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VILLANOVA, Pa. – The 2024 regular season was a challenging one for the Villanova Wildcats. A litany of injuries decimated the roster and the transition to a new head coach – albeit a familiar one in former associate head coach Mark Fetrow – made the entire campaign an uphill climb.
Most unsettling, however, were struggles in the back, where Villanova had been strongest over the previous decade, including trips to the 2016 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments. The Wildcats conceded 38 goals, an average of 2.4 per game.
“That,” says Fetrow now, “was a narrative that had to change.”
So far, so good.
Villanova has conceded a single goal in its first four regular season matches, a ball that was knocked loose in a mid-air battle in front of the goal off an Iona corner kick on Aug. 28. Other than that, the Wildcats have been flawless in keeping the ball out of their own net.
“We’ve really made that a priority since the end of last season, with the guys that returned and all of the newcomers,” Fetrow said.
Villanova hopes to build on that when it travels to West Point for a Monday evening clash with Army at 6 p.m. (ESPN+).
Alterations in two key areas have had an impact.
A host of relatively untested defenders, including starting freshmen backs Brody Crampton and Zach Miles alongside sophomores Lorenzo Avalos, Luke Haggerty and Luke Martelli, have helped solidify matters in front of goalkeepers Sebastian Cutler DeJesus and Alex Yagudayev. And a tactical adjustment, moving to a 3-5-2 alignment with Miles, Crampton and Avalos supported by wings Haggerty and Martelli has helped too.
“A big part of it is the switch to a 3-5-2,” said Avalos. “I think that’s helped us set this low block. Credit to everyone on the field for executing it – forwards, midfielders, backs.”
The test lab came in the preseason.
“All through the preseason we really focused on our defensive shape and the shifts we need to make within it,” noted Avalos. “All of us developed a good connection, not only on the field but off of as well. We’re good friends and I do think that does play a huge role in it. I know that Brody’s got my back when I move up and he knows that I will be there behind him if he moves forward.
“The chemistry we have on the back line and the work rate of the wing backs is really coming out. We have just conceded that one goal and it wasn’t due to a defensive breakdown.”
On Friday night Crampton was in the right place in the second half, standing on the goal line, to save a ball that appeared on target to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. In all Nova blocked six shots before they reached Yagudayev.
Army brings a 1-1-2 mark into this match. It tied Villanova’s Philly Soccer Six rival Temple 1-1 on Friday evening.
“Part of the reason we played at Marshall and Delaware in the preseason was to acclimate the young guys to playing on the road,” Fetrow stated. “I thought they competed well at Columbia and we’re excited to head up to West Point for another good test.”