Marauder Spotlight: Dusan Kovacevic
C/O Travis Nguyen
With about two weeks into the new soccer season, Dusan Kovacevic has already made a name for himself.
It is not uncommon for athletes to progress well throughout a season. Certain players impress both on individual and group levels, but the story of Dusan Kovacevic, a member of the men's varsity soccer team, has impressed at an unprecedented level.
The first game that the Marauders men's soccer team played competitively was against the Algoma Thunderbirds. Expectations were high for the boys, considering the successful history with the Thunderbirds from previous years, so they had to put their complacency aside to ensure a win.
Sure enough, the Marauders swept the Thunderbirds seven to zero at the Ron Joyce stadium on a rainy Saturday. Although the team represented McMaster University welland went above and beyond, Kovacevic was the man on the pitch that stood out. Scoring a whopping four goals throughout the 90 minutes, he was the man of the match. Not only did he score four goals, but Kovacevic managed to get off ten shots, which was by far the largest tally in the game.
Shortly after the first game, the Marauders played the Thunderbirds once again. The Marauders won seven to two, marking another significant and impressive win for McMaster. Once again, the man of the match was Kovacevic, scoring three goals and bagging one assist. There's no doubt that the sharp shooter loves a goal against the Thunderbirds.
Shortly after the weekend during which these impressive wins occurred, Kovacevic earned himself an Ontario University Athletics team of the week award. Speaking to Kovacevic about his award and his general reaction, he expressed his satisfaction and cited that it was an honour.
“To be honest with you, I only found out because I got tagged in an Instagram photo. At that moment, it was very surreal and it felt amazing . . . To win this award was truly an honour,” said Kovacevic.
When asked about the effect of COVID-19 on his progress, Kovacevic discussed how often he unfortunately had to delay training due to regulations.
“I did have my regular soccer training up until March 2020, but it all went to a standstill from there on. I did have some pick up games here and there with my friends, but it was no match for the actual training we had before the pandemic. I had hopes last year that by the summer of 2020 this will be done and that we will resume the season, but that did not work out either, so I am very happy to finally be back,” explained Kovacevic.
Many new faces have joined the Marauders varsity soccer team, meaning the team’s faring was unpredictable. However, the first five games have gone off to a good start for them; the team has a total of three wins, one draw and only one loss. Out of the 22 goals that McMaster has scored so far this season, Kovaceic accounts for ten of them, making him the top scorer of the central division. Additionally, the Marauders are currently leading the central division with ten points.
Although Kovacevic is very fond of the team’s current success within the league, he said that they have just begun.
“Everything against Algoma and the first game with Laurentian seemed to go our way, but we have just begun. The game against [University of Toronto] was very entertaining and they’re very good opponents. We’ve also got Nipissing and Ryerson to play soon, so it will not be an easy couple of weeks but I am confident that we will do well,” explained Kovacevic
When asked about the team chemistry and his confidence in the squad, Kovacevic was very excited to talk about how much he believes in them.
“I personally think that the squad we currently have is one of the best ones that I’ve been a part of. Although we have many [first- and second-years] coming in due to the COVID gap, they are very talented and fit in with the team well. All of the older ones, including myself, also get along really well and that is why I think that we are going to have a very successful season,” said Kovacevic.
The Marauders’ season is not over yet — far from it. After the regular season, if the Marauders place high enough in their conference table, they’ll play in the play-offs and eventually fight for the OUA title.
You can follow the men’s soccer team games and all statistics here.
