How are the Eagles? Ask Lacey

By Karl Lyles - klyles@heraldonline.com

Winthrop men's soccer isn't all about having fun, but a lot of it is.

The team is off to a 2-1 start going into this weekend's Wingate Inn Classic. The Eagles take on Brevard College at 7:30 p.m. today at Eagle Field.

The season is being chronicled by senior Matt Lacey in an entertaining blog that appears on the Web site of the campus newspaper, The Johnsonian.

Lacey is quite a character, and it's apparent in his blogs. There is a mix of soccer jargon and inside info on Winthrop's soccer players on his blog. Lacey's biggest concern seems to be that his “Mum” will be upset seeing his picture alongside his blog. He is wearing his hair cut short. Mum prefers it a bit longer.

“There's nothing too serious,” Lacey said about his writings. “I try to write one about each game. If I can I'll do more, if I have time with school work and training.”

Lacey, from Norwich, England, came to Winthrop last year as a transfer from Lees McRae College in North Carolina.

He made a name for himself in his first season with the Eagles. By season's end, he had made a half dozen plays from his midfield position that were worthy of any highlight reel.

His goal, from 30 yards out at Coastal Carolina late in the season, beat the Chanticleers. Then on the same field in the first round of the Big South tournament, he got the scoring started in a 7-1 rout of VMI with a near mirror image of that shot.

Winthrop coach Rich Posipanko took note of Lacey's leadership on the field and named him co-captain.

Lacey's blogs are written in his unique voice and reveal the banter that goes on between the Winthrop players. He explains the emotional lows of losing the season opener to N.C. State, the highs of beating Jacksonville and the poor effort the team had in a win over Covenant.

The banter stories are the best reads; like the prank played on Josh Goldstein recently. Goldstein, a sophomore from Aledo, Texas, scored a goal in the Eagles' 3-1 win over Jacksonville at Gardner-Webb University.

Lacey and company went to work setting up what has become an elaborate annual hoax. While getting on the bus to head back to Rock Hill, Lacey handed Goldstein his cell phone saying a newspaper reporter wanted to talk to him about his goal. Goldstein was happy to share all he could about his accomplishment.

However, the team manager was on the other end of the line instead of a reporter. The rest of the team took great pleasure listening in on the conversation and ragging Goldstein afterward.

The team got Miquel Casajuana in similar fashion last year.

Lacey wrote about the team's resident rapper, Randall Eads. It is said that Eads, a freshman forward from Summerville, is pretty good. He has recorded some of his stuff. A recent bus full of team members joined in on the chorus of Eads' song, “I'm Real.” They had Posipanko and his staff laughing.

On the field, Winthrop's last game was a 3-2 win over Covenant on Saturday. The game was ugly, and Winthrop didn't play well.

Lacey was kicked in the calf in the match. He played through the injury. He is still healing — as is the team.

“We're trying to put (Covenant) in the back of our minds. It is a lot of rubbish,” Lacey said. “We were poor, and we know it. We are all ready to go for Brevard. Definitely, it will be a big game. We have to prove we are better than what we showed in our last game.”

Posipanko wants to see a better performance.

“(Covenant) outworked us and had more desire to win the game,” Posipanko said. “This was by far our poorest effort of the year, and we took a step back in our growth and improvement. That game ruined our performances against N.C. State and Jacksonville. We hope for a better effort tonight.”

The Eagles' second game in the Wingate Inn Classic will be at noon Sunday when they face Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW).

Folks who want to follow Lacey's ramblings online can go to Winthrop soccer coach Rich Posipanko's Web site, birdnest.org/posipankor/, and click on The Johnsonian icon.