By Dave Johnson
W&M Athletics
 
The sample size isn't great, but the numbers still reflect reality. In six men's soccer games last spring, William & Mary scored five goals and lost three times by shutout.
 
So it would seem that offensive improvement is the Tribe's biggest issue going into the fall season. Yet head coach Chris Norris doesn't see it that way — not completely, at least.
 
"It's a combination," he said. "Defensively, we were pretty solid in the run of play, but we did concede five goals from set pieces. The effect of those two things is, the attacking players feel a little more pressure because we give up a goal from a set piece and now we're behind.
 
"The pressure to finish becomes that much greater. And the defenders, when attacking players are getting chances but not scoring goals, it puts pressure on them to make sure we're not getting behind. The two things were intertwined."
 
The result was a 2-4 season with all four losses coming by one goal — three of which were 1-0. W&M outshot the opposition 66-49 for season with 50 percent of its attempts on frame. The ball just didn't find netting enough.
 
Hope for more production is based largely on the fact that of the 17 players who made their way to the pitch last spring, 15 are returning. That includes midfielders Alexander Levengood and Alfredo Bozalongo, who combined for four of the Tribe's five goals in the spring.
 
"Plus we've added three new players," Norris said. "We feel like we have a great foundation, but we still have to make sure we're finding ways to win those fine margins. We won't know that until we start playing meaningful games."
 
Levengood and Bozalongo played over the summer with Lionsbridge FC in Newport News. Levengood scored five goals on six shots in eight games.
 
"Alexander and Alfredo continue to push themselves and get better," Norris said. "(Midfielder) Marcos Villeda in many ways was probably our most consistent player in the spring and the guy who made the most strides. His hunger and his fitness level have been really impressive in preseason."
 
Other returnees on the attack include Diba Nwegbo and Nathan Messer.
 
Defensively, the Tribe was third last spring in goals allowed with one per game. With Connor Andrews unavailable in the goal last spring, freshman Will Stack played all 568 minutes and made 16 saves. He had his first career shutout against Charleston.
 
"To be honest, Connor and Will have been having a tremendous battle in preseason to prove they deserve to start," Norris said. "Most importantly, our players feel we can win with either of those guys."
 
Also returning to spear the defense are Joe Core, who was an All-CAA Third Team selection in the spring, Cole Knapp (568 minutes in the spring), Nelson Donynath and Zachary Hosseinian.
 
In its one preseason scrimmage, the Tribe lost 2-0 at American. That was without Levengood and Nwegbo in the lineup.
 
"That first scrimmage was really unique in that it was our fourth day of preseason and we were missing some guys mostly due to short-term injuries," Norris said. "But it was good because everybody who played got at least 45 minutes.
 
"It was really good in terms of fitness and giving the staff an idea about where we were at that point of the preseason and what we need to focus on from the tactical perspective."
 
From the abbreviated spring schedule to hosting games at Dillard Field rather than Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field, the spring season was strange. Norris recognizes that but also noticed some progress.
 
"There's a positive feeling that we were really close in the spring," he said. "We always talk about growth and getting better. We've been working hard and I think we have a good level of confidence going into the fall."