THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, April 1, 1996 TAG: 9604010171
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The countdown has begun. But where's the goalkeeper?
Less than one week and only two practices stand between the Hampton Roads Mariners and their opening game in the 1996 United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL). Sunday, general manager and Coach Shawn McDonald introduced the Mariners to a packed gym at First Colonial.
Noticeably absent in the throng of players was a signed goaltender.
Currently, three goalies practice with the Mariners. One, former Old Dominion University standout Nathan Olansen, is expected to sign early this week.
``That's the plan,'' Olansen said. ``Sometime early this week - the sooner the better. I want to start. I just want to play. I don't think too much about the transition (from college to professional).''
Although Olansen played well in preseason scrimmages, McDonald is cautious about starting a player inexperienced at the Mariners' level of play.
``With any situation like this, we're looking for someone with a little more experience,'' McDonald said. ``Nathan's right out of college. But it's really going to come down to who trains the best and who does the best in the practice games.''
Olansen, 21, was a two-year starter for ODU. He tallied a 1.11 goals against average as a senior with a 1.32 career GAA. Tucker Taylor, a Virginia Beach native, played at Princess Anne and Longwood College, where he earned two-time All-South Atlantic Region honors. Doug Siegel joined the team Friday. He has two years of USISL experience in Sioux City, Iowa.
``Doug's here for a tryout,'' McDonald said. ``What we do with a lot of players is they come in and we look at them anywhere from two days to a week, then we sit down and either make an offer or we go another route.
``Tucker Taylor, he'll be one of the goalkeepers training with us and fighting it out for a position. We're still looking at some other goaltenders.''
When evaluating potential keepers, McDonald looks for presence in the net and the ability to orchestrate plays. Aside from fundamentals, McDonald wants a player who can enhance the Mariners when he is not actively involved in a specific play.
``It's a hard thing to describe, but when he's out there, people know that he's out there,'' McDonald said. ``He does a great job in the air, he talks a good game and has an impact on the game whether he's making a great save or not.''
Barring any changes, Olansen will get first shot at that starting slot based on his performance in a scrimmage game this week and on April 6, when the Mariners travel to Charleston for their season opener.
From there, it'll be game-to-game for the goaltending contingent. The Mariners debut at home against Baltimore April 13 at 7:30 p.m. by CNB