CHESTERTOWN — The Shoremen begin the 2024 soccer season where they ended 2023, ranked fourth in NCAA Division III.
In the preseason United Soccer Coaches poll, defending national champion St. Olaf is ranked first and runner-up Amherst is second.
Washington & Lee, which lost to Amherst in last year’s NCAA semifinals, is third.
Then comes Washington, which lost to St. Olaf in the other national semifinal, followed by Middlebury to round out the top five.
This was the identical order for the final rankings of 2023.
Roy Dunshee is entering his 13th year as head coach here.
Midfielder Mayowa Taiwo of Chestertown (Kent County High School) is one of three captains for Washington. He appeared in 14 matches last year for the 14-3-6 Shoremen.
Taiwo got his first start of 2024 on Sunday in the 3-0 victory at Elizabethtown, and logged 21 minutes off the bench Friday in the 1-0 season-opening loss at Lebanon Valley.
Unable to cash in on 13 shots at Lebanon Valley and denied on their first nine shots Sunday at E-town, the Shoremen finally ended three-plus halves of scoring frustration on senior Katim Njie’s unassisted goal in the 64th minute.
Njie found sophomore Tucker Sprano in the 69th minute for the insurance goal.
Senior Sebastien Linares’ first career goal made it 3-0 in the 80th minute, and completed the scoring.
Washington outshot its host, 18-11.
Senior Cole White made four saves in the shutout.
NEXT UP: Washington opens its home slate 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 against York (1-0-1), which is coming off a 3-0 win against Eastern Mennonite.