — who had led the team with 24 points in 2008 — went down with an injury sustained in the fifth minute, Trinity found itself trailing Middlebury 2-0 heading into the 73rd minute.
Then, the unlikeliest of heroes emerged for the Bantams. Sophomore defender Connor Reilly, who had never scored a goal in his college career, tallied two goals 2:01 apart, giving Trinity a hard-earned 2-2 tie against the 2007 national champion Panthers.
"Momentum swings are big in this sport," Pilger said. "Middlebury's two goals were wicked shots from far out. I think it was a fair result. I think the kids felt like it was deserved."
"That was a spiritual experience," Graves added. "Connor came in and, by divine intervention, saved the day. It shows a lot that there are some young guys on the team who are ready to step up and carry the team in the next couple years."
If its struggle last weekend against a subpar Bates team is any indication, though, Trinity will have a hard time continuing its success following the loss of a leader and goal-scorer like Wisner.
"We were very shorthanded," Graves said. "We were missing three real big contributors. Bates played really hard, and it took everything we had to pull it out."
Another potential obstacle in the Bantams' way is their schedule. Though four of its remaining six conference games are at home, including a showdown this weekend against 2-0-1 Wesleyan, Trinity still has to travel to nationally ranked No. 7 Williams.
But with Pilger — who has been with the Bantams for six years and also helped turn around Kenyon's soccer program in four seasons there — at the helm, the Trinity squad believes it has a shot against anyone.
"I think a lot of it was everybody being on the same page and buying into his coaching style," Graves said. "To be honest, he is a kind of unconventional coach. He wants guys to have a lot of fun playing and wants us to enjoy it. When we can put that on the field and have fun competing, everyone likes the result."
