The Owls’ strong 5-1 start to the season has put the team in the driver’s seat to begin its 2025 campaign. From the players to the coaching staff, the Owls are clicking like never before.
Head Coach Matt Schmidt is heading into his fourth season leading the helm for Keene State. Schmidt described how great the leadership has been inside the locker room from senior captains Damir Hamzic, Elías Stowell Alemán and Dylan Chambers.
“I think the senior leadership and the fact that we have our captains coming back, I mean, these are things we’ve been working on for the past two years, but they’re in a place now, along with the new guys that have come in, to really consistently execute the things we’re trying to do,” said Schmidt.
He added that their main focus is to be a true “team” and the principles that have been set.
“From a soccer side, we have very specific principles that we wanna play and we’re really working hard on those. And then from the leadership side, they have to hustle and humble is kind of their mantra that they’ve been sticking with, so it’s been great,” Schmidt added.
The Owls will look to continue their success and use Schmidt’s principles for the remainder of the season.
Hamzic, a defender, said he loves the connection of the group this year and spoke highly of the team’s bond with each other.
“I think this season, obviously, with the winning energy, just overall morale is high. I think our training is better, we’re more locked in and everyone’s good friends with each other and just the people we brought in fit really well into our system and culture that we’ve built,” said Hamzic.
The fifth-year said he is looking to close out his college career in an Owls uniform with a bang. High expectations surround the group and it has shown throughout Keene’s first contests this season.
The Owls are strong at all three levels, and scoring has not been an issue with the team making at least two goals in its first four games. Junior forward Cristian Correa is looking to be one of Keene’s main offenders this year. Correa, off to a strong start this season with three goals in his first five games, said he has big expectations for himself this season.
“I want to have a good year in terms of goal scoring… I want to be amongst the top goal scorers in the LEC [Little East Conference]. Another personal goal is I want to get all-conference. I think I can get there if I have a good year.”
The Owls have high expectations this year for themselves and they have lived up to them so far to start their 2025 season. Keene State returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 20, as the team hits the road to take on LEC foe University of Massachusetts Boston.
Matt Cabral can be contacted at
mcabral@kscequinox.com
Stowell Alemán serves as a senior reporter for The Equinox.
