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Somewhere between a sluggish start and a strong finish, the ASU men’s club soccer team overcame any lingering issues and bonded as a team.

It happened just in time, too, as the Sun Devils booked a ticket to the NCCS National Soccer Championships for the first time in three years.

The tournament, which will be held at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix from Thursday until Saturday, features 24 of the top teams in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association from across the country.

“We’re really just looking to shake things up and surprise some people,” goalkeeper Jake Pfeiffer said. “Mentally, we are all just individually focusing on what we need to do, and how much winning a national championship would mean.”

This year marks the first time the tournament has been played in Arizona since 2006.

The team dominated in their only games of the regional championship, knocking off the UTEP 2-0 in the semifinals and New Mexico State 4-1 in the finals.

With the win, the Sun Devils clinched an automatic bid to the NIRSA NCCS National Soccer Championships.

For the Sun Devils, this year’s tournament holds more weight than usual.

While the team has a deep talent pool, the roster is laden with seniors.

For them especially, a tournament of such importance on home soil means so much more.

“I think we’ve got a good shot [at winning the tournament],” starting defender Tristan Colyar said. “I don’t think we would consider ourselves underdogs by any means.”

But the competition is sure to be fierce, and ASU is not taking other teams lightly.

In what looks to be a rough pairing, the club must play Penn State and Virginia in its two pool-play games.

“It’s going to be tough [because] Penn State is a very good team,” ASU coach Tim Marchisotto said. “Last year, they were undefeated going through regionals. They were 16-0-2. They’re a very good team this year.”

Still, the club has confidence heading into its matches, even when faced with the prospect of playing powerhouses like Weber State, UC Santa Barbara or other regional champions.

As a group, the Sun Devils believe their talent level is high enough to win the tournament, and their coach echoes such sentiments.

“There’s no question [we have the talent to compete],” Marchisotto said. “We played a very good tournament in San Diego against some of the better West Coast teams. Winning our region was not easy.”

Much of the Sun Devils’ success this year stems from solid defending and goalkeeping. While the team boasts a new explosive attacking threat, the defense has limited opponents to just 18 goals in 15 matches.

Pfeiffer has also proven invaluable this year, backing up a sturdy defense with strong play between the posts.

The ASU men’s soccer club gets warmed up for practice on Wednesday night in Tempe. The team is preparing for Regionals in New Mexico this weekend.(Branden Eastwood | The State Press)

New coach. New players. New team.

The ASU men’s soccer club has started fresh this year, and it is finding new ways to win.

Starting at the top, new coach Tim Marchisotto has brought years of valuable experience leading teams.

His resume includes tenures as the head coach for Grand Canyon University, Paradise Valley Community College and Olympic development programs in New Jersey and Arizona.

Among other things, he has also served as a scout for the former New York/New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer.

But coaching experience isn’t the only thing the Sun Devils bring to the table. While several players have returned from previous years, new talent has wormed its way in.

Currently, ASU does not have an NCAA men’s soccer team, but most of the club’s players possess enough talent to play for big schools.

In fact, many received offers from other colleges but decided to attend ASU for various reasons.

“Most of these guys could play at other schools, but they wanted to stay in state,” junior midfielder Mike Glen said.

International players, especially, have made immediate impacts on the team’s performance.

Forward Matt Smith, a transfer from England, leads an explosive new offense for the Sun Devils. He brings valuable experience to a team that already enjoys a deep talent pool.

“I came here [to ASU] from Manchester University through an exchange program,” Smith said. “I don’t think you can play at other schools as an exchange student, so this allows me to play.”

When asked about their motivation to play, both Glen and Smith agreed – it’s all about the love of the game.

Accordingly, the team savors the new prosperity. Practices are fun and loose, and the players enjoy themselves.

It would be hard to imagine the team has had troubles, but with a new coach and new players comes obstacles, and bonding and cohesion took time.

Luckily for the Sun Devils, they have come together just in time for Regionals of the National Intramural-

Recreation Sports Association, which will be held Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 in Las Cruces, N.M.

“The team started out slow, but we are beginning to click,” senior defender Ben Miller said. “The expectation for Regionals is to win and win big.”

In a span of five games from Sept. 26 to Oct. 10, ASU won handily, outscoring its opponents 29-3.

But those opponents were not simply pushovers. The Sun Devils’ competition includes schools such as UA, San Diego State, University of Texas-El Paso and New Mexico State.

The Sun Devils practice like a regular NCAA program, and the games are just as fierce.

As a result, expectations are hefty for the club, and they believe they can go to Nationals.

While the goal may seem daunting, the Sun Devils are definitely equipped to win Regionals and advance to the national competition.

The team’s talent stretches across the field, with seemingly no weakness in the lineup.Smith and Mike Menos have combined to create a terrifying attacking threat, while Nic Salhuana has stepped up immensely in the midfield after Jesse Goldberg was sidelined with an ACL injury.

But the Sun Devils’ success also stems from their rock-solid defense.

“This is one of the most outstanding defenses I have ever coached,” Marchisotto said.

Led by starters Ben Miller, Tristan Colyar, Dan Steuber and Dan Ware, the Devils have only given up 12 goals through their first 11 games.

Goalkeeper Jake Pfeiffer has also played a vital role in establishing the team’s defensive dominance.

With such a potent offense and concrete defense, the Sun Devils are poised to accomplish big things.

“Our ultimate goal is to win Nationals,” Miller said. “But we have to take it one step at a time.”