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(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: LOCKED IN: Princeton University senior goalkeeper Bobby Guelich surveys the action in a recent game. Last Sunday, Guelich had six saves against 9th-ranked Akron but it was enough as the Tigers dropped a 1-0 decision to the Zips. Guelich has a goals against average of 1.50 for Princeton, which fell to 1-3 with the loss to Akron.end of caption

With Guelich Progressing at Goalkeeper, Tiger Men's Soccer Gaining Confidence

By Bill Alden

A major blemish on the 2004 record for the Princeton University men's soccer team came when the Tigers absorbed a 6-0 rout at Akron.

Bobby Guelich came on for mop-up duty in goal that day for Princeton, giving up the final goal in what was one of his three appearances on the season.

With Guelich having moved into the starting goalie role for the Tigers this fall as a senior, he was determined to close the door on undefeated Akron last Sunday as the clubs met in the Princeton Invitational.

The lanky 6'4 170-pound native of Edina, Minn. was sharp right from the start as he made several brilliant stops in the first half to hold ninth-ranked Akron scoreless in the first half.

Directing traffic as well as saving shots, Guelich helped a tiring Princeton side hold off the Zips for the first 42 minutes of the second half. But Akron, which scored 25 goals in its first five games, seized on a Princeton defensive lapse to score on a Michael Tutich goal with 2:35 remaining.

Guelich kept talking from the back, exhorting his mates to go forward and get the equalizer but it was to no avail as the Zips held on for a 1-0 triumph.

As sweat rolled down his face, Guelich took pride in the way Princeton pushed the Zips this year in the wake of last year's whipping.

"We haven't forgotten about that result, we were definitely more competitive this year," said Guelich, who ended up with six saves on the afternoon.

"We knew Akron was good again this year. I think we played well, it was our first solid 90 minute performance this season. We had only one defensive lapse. Near the end of the game it was a lot of up and down and I think we got a little tired."

Guelich, though, isn't about to get tired of getting the chance to pile up minutes as Princeton's full-time keeper.

"It's been terrific," said Guelich, who was the understudy to All-Ivy performer Erik White the previous two seasons. "I've gotten in some games in the past but it's a real highlight to be the No. 1 goalie outright."

In addition to being Princeton's last line of defense physically, Guelich has gone out of his way to verbally call the shots from the back line.

"Communication is one of the biggest parts of my job," explained Guelich, who has a goals against average of 1.50 so far this season. "It's something I've really been trying to improve on. I haven't seen so much game action until this year so I got a little rusty
on that. I'm the only one who can see the whole field so I've got to let guys know where their men are and where the ball is."

Princeton head coach Jim Barlow viewed Guelich's effort against Akron as a solid improvement.

"Bobby took a big step forward from last night," said Barlow, referring to Princeton's 2-1 loss to Fairleigh Dickinson. "He was frustrated with the two goals we gave up last night. He felt like he could've gotten to both of them. Today he came up big four or five times. I think he really grew up today."

In Barlow's estimation, Princeton collectively showed some growth in pushing No. 9 Akron so hard. "I thought we played hard from the beginning," asserted Barlow, whose club fell to 1-3 with the narrow setback. "We set a tone that we were not going to get pushed around and that we weren't going to give up easy chances. It's a much better feeling than last night. I thought we did much better in not letting big gaps form between the backfield and midfield."

With Princeton having scored only four goals in its four games, Barlow acknowledges that his club needs to sharpen its finishing touch.

"I still think we're not doing enough on that last play around the goal," said Barlow. "That last pass has to be better and the guy who gets that pass has to be in better position."

Barlow is hoping that his team's tough early schedule will help it get in a better position as the season progresses.

"We've been playing great teams," maintained Barlow, a former star soccer player at Princeton who is in his 10th season guiding his alma mater.

"American, Loyola, FDU, Akron are teams that are in the tournament almost every year. We want to play as many good games as we can and we know these are good games. We know we're good; we're confident we're going to get the results. Things are going to go in the right direction because of the kind of guys we have."

Like Barlow, Guelich believes that the hard lessons learned Sunday will benefit the team in the long run.

"It's disappointing, we all wanted this game so much after last year," said Guelich, who will look to keep up his good work in goal when Princeton plays at Drexel on September 21 and at Adelphi on September 24. "It's tough to not come out with a result but this will help prepare us for the Ivies."

If Guelich can keep making progress, Princeton should make a serious Ivy title run.