Menıs Soccer Drops B-W 3-2, Falls to Mt. Union

The Oberlin Menıs soccer team is like a boulder perched on top of a sloping hill. They possess massive potential energy.

Trying to build on last yearıs .500 season, they have set goals of finishing in the top four in the conference to be allowed to move on to the newly instated conference tournament. The returning Yeomen will draw on a strong off-season and a grueling summer work-out. Eleven quality first-year players will join them.

With all the potential that the team has they will have to be careful to maintain their focus long enough to turn it into a winning season. The team opened the season at home by hosting the Fred Shults Invitational Soccer Tournament. Their first game was against Mount Union on Friday, their capability was evident, but a few mistakes led to the 4-5 loss.

However, their second game against Baldwin Wallace on Saturday proved to be more successful, ending in a 3-2 victory.

In the Mount Union game, the 0-2 score at half time belied the actual play of the first half. The teams seemed evenly matched on the field, but Mount Union was quick to capitalize on the couple of mistakes that Oberlin made. ³Itıs pretty much just a scramble once [mistakes] happen if they are in a dangerous place,² said Sophomore Simon Spaid. ³Otherwise I think we do a reasonable job at righting the ship if itıs not a quick give away.²

When Mount Union scored twice more at the beginning of the second half, it looked like the makings of yet another blow-out. Showing unprecedented determination, the Yeomen rallied to score four goals of their own and tie the score, astonishing and exciting the crowd of spectators.

First-year Nick Dizanza led the retaliation, followed by two quick goals from first-year Jesse Kipp. Finally sophomore Richared Braithwaite scored on a long shot off a free kick.

However, the Yeomen allowed another mistake to occur, and Mount Union wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity by scoring a fifth goal with only ten minutes left to play. Oberlin was unable to rally again for the tie.

³The mistakes that we made are correctable mistakes,² said head coach Blake New. ³We proved we can score goals and offensively we looked good.²

The next day the score was the same at half time but this time with Oberlin ahead. The first goal was by Kipp, and the second was by Braithwaite. The team was obviously more comfortable playing together and with the flat four back system that they switched to over the off-season.

³Weıre still learning the system. In the long run the system is going to be great,² said New. ³Itıs just making small mistakes inside the system that has hurt us so far.²

In the second half, Baldwin Wallace scored a goal bringing the game within one. Then sophomore Paul Park scored to put the Yeomen back in a comfortable lead. However, Baldwin Wallace scored again, and Oberlin was able to hold them off until the end for the win.

Although their opening two games were impressive to watch, the team will have to work hard to move up from last yearıs sixth place finish to make it to the tournament. They have a whole pool of first-years eager to contribute to draw from.

³The guys are great,² said first-year Jesse Kipp. ³It is real easy to play for a team that is fun to be around.²

The fresh talent should be a nice compliment to the returning players who have had the off-season and the summer to prepare mentally and physically for this season.

³I think youıll notice we are a stronger team, on the ball you can see that. Also you donıt see us getting knocked around a lot,² said senior Ian Maher. ³The hardest part of our weight lifting program was the mental aspect. It took a lot of intestinal fortitude.²