McNitt looks to keep Raiders in contention

by Alan Hieber

Wright State men's soccer has had a bit of a tumultuous 2019 season in terms of results, sitting at 5-5-1 heading into this weekend's matchup with Detroit Mercy. One player who is capable of helping the Raiders get on the mend is midfielder Brayden McNitt.

On a brisk fall evening last November 10, the team sustained a 3-1 loss to UIC in the finals of the Horizon League tournament – the fourth such occasion in the past five seasons. Following the successful regular season campaign in 2018 that saw Wright State become nationally ranked, there was a sense this season's squad would be at that same pace.

However at 5-5-1 – including five one-goal losses and a 1-3 Horizon League record – the team has had somewhat of a cruel fall.

"To start the season we had high expectations and we knew we were going to have a tough schedule ahead of us. We were really excited about it and the beginning didn't really necessarily go as planned," McNitt said. "Ever since then we've just been inconsistent with how we've been playing. We've had some really good games, and we've also had some games where we just haven't been ourselves."

On October 1, Wright State faced off in Durham against then-No. 18 Duke, holding their own against the nationally ranked Blue Devils and ultimately scraping out a 2-2 overtime tie.

"We gave them a game, and it could've gone either way. When we play like these high-ranked teams there's something about us that just steps up," McNitt said. "It's something we need to take from these games and bring against Horizon League teams."

When he was visiting the Wright State campus as a recruit, McNitt says that the players and coaches already welcomed him with open arms and he was impressed by the team's potential. McNitt looks up to the upperclassmen in particular, and he also pointed out what he feels the coaching staff has done to help fine-tune his soccer skills.

"It's always good to observe them and see how they train. We have some really good upperclassmen right now that are being watched as draft prospects," he said. "All the coaches have really helped because they're easy to talk to and are there for you. If you need instructions, they always seem to have a plan for you and tell you what to work on."

On the season McNitt has tallied one goal and assist, but it's his defending at the midfield at probably most impressive.

"Brayden brings a great work rate on the field along with being a good soccer player. He covers a lot of ground and is very unselfish player for the team," Raider head coach Jake Slemker said. "Off the field he is a great person and teammate always helping out."

This past summer McNitt was representing the Flint City Bucks USL League 2 team in his home state of Michigan and captured a championship. In what is a developmental league filled with college talent across the country, he says that he earned a wealth of experience for what is his dream of going pro one day.

"It's such a great experience because you're playing against and with future professional players," McNitt said. "You just learn from all these guys. Then you get advice from the coaching staff, which helps even more in the long run."

Wright State will look to improve its luck hosting Detroit Mercy at Alumni Field this Saturday night with a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Players Mentioned

Brayden McNitt

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