Despite the headwinds of a coaching carousel that saw the Drexel men’s soccer program with its third coach in as many seasons, the program qualified for the playoffs, playing some of its best soccer in recent memory.

The Dragons finished second in the Coastal Athletic Association, their best regular season finish since 2013.

Under the leadership of first-year coach Dave Castellanos, the Dragons have built a team that combines a corps of experienced veterans with an infusion of new talent. According to senior defender Ori Arzi, the team overcame offseason instability because of the strong culture within the locker room.

“The stability came naturally, simply because we are a close-knit group. The atmosphere in the locker room is so friendly and supportive that the new guys and new coaches that come in always fit in perfectly, and it’s pretty contagious,” Arzi said.

The strength in the locker room translated onto the field, with Arzi noticing a noticeable difference in the team’s play.

“The difference between this year and last year is our ability to close out games that were a little more difficult for us, like Delaware or William and Mary, by being able to find that goal that will swing the result in our favor.” , Arzi said.

The Dragons’ ability to achieve favorable results in conference play this season is what ultimately earned them the right to host the CAA Tournament through Vidas Field, Drexel football’s home stadium.

» LEARN MORE: Thanks to senior forward Dominick Bachstein, Drexel football found its spark at the perfect time

Since 2020, the Dragons have an almost unbelievable 24-2-7 record in Vidas. The secret of their success depends on who you talk to, but the feeling that Vidas is a “fortress” is unanimous.

“There is this indescribable feeling we get when we play Vidas. We have confidence when we step on that field,” said Patrick Short, who was named CAA Co-Midfielder of the Year. “We were fortunate to perform well there and get extra confidence when we play there.”

Davis says, “When people come to Vidas, they know what to expect. They know that we are a very, very difficult team to break down as far as Vidas is concerned, that we have scored a lot of goals at Vidas. We instill in other teams a fear that is difficult to overcome.

For the Castellanos Dragons, the “Vidas Effect” is the manifestation of a half-decade of work begun under former coach Michael Marchiano aimed at creating a mental edge for the program.

“The game is 90 percent mental, and I think the field is mental,” Castellanos said. “In technical terms, a player can play on any surface. … I think we’ve made this place, mentally, a really stimulating place for people to come and play. I just think people are like, “Man, I’m coming to Philly, the sights and sounds are a little different.” “It’s really, really mental and I want to keep it that way.

With home advantage and momentum, the Dragons are confident they don’t have to do anything extraordinary to win the tournament; they simply have to be as good as they have shown themselves to be.

“We have a group of guys who are just incredible and playing at a very, very high level. If we are able to stay consistent, keep our heads down and stay locked in for 90 minutes every game, I can see a lot of good things happening for us,” said Dominick Bachstein, who received national player of the week honors earlier this season and was named first team All-CAA.

Arzi added: “If we stay together and match the intensity (of our opponents), we have the quality to win every game.”

Castellanos has a more philosophical approach to what will bring the Dragons success in the postseason, urging his team not to let the bright lights of a big moment make them lose their character.

“Just stay steady,” he says. “Play simple and play to our strengths. Each player has their particular strength, each player has a weakness. It’s really important that throughout the season, not only individually but collectively, there is a real honest reflection of who we are individually and then collectively of who we are as a team, because in this answer you will find out who you are not.

“The second you try to overcomplicate the game and say, ‘Oh, I thought I could do that,’ no, stay calm and stay true to your skills,” Castellanos said. “The more we can do that and the more we can manage our emotions, the better off we’ll be not only on Sunday against UNCW, but hopefully next Saturday and then hopefully in the NCAA Tournament.”

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