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Tommy Fleming

Appalachian State University soccer players Collin Taylor, left, and Mark Bridges, right, have started every regular-season game for the Mountaineers this season. Both players are freshman.

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By Tommy Fleming | The News Herald

Published: November 11, 2008

Boone — It's a rarity to see archrivals become teammates in sports.
But it's an even greater oddity for rivals to become roommates.
That's not the case for current Appalachian State University soccer teammates Collin Taylor and Mark Bridges.
Taylor was named to the Southern Conference first team and all-freshmen team. Being named to the SoCon first team as a freshman is an incredible achievement. He also leads the conference in shutouts, saves and minutes, and has a goals-against average of 0.98.
Bridges made the conference all-freshmen team. He and Taylor are the only freshmen to start every game this season for the Mountaineers.
Taylor played high school soccer at Freedom High while Bridges was a standout at East Burke High. Both were four-year starters — Taylor at goalie and Bridges at forward.
"I hated him for the first couple years in high school. Then we got a chance to know each other since we played on the same travel team," said Taylor. "We eventually became friends. Mark is a great roommate."
"Clearly he was one of the great players in the history of Freedom soccer," said Freedom head soccer coach David Fletcher. "Last year, he was a leader on perhaps the best team in our program's history and was the conference player of the year, too. He had an outstanding four years, starting every game. In the 20 years I've been with the Freedom boys' program, we've never had a keeper do that.
"The one thing he got very good at, and I think it is maybe the most important thing for his position, is he didn't let one mistake beat him," said Fletcher. "I tell all my goalkeepers, and I started out as a goalkeeper coach, that what separates good keepers from great keepers is that great keepers don't give up the second goal. Collin was a great high school goalkeeper last year because he rarely gave up any goals and he almost never gave up more than one.
"I think his consistency, intelligence and work ethic in both high school and club ball impressed the coaches at Appalachian State."
"Mark was a great mix of technical ability and athleticism," said Josh Martin, Bridges' soccer coach at East Burke and current Draughn High head soccer coach. "He had the ability to go right at defenders and put them in positions to fail. Mark would have been a starter and key contributor on any team in the state. He made it possible for our team to be in a lot of games and made a lot of players around him much better.
"I knew early on that Mark could play at any level he chose. It didn't surprise me in the least that he not only received a chance to play at Appalachian State, but is also contributing," said Martin. "I am very proud of Mark. He was an excellent student and exemplifies what is means to be a successful student-athlete. I expect great things from him both on and off the field."
Taylor and Bridges decided that being roommates would not cause any friction coming from their respective high schools.
The duo, Taylor at goalkeeper and Bridges at defender, have started all 17 regular-season games this season.
The duo is the only two freshmen to have started every game this season. ASU only has four other players to have started all 17 games.
"It was a shock (to be named the starting goalkeeper)," said Taylor. "Collegiate soccer is a huge difference from other levels and a whole lot harder."
Bridges added, "It is stressful at times but has been enjoyable. It has been a dream come true."
ASU is 10-7 on the season. The Mountaineers played defending national champion Wake Forest earlier in the season and only dropped a 1-0 decision to the Demon Deacons on Sept. 24. Wake Forest is currently 16-0-1 on the season. The Deacs have outscored their opponents 60-12.
"It was exciting watching them (WFU) last year win it all while I was a senior at East Burke High. Playing Wake Forest this season was so much fun," Bridges said.
Taylor said, "It was an exciting game playing the number one team in the country. I felt disappointed as I thought we could have gotten a result out of that game."
Both feel it an honor to be playing as freshmen at the collegiate level but are enduring a learning process while earning a college degree.
"The college soccer level of play is so much quicker," added Bridges.
Taylor has played 1554:55 this season and has allowed 17 goals (.098) on the year while making 82 saves on a young team. Taylor has four shutouts (Asheville, Gardner-Webb, UNC-Asheville and College of Charleston) on the season.
"Collin has the eagerness to learn and the ability to apply it to games. He is a very athletic goalkeeper and absorbs information," said ASU goalkeeper coach Matt Nelson. "Collin has performed well in games and has not made many mistakes."
Taylor was asked what the toughest part about adjusting to college life was.
"The cafeteria food is not the same as home," Taylor said. "My mom's (Sharon Taylor) French stuffed bread which includes beef, onions and cheese is one of my favorites."
The duo is fairing well as roommates in the classic dorm life as well.
"Neither of us are neat freaks, which is a good thing," said Bridges.

News Herald Sports Editor Matt Collins and Appalachian Sports Information contributed to this article.

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