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2002 Men's Soccer News Releases

November 19, 2002

Brian Armstrong

Matt Lapish

Steve Doring

Three Wittenberg men’s soccer players earned All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors in balloting just announced this week.

Senior forward Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) was rewarded for his hard work and NCAC-leading 34 total points with a first-team designation, the first of his career. Junior midfielder Steve Doring (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne) and senior midfielder Matt Lapish (Grosse Point Farms, Mich./South) both were named to the second team.

The Tigers finished the 2002 season strong, winning five of their last six games to finish 5-4 in the NCAC and 7-10-1 overall.

Next: Season Complete

November 5, 2002

Josh Curtis

Brian Armstrong

Five wins in their final six games weren’t quite enough for the Tiger men’s soccer team, who finished up the 2002 season with a 6-0 win at Hiram last Saturday. Going into the regular season finale, Wittenberg needed a win and two other NCAC rivals to lose. The Tigers did their part, but the other teams didn’t and the Tigers finished the season with a 7-10-1 overall record, including a 5-4 mark in the NCAC, which was good for sixth place in the final standings.

In the win over Hiram, senior forward Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) ran his goal tally to 14 for the season by scoring four goals, providing small consolation in the face of the team falling just one point short of qualifiying for the NCAC tournament. Armstrong finished the regular season with 14 goals and six assists, good for 34 total points, best in the NCAC.

Senior midfielder Matt Lapish (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./South) and junior forward Taggart Studdes (Ostrander, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) both got into the scoring act as well against Hiram. Senior defender Josh Curtis (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) was instrumental in the offensive barrage, providing four assists.

Next: Season Complete

October 29, 2002

Josh Curtis

Brian Armstrong

Time is running short on the Tiger men’s soccer team, but Wittenberg is doing its best to make things exciting.

Facing elimination from contention for the NCAC regular season championship every game for a week, the Tigers responded with victories over Kenyon and Oberlin in the last seven days. One game remains, at Hiram on Saturday, and Wittenberg must win the game and hope for help to make the NCAC tournament. Only the top four teams in the conference qualify for the tourney, and the Tigers are in sixth place right now.

Against Kenyon last Wednesday, goals were scored by senior forward Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman), junior midfielder Steve Doring (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) and senior defensive back Josh Curtis (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman). Doring and Curtis each also added assists as the Tigers rallied from a 1-0 first-half deficit to claim the win.

The Tigers followed that up with an exciting one-goal victory at Oberlin on Saturday. It was just the third one-goal victory of the season for Wittenberg, against seven defeats by the same margin. Armstrong, who leads the team and ranks among the best in the NCAC in goals and total points, had the game-winning score in the second overtime period. That came after regulation scores by junior defensive back Greg Zeller (Springfield, Ohio/North), junior forward Mike Walsh (Springfield, Ohio/North) and junior forward Taggart Suddes (Ostrander, Ohio/Dublin Coffman).

Next: 11/2 @ Hiram, 1 p.m.

October 22, 2002

Stefan Christman

Brian Armstrong

The Tiger men’s soccer team has made a habit of playing close games in 2002. Unfortunately, they also have lost most of them.

In perhaps the biggest game of the year on Saturday, with the Tigers hanging onto hope of earning an NCAC tournament berth by winning their final five games, Wooster took the measure of Wittenberg by a 2-1 score. It was the seventh time this season that the Tigers have lost a game by one goal (against two wins by one goal), and of those seven one-goal defeats, four have come after Wittenberg led 1-0 at halftime.

Against Wooster, senior forward Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) scored in the first half to give the Tigers a short-lived lead. But in the final 45 minutes, playing for the third time in the last three weeks with just 10 players for an entire half, Wittenberg couldn’t hang onto the lead, allowing the game-winner with just 2:57 left on the clock.

Against Wabash, the Tigers had an offensive explosion that they have seen before or since. In the first four minutes of the game, Wittenberg dropped three goals into the back of the net. Armstrong had the first one, junior Steve Doring (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) netted the second and sophomore Cliff Cannon (Gahanna, Ohio/Wellington) chipped in a third. Assists went to senior Stefan Christman (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) on the first two tallies and Armstrong on the goal by Cannon.

Armstrong rounded out the scoring with a second-half penalty kick after he was tripped in the corner of the box. He leads the Tigers with eight goals and 21 total points.

The Tigers have three games remaining and a long hill to climb to reach the NCAC tournament, which includes the top four teams in the conference. Wittenberg starts off with a home game against Kenyon on Wednesday and then wraps up with road games at Oberlin and Hiram the next two weekends. In order to reach the postseason, Wittenberg must win those three games and hope for a lot of help.

The game against Kenyon will be the 2002 home finale and Senior Recognition Day. Armstrong, Christman, Josh Curtis (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), Matt Lapish (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South) and Josh Hains (Granger, Ind./Clay) all will make their final home appearance in a Wittenberg jersey.

Next: 10/23 vs. Kenyon, 4 p.m.

