February 11, 2003

Two More Key Players Lost for Season

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- The Michigan lacrosse team suffered a double blow this week when two key players left the team.  Senior captain Sooman Kim (Troy, Mich./Troy) was forced to cut his playing career short due to health concerns, and junior defenseman Matt Bernard (Litchfield, Conn./Litchfield) decided to leave the team to focus on academic priorities.  Kim, a 3rd-Team USLIA All-American last season, was slated to be the team's starting goalie for the third straight year.  Bernard, although he had seen limited action in his first two seasons, was pushing for a starting spot at close defense.

Kim, a 24 year-old senior majoring in athletic training, was a 2nd-Team All-CCLA selection and a 3rd-Team USLIA All-American last season.  He started every game for Wolverines and achieved a 6.32 goals per game average and a .567 save percentage.  Kim played in the World Championships this past summer in Perth, Australia for the USA West team that captured the International Open Division crown.

Bernard did not come in with the accolades of many of his teammates.  A basketball player in high school, he started playing lacrosse seriously for the first time as a freshman at Michigan during the 2000-2001 season - the same year his older brother Dave was a starting, senior midfielder on the team.  His hard work over the past two years had earned him a spot in the defensive rotation for the first time this season.

The team already lost 2nd-Team USLIA All-American midfielder Kevin Toller (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) in the fall due to a recurring problem with concussions. 

"All of these guys are really going to be missed," said head coach John Paul.  "Sooman, as a captain and as our starting goalie, is obviously a major loss.  Kevin had a legitimate shot at being the best faceoff guy in the USLIA this season, and Matt had worked so hard to put himself in a position to contribute substantially.  All three of them are leaders on and off the field.  We'll have guys step up on the field to fill the holes they leave, but off the field we can't really replace them."

Michigan opens the 2003 season with a pair of scrimmages this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against Division II varsity Wheeling Jesuit University and Division III varsity Kenyon College.  The scrimmages are in Oosterbaan Fieldhouse, and admission is free.