Inside the mindset of DII men's soccer goal-scoring machines

A simple look at the history of DII men’s soccer shows how important it is to have a go-to goal scorer. The last four championships have come in shutout fashion, so having someone with a hot foot on your side isn’t a luxury — it is a necessity.

How does one become such a feared goal scorer? Let’s go to the sources themselves and ask what coaches and some of DII men’s soccer top goal-scoring machines think the secret is to consistently finding success in the back of the net.

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The mindset of a DII men’s soccer top goal scorer

Mere Escobar, F, Midwestern State

The list of accolades for Escobar is seemingly endless. He is a two-time All-American and the reigning D2CCA national player of the year, South Central player of the year and Lone Star Conference player of the year. He also happens to be DII men’s soccer’s active career goal leader with 46 and counting.

In his three full seasons (2020’s partial season excluded), Escobar has scored 11, 11, and 17 goals with 14 of those being game-winners.

“My mindset as a goal scorer is to be confident and composed, while also putting myself in the best positions to help the team,” Escobar told me. “I believe I have an instinct for goals. Knowing where to be in the box is important, and staying composed in front of a goal has been important to my career thus far. Hopefully, more goals will continue to come.”

Peter Plougmand, F, Mars Hill

Plougmand doesn’t get much attention as Mars Hill doesn’t make the tournament often, but the forward is on absolute fire to start the 2024 season. He was the first SAC player of the week, totaling three goals in his first two games and dropped four goals in a victory over Newberry a week later. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that he has more than 40 career goals (and counting) in his stellar career.

So, why is Plougmand so special? “In one word: Mentality,” said head coach Gregg Munn. “Peter has a relentless mentality to score goals. He is someone who can score in multiple different ways, and he is focused on one main thing when on the field and that is putting the ball in the back of the net.”

Twenty-five of his goals have come in the past two seasons, seven of which have been game-winners. The two-time All-SAC first teamer is currently second in active career goals and total goals in 2024. 

“For me, it’s a 100% mindset,” Plougmand said. “My mindset is always about wanting more. The hunger for goals drives me every time I step on the field. It’s not just about the number of goals; it’s about the feeling I get when I score. It’s hard to put into words, but that feeling keeps me motivated and focused. I want to keep experiencing it, so I’m always pushing myself to be in the right position, making the proper runs, and ready to take advantage of every opportunity. I always expect more from myself and stay sharp throughout the game.

“That being said, the most important thing for me is to help the team. I’m happiest when we’re winning and creating chances together. If my goals contribute to that, then I’m doing my job.”

Tamas Nagy, F, Roberts Wesleyan

Nagy traveled some 4,300 miles from his Hungarian home to pursue his dream of playing collegiate soccer. It is safe to say that Roberts Wesleyan is happy he did. Nagy scored a hat trick on opening day and now has 35 career goals, making him third amongst active goal scorers. 

"I believe what makes Tamas a goal scorer is his positive mindset," head coach Scott Reber. "He obviously has the physical ability with technical skills and athleticism, but his mindset sets him apart. He has the confidence in himself to be able to take on defenders, beat them and then have the composure to score; the composure being key. Many players get down on themselves after a failed attempt or game in which they don't score, but for Tamas, I think that fuels him more. He believes he can do it and has that confidence in himself to persevere and continue to chase after that goal."

Simply put, Nagy isn't just a goal-scoring beast, but a point-scoring machine. After scoring two goals in 2021, he burst onto the DII scene with a 16-goal season, while also recording 11 assists. Last season, he led the ECC with 13 goals, was tied for the conference lead with 32 points and enjoyed All-American and All-Region accolades for his success. 

"In order to be a successful goal scorer, I have to be in my 'happy place,'" Nagy said. "Whenever I feel good and am having fun on the field, I feel that no one can stop me, and the goals are just coming naturally. Since I am a striker, I have to mention that without my teammates it would be impossible."

Current goal-scoring phenoms to watch

Though still climbing the active career goal leaders, there are a bevy of forwards and midfielders that have a knack for finding the back of the net thus far in 2024. Darcy Moffat of Florida Southern transferred in from Longwood where he was named to the Big South All-Freshman team. This year, he is off to a hot start, having six total goals in his first four DII games, registering at least one goal in each match he’s played thus far.

"Darcy has extremely good habits in the final third," head coach Ashley Holmes said. "His runs are challenging to defenders, and he has natural instincts for being in the right place at the right time to score simple goals. He works really hard to get himself into positions to have chances in the oppositions' box. He has had a great start to the season and has been very clinical in front of goal. I am excited to watch him continue to find the back of the net as we enter conference play."

"A big part of the mindset of a goal scorer is positioning yourself and being in the right place at the right time to capitalize on opportunities while being relentless and keeping your foot on the gas searching for your next opportunity to score," Moffat said. "With this mindset, I’ve been able to capitalize and look to keep my foot on the gas."

Kevon Evans of St. Thomas Aquinas already has seven goals this season, but he’s been an all-around force since his freshman season. Entering 2024, Evans had 21 career goals over two seasons, but he also added 12 assists over the same span. Last year, he finished in the top 15 in total points with 32 behind a 12-goal campaign.

"For me, the mindset of a goal scorer is to just go with the flow of the game," Evans told me. "To understand you will get chances whether you create them yourself or it comes from your teammate — it's just about being clinical and finishing those chances you get. Once you start finishing your chances, confidence comes and it's almost like no one can stop you — after you get one you can go out there and get another one."

Johannes Hanken Tjostheim of Mercy has been a consistent force since his 10-goal freshman at Spring Hill. After getting blanked in his opener this season, the sure-footed Hanken Tjostheim has been on a rampage, scoring eight goals in his next three games, the most in DII thus far in 2024. Mercy won those three games by a combined score of 11-0.

"I think the mindset of a goal scorer revolves around confidence, focus and resilience," Hanken Tjostheim told me. "I also believe that as a goal scorer you should know that you are totally depending on your teammates to set you up. This mindset frees you to play more freely, without the burden of pressure, allowing you to focus on contributing to the team. I also think a big part of the mindset of a goal scorer is to stay hungry throughout every single minute you play, and always wanting to score one more.

"I believe it’s crucial to approach scoring not as a matter of life and death, but as a part of the game. It’s not that important in the bigger picture in life. I think that mindset helps me a lot. I’ve learned this through a personal experience this summer when I faced the fear of almost losing my little brother through a horrible accident. That situation put everything in perspective and reminded me that the stakes in sports, while at times can feel very important, are ultimately just a game and you should enjoy every moment of it."

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