Since their season began, the Elgin Community College men’s soccer team has continuously struggled to turn their losing streak around. Currently, the men’s team are standing at a score of 0-7 in the National Junior College Athletic Association conference.

The Spartans had high expectations for their first game on Friday, Aug. 25, as days before that they took a 2-0 preseason win over Concordia University Chicago’s Reserves team. Both goals were scored by ECC freshman, Ricardo Nava. The first game’s results left the team disappointed as Rock Valley College departed with a 4-0 win. Unfortunately, the Spartans have suffered two more scoreless nights since then.

So far this season, the team has scored a total of 6 goals, which first-year Head Coach, Salvador Acevedo says is more than they had last year.

“This proves that there is already improvement in our attack,” Acevedo said.

Coach Acevedo is an ECC alumni who played on the men’s team for two years and was the assistant coach for his third year at ECC. Acevedo then acknowledges that his team is currently struggling.

“Right now we’re in a little bit of a slump but we’re working hard to reverse that situation,” Acevedo said.

There is time to develop the needed characteristics in this team as they still have more than half of their season ahead of them. After speaking to Acevedo and Ricardo Nava, first-year student, both men believe that their team has the potential for improvement.

“We have players that can move the ball, they can pass the ball, and we have shooting capabilities,” Acevedo said.

“Attacking, that’s where our main strengths are. We are able to move the ball really fast and we go forward and attack in numbers,” Nava said.

In the last two games, Nava has managed to score both times within the first 15 minutes.

“We started off strong, but after the first half it started to go downhill,” said Eyoel Hailu, first-year student, on their game against Prairie State College.

One thing is that the men’s team is determined to do their best to succeed and do not plan on continuing their current streak. “We started really shaky but I think we’re going to get better and better and get a few more wins in before regionals start,” Nava said.