Romeoville, Ill. - On paper, there are a lot of similarities between the 2014 Lewis University men's soccer team and the 2009 Flyer squad that advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four.

   Both teams lost great goalkeepers. Both teams returned a solid defensive core. Both teams advanced to the NCAA Division II 'Sweet 16' in the previous season.

   If only it were that easy to get back to that level.

   "One of the positive things we had last year was how we avoided injury," Lewis head men's soccer coach Evan Fiffles said. "Injury is something that is out of our hands and will come into play this entire fall." 

   Fiffles stressed that his squad cannot assume that since they advanced to the 'Sweet 16' once, they can do it twice.

   "We also cannot have the mindset that: 'Oh we were in the 'Sweet 16' and we have a good core coming back, so let's just do it again,' Fiffles said. "That is not how it works."

   Fiffles, however, cannot deny the fact that he returns a stout defense that was one of the best in the nation. The Flyers were first in the country in shutout percentage (0.62), second in goals against average (0.49) and fourth in save percentage (.878).

   "We were one of the top defensive teams in the country and that has to continue," Fiffles said. "We have our defensive core and four midfielders back, so we should be close to what we were last year (defensively)."

   Manning the backline for the Flyers will be 2013 NSCAA All-Midwest Region selections in sophomore Kyle Collins (Lisle, Ill./Lisle) and senior David Pyle (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard South). Pyle's twin brother Michael was tabbed to the Daktronics All-Midwest Region First Team while junior Isaac Sutton (Carol Stream, Ill./St. Joseph) also returns for the Flyers.

   Others expected to see time at defense include senior Nick Skrip (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South), junior Krystian Nowak (Bridgeview, Ill./Argo) and sophomore Ralf Zehnter (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville).

   Having that defense back should help the confidence of the Flyers' new starting goalkeeper in senior Omar Ramirez (Houston, Texas/Elsik).

   "It is always helpful for a keeper to know that he has veterans in front of him," Fiffles said. "It's like a quarterback who has his entire offensive line back."

   Fiffles also returns all four starting midfielders in senior George Thomson (Kilmarnock, Scotland/Reid Kerr College), juniors Lenin Roa-Tapia (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) and Luke Comerouski (Itasca, Ill./Christian Liberty Academy); and sophomore Ivan Surlina (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East). Thomson was second on the team in scoring with 12 points in 2013 with four goals and a team-best four assists. Roa-Tapia scored eight points with two goals – including the game-winner against Ohio Dominican to advance to the 'Sweet 16' – and four assists.

   Comerouski was a NSCAA All-Midwest Region Second Team honoree in 2013 after posting two goals and four assists for the Flyers. Surlina scored three game-winning goals last season on his way to NSCAA All-Midwest Region Third Team accolades.

   Other midfielders expected to see action are senior Jake Karasiewicz (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) and freshman Devon Amoo-Mensah (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central).

   While the Flyers were stingy defensively last year, Fiffles would like to see an increase in their scoring output in 2014.

   "We would like to get into the attack more (as a team) and give the guys a different mentality," Fiffles said. "We would like to be more offensive thinking and score 35+ goals this season.

   "Our emphasis is going to be getting better offensively and taking more risks because we do have a solid foundation in the back."

   Fiffles noted that it would not necessarily take adjustments on the field for the Flyers to accomplish this task.

   "It's a mindset," Fiffles said. "It is about building the mindset and the confidence (of a player). 

   "As an athlete gets 'hot', they build their own confidence as well as the teammates around him," Fiffles continued. "You work on things and as game time comes, you are able to execute and win; and your confidence grows weekend to weekend." 

   While the Flyers are solid at both midfield and defense, Fiffles will have to replace both of his forwards. He believes that as many as six players could compete for those spots.

   He figures that junior Robert Zieba (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) should fill one of the voids up top, as he was second on the team in goals scored in 2013 with four.

   The other five players battling for time at forward are junior Tommy Donnelly (Glasgow, Scotland/Belmont House), redshirt sophomore Colin Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North), sophomores Johnathan Silvar (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) and Nicholas Monteiro (Brasillia, Brazil/School of the Nations); and freshman Juan Elizalde (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom).

   Despite returning much of last year's 'Sweet 16' squad to the pitch, Fiffles knows that there is a lot of work ahead for the Flyers.

   "We have high expectations but I feel like that is normal with the guys that we have coming back and the season that we had last year," Fiffles said. "It is a whole new year and we cannot simply rely on what we did in 2013."

   Lewis opens the 2014 campaign on Thursday (Sept. 4), as the Flyers head to Michigan to take on Saginaw Valley State. Kickoff is set for 4 PM ET.