Loyola senior center back Matt Brennan feels that he’s a bit too talkative at times on the soccer field.
“It kind of comes with the position,” Brennan said about being the quarterback of the Ramblers’ defense. “But I think that sometimes I annoy my teammates when I’m so chatty.”
His teammates and coach would beg to disagree with that latter point.
“Matt reassures everyone back there,” Loyola senior forward Sean Hickey said. “He communicates with everyone. He shifts the coverage and makes sure we don’t panic.”
That was the case on Tuesday, Sept. 20, as Loyola earned a 1-0 Chicago Catholic League victory over St. Joseph at Loyola’s Munz Campus in Glenview. Players and fans alike could hear Brennan, a Northbrook resident, constantly talking positioning and encouraging his teammates.
“I want to make sure that everyone is on the same page, otherwise it can cost us,” Brennan said. “And, I just like to talk.”
Brennan recounted how he used to get down on himself when he wasn’t playing his best, but he was able to get past that.
“I always try to encourage everyone no matter what’s happening,” Brennan said.
Loyola coach Baer Fisher said Brennan is not overly athletic, but he overcomes that.
“He gets by (athletically),” Fisher said. “But he’s so crucial to the team as a vocal presence to help organize us. He’s good in the air and he has a great knowledge of the game.”
Even though he is 5-foot-8.5, Brennan was constantly in the air heading the ball against the Chargers (6-5, 2-2).
Fisher praised Brennan’s ability in the air, pointing out that he is able to play physical and knows where to be at the right time.
“You have to be able to do that with my position,” Brennan said. “I know I’m a shorter guy, but you just have to go up.”
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While Brennan and senior goalie Jack McMenamin (four saves) were keeping St. Joseph’s offense at bay, Loyola (10-1-1, 3-0) scored the decisive goal with 11:50 left in the first half. Hickey found sophomore midfielder David Gripman alone in the box on a sharp pass, which Gripman chipped over the St. Joseph goalie.
From that point on, Brennan made sure there was no confusion on defense by conversing with everyone.
He conducts himself in a similar manner off the soccer field as well.
“My teachers also might think that I talk a little bit too much,” Brennan said with a smile.
Mark Perlman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @markdavidperlma