How does a team react when it goes undefeated for the first time in program history but fails to win, or even reach, the game it prizes most? If it's run by Southwestern Head Men's Soccer Coach Dustin Norman, it does what it always does: get back to work. 

"The one thing we want to remain the same is we never want to be outworked," Norman declares. "We want to make sure when a team plays us, regardless of the physicality or technique, they know they've been in a game. If we can say that at the end of every single game, we're going to find ourselves in a pretty good place." 

Now entering his fourth season, Norman and assistant coach Marco Carvalho have the men's soccer program in a pretty good place, posting a 26-13-9 record for a .635 winning percentage through three years.  

In his first season, Norman guided Southwestern to a 0-0 draw in its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) championship match with Trinity University, falling in penalty kicks but earning the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history. Last season, in a condensed spring schedule played out through a chaotic pandemic, Southwestern went 4-0-4 for its first unbeaten season, ending with a 0-0 draw in the SCAC Tournament semifinals to eventual champion Centenary, who advanced on penalty kicks. 

"We all know the feeling right after losing in penalty kicks to the soon-to-be conference champions," junior midfielder Andrew Hernandez says. Hernandez was an All-SCAC honorable mention member of the 2018 team that battled Trinity to draw and rejoins the team this season after a two-year hiatus. "We're going to do everything in our power to bring that championship to Southwestern."

Southwestern opens the season as the conference's third-ranked team in the 2021 SCAC Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, behind Trinity University and the University of St. Thomas. But, in truth, it holds a puncher's chance against anyone it plays, thanks to a stingy defense that allowed just three goals in eight games last season despite starting 10 underclassmen in more than four fixtures. 

The Pirates return All-SCAC second-team selection Reagan Fortner and Eric Jorgensen to the defensive backline after the duo helped anchor the stingiest defense in the conference last season as freshmen. Southwestern also has the services of All-SCAC second-team goalkeeper Jack Viles, who led the conference in fewest goals against (three), goals-against average (0.39), and save percentage (.842) in his first collegiate season. 

"We started seven or eight freshmen at any given time and gave up only three goals all season," Norman says. "It showed their willingness to listen and dial in on the details that often get overlooked along the way. In retrospect, those details are something we might have overemphasized on the defensive side, and maybe we could've spent more time on the attacking end." 

Southwestern boasted some young talent on the attacking end, headlined last year by freshman forward Nathaniel Blake, an All-SCAC second-team selection, and honorable mention selections Fernando Garduno-Jaramilo and Jackson DeHaven. However, due to inexperience, injuries, or COVID health and safety protocols, Southwestern struggled to capitalize on or sustain attacking opportunities. 

"Our biggest thing is plain and simple: stay healthy," Norman says. "You have to have players on the field who can get the job done, and we had several starters in and out of the lineup due to injuries or [COVID] protocols." 

Southwestern operated within slim margins of error last season, scoring more than one goal only twice last season and going scoreless over the final two games.  Five of the eight competitions went to double overtime with four draws. 

"It would be easier on my heart not to spend so many games in overtime," Norman jokes. "But with the sheer number of returners, we can lean back into knowing we can rely on this group of players to give us consistent performances in that same way." 

The Pirates enter the season opener in better health than they've been in some time. With that, the hope is Southwestern can open the offense a little. 

"[Attacking] is something we're going to focus on more this season," junior midfielder Ashton Bynum proclaims. Bynum earned All-SCAC honorable mention in 2019 with 13 points on five goals and three assists as a freshman but struggled with injuries last season, playing in only four matches. "We know how to defend. Now it's time to put goals in the back of the net." 

Bynum and Garduno-Jaramilo are bolstered in the midfield by the return of Hernandez, and transfer Carr Panetta and freshman Caleb Allen have shown promise alongside goal-scoring forwards Mofe Ariyo, Blake, and DeHaven. 

"We have what we think is one of the most talented groups we've had in a long time," Norman says. "We brought in some guys who can put the ball in the back of the net." 

The typical 16-game regular season and young roster — 22 of the 30 players are underclassmen with just one senior — buys Norman and Carvalho more time to experiment and add offensive wrinkles than last year's condensed calendar afforded. 

"We're going to have a lot of competition at every spot on the field, even at goalkeeper where Jack Viles established himself as the standard in the conference," Norman says. "We have many young guys coming in, but the older guys aren't going to roll over and let them have it. With each stop I've had in my coaching career, the most successful teams had the deepest rosters. When the competition gets going, it pushes players to be their best and keeps them accountable. Depth will play a huge role." 

Mostly, it pushes the team to work. 

"That's the main thing. Coach understands there will be technical mistakes, but if you're not working hard, that's not good enough," Blake says. "They drill that into us, ingraining that drive into each of us." 

"Our goals don't change. We want to get in here and compete, and we want to win," Norman says. "When we win, we give ourselves opportunities to compete for championships. That's what we sell every guy on when we talk about the program. But, realistically, that's why we brought them in. We're here to compete and hungry for championships." 

How does a team respond to missing on another golden championship opportunity? With a hunger not even an undefeated season can satisfy.