Clark Reflects On 2012
January 02, 2013 | Men's Soccer
Jan. 2, 2013
SEATTLE - The 2012 men's soccer season was a magical one for the Huskies. In his second year as head coach, Jamie Clark led the Dawgs to a close second-place finish in the Pac-12 and the NCAA Second Round for the first time in five years.
In the final minutes of the final Pac-12 game of the season, the Huskies still had a chance to win the Pac-12 title for the first time since 2000, but were edged by UCLA. With a 7-2-1 league mark and a 13-4-3 overall record, Washington earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament and the right to host Air Force in the first round. With a 1-0 win, the Huskies headed to Creighton and fell 5-3 to an eventual College Cup team.
"Our team is very proud of what we accomplished this year," said Clark. "But, most importantly, over the past two seasons we've shown that this program is here to stay. Back to back 12+ win seasons and consecutive second place Pac-12 finishes proves we are just one small step away from becoming one of the very elite programs in this country. In UW athletics, the goal will never be anything short of a National Championship and we are in the midst of building toward this."
From Sept. 23-Oct. 26 the Huskies held a nine-game unbeaten streak with a 7-0-2 record in the span, beginning with Seattle U and ending with a tough 1-0 loss to UCLA on Oct. 29.
Washington picked up big results against Cal State Bakersfield (tie) and a win vs. Memphis. The Huskies dropped heartbreakers on the road to UAB and then-ranked No. 1 Connecticut on national TV, 1-0 in OT.
Senior co-captains Dylan Tucker-Gangnes and Ben Fisk led the way earning all-conference and all-region honors with junior goalkeeper Spencer Richey.
Tucker-Gangnes had a team-high eight goals at centerback. Richey played every minute in goal, posting 10 shutouts with a 0.85 GAA. He ranks second all-time in school history with a 0.76 GAA and third with 25 shutouts.
The Huskies sent eight seniors away at the end of the year in: Tucker-Gangnes, Fisk, Chris Brundage, Alex Klein, Patrick Pacheco and Nate Sackefyio. All made huge contributions to the team.
"This year's senior class can feel great about getting our program back into the NCAA tournament," Clark added. "These eight young men have re-laid the foundation on which we will continue to build. They were great soccer players and excellent young men. I know they will represent the UW well for years to come."
