Aug. 11, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Despite it being the `offseason’ several members of the Notre Dame men’s soccer team enjoyed an eventful summer on the pitch. In many instances, it was a successful summer for the Irish student-athletes.
The summer began with the Fighting Irish players and coaches spending two weeks in Scandinavia in late May. Notre Dame played six matches, posting a 3-3 record, against competition from Sweden and Denmark.
Sophomore Dillon Powers (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) spent additional time overseas playing with the United States Under-20 national team at the Milk Cup Tournament in early August in Northern Ireland. The U.S. captured the title with a perfect 3-0 record and Powers was named the tournament’s MVP. The midfielder earned a start in two of the three matches.
Powers and his Notre Dame classmate Grant Van De Casteele (Plano, Texas/Frisco Centennial) won the Texas Under-19 championship with their Andromeda club team and went on to the national finals in Kansas. Powers only played in the first game of the finals before leaving for the Milk Cup. Andromeda placed fourth overall.
Brendan King (Naperville, Ill./Edison Academic Center), a junior midfielder, traveled to South Africa to watch the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands. On his way back to the United States, King spent time in Germany practicing with German Bundesliga team Borussia Dortmund.
Juniors Will Walsh (Morristown, N.J./Delbarton), a goalkeeper, and Aaron Maund (Dorchester, Mass./The Roxbury Latin School), a central defender, both spent one week training with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer (MLS). Maund also stayed in Sweden to train with the Swedish First Division team Mjalby after the rest of the Fighting Irish squad returned to the United States in May.
Fellow junior Michael Rose (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park), a midfielder/forward, played with the DC United U-20s and one of his highlights was playing a game as a curtain raiser for the DC United-Portsmouth game.
Senior goalkeeper Philip Tuttle (Hooksett, N.H./Brewster Academy) traveled out west to train and spend time with recent Notre Dame graduate Justin Morrow, a rookie with the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS). Unfortunately, Tuttle injured his knee during the first practice session with the Earthquakes and did not continue to train.
Several Notre Dame players stayed around campus to take classes, coach at camps and many of them played for the local Indiana Invaders PDL team. Players who saw time for the Invaders at various times over the summer were Steven Perry (Sr./F), Greg Klazura (Sr./D), Chris Sutton (Jr./D/M), Adam Mena (Jr./M), Kyle Richard (So./M/F) and Bob Novak (So./M).
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