With top-tier performances in their two most recent games, Men’s Soccer is dominating this season with 5 wins and 1 tie heading into their next match. The team is “in good spirits,” according to goalkeeper Zach Matik ‘25, after a dominant win over Eastern, as they work towards upcoming conference play. The Bears came back from a 0-1 deficit early with three unanswered goals for the win, from Julian Faust ‘26, Simon Muther ‘27, and Jason Lotkowski ‘27. Ben Weir ‘25 comments that “starting down a goal is part of the game.” He knew that he and his teammates would come out on top if they played strong. But for a Bears team which has gone just 2-6 in one-score games in the last 2 years, being able to hold on was a big step towards success. Alex Woll ‘25 adds that energy and possession were most important towards the end of this game, and that “we knew that if we wanted to remain in control of the game, we had to up our energy and the pace of play would follow.” By being able to control the possession battle over the final 45 minutes, the team limited Eastern’s opportunities, thereby earning a big non-conference win.
The Bears’ leadership has shown to be strong many times this season, just as it was during the Eastern game. This has allowed the Bears to continue to keep their composure during tough moments down the stretch. In the Bears’ game against Penn State Brandywine, juniors Marko Balic and Enver Desic added one goal each with under 15 minutes remaining on the clock, leading to a 5-3 victory over the Nittany Lions. The strong play of the Bears’ upperclassmen has put them in situations to succeed even when the pressure is highest, signs of a truly great team. “It’s a team win,” pointed out Matik, stating that the team will continue to “compete until the end to gain victory.”
The Bears are excited to begin conference play this upcoming weekend, with matchups against foes like Johns Hopkins and Franklin and Marshall that have been battles in the past. But the team notes that if they come out strong and full of energy, they are confident in their ability to succeed. With the results early in the season, it’s hard not to see this team on that path of success.
Performance of the Week
Looking for a big statement win against the Rowan Profs this past Saturday, the Bears
knew they would need a strong performance from their rushing attack. They got that
and more, as Junior Running Back Tony Holden led the Bears with 226 yards and 3
touchdowns in a massive victory.