Murphy out from shadows

Matt Murphy has officially blown his cover.

The UC Irvine junior, an outside midfielder on the Anteaters men’s soccer team, flourished last season in the shadow of four senior teammates who were drafted or signed by Major League Soccer franchises after a 13-4-3 campaign that set a school record for wins.

Murphy was the regular-season Big West Conference leader in points (25), goals (10) and game-winning goals (five) and was named Big West Midfielder of the Year, as well as first-team all-conference.

But he was largely ignored by opposing coaches, who crafted their defenses with an emphasis on containing All-American Brad Evans, now playing with the MLS’s Columbus Crew, and Anthony Hamilton (Chivas USA).

UCI also utilized the talents of defender Cameron Dunn (signed but did not stick with Chivas USA) and goalkeeper Kenny Schoeni (Chivas USA), ascending at one point to a No. 7 national ranking.

But after a 6-3-1 Big West mark that included a loss in the regular-season finale at Cal State Northridge, UCI was snubbed by the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

That snub, questioned even more after Big West Conference champion UC Santa Barbara went on to win the national championship (a 2-0 setback to UCI was the Gauchos’ last loss), hit Murphy and his teammates like a point-blank free kick below the belt.

“I think [the snub] is a big motivational factor for all the players and coaches who are returning,” said UCI Coach George Kuntz, entering his 13th season at the Anteaters’ helm. “It doesn’t sit well with us.”

Murphy still recalls the sting of seeing his season end while watching the televised NCAA Tournament pairings show.

“I think the very second we found out we didn’t make the tournament, [the returners] started looking forward to the first game [Friday at home against Gonzaga at 7 p.m.],” Murphy said. “It was extremely frustrating. But I think we have the team to make up for it this year.”

This year’s team includes 18 freshmen, 23 underclassmen and only three seniors. And only one of those seniors — defender Brandon Foster — is expected to get significant playing time.

Other than Murphy, the combined scoring totals of the other returners amounts to three goals and seven assists.

Still, Murphy and Kuntz, the 2006 Big West Coach of the Year, whose next win will be his 100th at UCI, are upbeat about 2007.

“Once all the seniors left after last season, it was tough to deal with,” said Murphy, whose powerful left leg makes him dangerous on free kicks, corner kicks and from the wing. “But since this new group has come in, we have established our leaders and our chemistry is working out pretty well.”

Kuntz said Murphy, chosen third-team preseason All-American by College Soccer News, is among those leaders.

“He has matured so much as a leader and a player,” Kuntz said of the Anaheim Hills resident who amassed 15 goals and 11 assists en route to earning All-CIF Southern Section honors as a senior at Mater Dei High. “He came here on an opportunity and he has made the most of the opportunity.”

Murphy, a former member of the highly respected Irvine Strikers club program, redshirted his first year at UCI. In 2005, he scored three goals and collected four assists.

Last season, benefiting from extra space created by defenders minding some of his teammates, Murphy said things just clicked.

“He was definitely under the radar,” Kuntz said. “But he has really blossomed into a wonderful player.”

Murphy, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, said his endurance, more than his speed, helps him find open spaces, though he is resigned to the fact that he will receive much more defensive attention this season.

“The challenge for me this year, when I am man-marked, is to be confident with the ball, while not trying to do too much,” Murphy said. “I want to help take some pressure off my team by opening up opportunities for others to score.”

Kuntz said Murphy has learned a lot about being the center of attention.

“He had a very difficult spring, because he had a huge backpack full of UCI players on his back and he was trying to carry the team,” Kuntz said. “But it was too heavy. The coaches have talked to him about simplifying his game and getting back to what he was doing last year, which was taking free kicks, taking crosses and being responsible on defense. We’re hoping he’s able to focus on those things, because he’ll have a bull’s eye on his back.”

Kuntz said the talented recruiting class is led by Spencer Thompson, who broke all of Evans’ scoring records at Mountain Pointe High just outside of Phoenix, and Amani Walker, a 6-2, 185-pounder out of San Diego.

“Amani was the best, if not one of the best, forwards in the club scene last year,” said Kuntz, who believes the 17-year-old is between one and two years ahead of Hamilton at this point in his career.

“And Spencer is a completely different kind of forward than we’ve ever had here,” Kuntz said. ”He’s built like a football running back [5-11, 170], he’s very strong and he has an incredibly quick shot.”

Kuntz said the freshmen, who have all shaved their heads as an act of unity, have helped inspire optimism about this season.

“As a group, they’re probably better than we expected,” he said.

Still, juniors Rafael Macedo, a midfielder, J.T. Terrazas, a forward and midfielder, as well as defenders David Sias and Kyle Schmid, are expected to provide steady play as veterans.

Junior Greg Larson is battling freshman Pat Barton for the starting goalkeeper job.