October 15, 2002

Mike Walsh

Brian Armstrong

The positive vibrations emanating from the soccer pitch at Bill Edwards Field following a pair of women’s soccer victories carried over on Saturday afternoon as the Tiger men’s soccer team stunned nationally ranked Ohio Wesleyan for the second straight year. The 2-1 win for the hard-luck Tigers, who have lost six games by one goal this season, improved their NCAC record to 1-3 and kept their slight postseason hopes alive. The top four teams in the conference make the postseason tournament.

Junior forward Mike Walsh (Springfield, Ohio/North) joined Alecia Dimar as an NCAC Player of the Week by bagging two goals in 13 minutes to give Wittenberg the victory against OWU, which came in ranked No. 17 in the country and was a national semifinalist in 2001. The goals both came late in the second half, made even more sweet as Wittenberg played 80 minutes with 10 men after having one sent off by a red card. The resulting penalty kick was placed into the goal by Ohio Wesleyan for the early lead.

The game appeared beyond reach with less than 15 minutes to go before Walsh bagged his fourth and fifth goals of the season, the first a header off a Steve Doring (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) cross. The game-winning goal came courtesy of a long ball played into the box by senior forward Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman).

The Tigers hope to continue this newfound form into their next match against Wabash, one of the teams battling to get back into the NCAC postseason picture. Wittenberg must win at least four of its last five games to have a chance to make the tourney.

Next: 10/16 vs. Wabash, 4 p.m.

October 8, 2002

Matthew Berry

Brian Armstrong

Yet again one goal was enough to consign Wittenberg men’s soccer team to defeat in both matches last week.

The first defeat came at the hands of Earlham on Tuesday despite senior forward Brian Armstrong’s (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) first-half goal. Armstrong’s team-best fifth tally of the season came off a pass from senior midfielder Stefan Christman (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman). But the Tigers couldn’t hold on in the second half as they surrendered two goals to the Quakers. The game was made even more difficult by the fact that they played most of the second half with just nine players thanks to a pair of red cards.

The same 2-1 scoreline was repeated on Saturday as the Tigers took on Denison at home in front of a Parent’s Weekend crowd. Denison took the lead in the first half, but freshman Matthew Berry (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) equalized things with his third tally of the season. The score remained there, despite a Wittenberg penalty kick that went awry, until Denison scored the winner with just five minutes remaining in the game.

Wittenberg now gets a rest until next this weekend’s Homecoming game against nationally ranked Ohio Wesleyan, the defending conference champion and 2001 NCAA Division III Final Four participant.

Next: 10/12 vs. Ohio Wesleyan, 3:30 p.m.

October 1, 2002

Matthew Berry

Stefan Christman

The disappointing start to the 2002 season continued for the men’s soccer team last week with a pair of road defeats. The Tigers have now matched their loss totals for each of the last two seasons.

The Tigers started out with a 2-1 loss at Wilmington on Wednesday in a final non-conference tune-up. Despite taking an early lead on a goal by freshman Matthew Berry (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) off an assist by Stefan Christman (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), the Tigers couldn’t hold on and went down to another one-goal loss, their fifth of the season. The game-winning goal came with just 15 minutes left to play in the second half, perhaps a less cruel fate than the four overtime losses the Tigers have already absorbed this season.

On Saturday, the Tigers lost another tight match, falling at Allegheny 2-0 in Wittenberg’s NCAC opener. Senior goalkeeper/defensive back Josh Curtis (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) played well in net but surrendered two second-half tallies to account for the Tigers’ defeat.

If Wittenberg is to get things turned around, they must take things one game at a time, beginning with a winnable opponent today in Earlham. A huge test comes Saturday as perennial conference power Denison comes calling on Parents Weekend in Springfield.

Next: 10/1 @ Earlham, 4 p.m.

September 24, 2002

Andy Stewart

Brian Armstrong

A few breaks here and there and perhaps the Tiger men's soccer team would have a different outlook on things right now. As it is, after four overtime losses in the first eight games of the season, Wittenberg will have to find some way to rally to meet the lofty goals they have set for themselves.

Last week, the Tigers recorded their first shutout of the 2002 season against Muskingum by a 3-0 count on Wednesday. Wittenberg took the lead with five minutes to play in the first period. A free kick played in by freshman Andrew Stewart (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) led to a header from 12 yards out by freshman Matthew Berry (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe).

The home team didn't look back from that point and maintained pressure to add two more goals in the space of three minutes in the second half. Sophomore Cliff Cannon (Gahanna, Ohio/Wellington School) provided both assists, senior Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) claimed his third of the season and Stewart turned from provider to scorer to secure the points for Wittenberg.

Once again, however, the Tigers were unable to capitalize on a win's momentum, falling in yet another overtime game. Armstrong netted another goal, but the Tigers fell in a game at the aborted Wilmington Kiwanis Invitational on Saturday to Washington & Jefferson. That game was originally scheduled for Friday but was pushed back by rain and lightning. Saturday's game against Wheaton was cancelled.

W&J took the lead on an unassisted goal after a rebound in the first half and held the lead until mid-way through the second period when Armstrong put away his fourth of the season, unassisted off another rebound.

The Tigers head back to Wilmington for another game on Wednesday, hoping to build some momentum before they start the NCAC campaign.

Next: 9/25 @ Wilmington, 7:30 p.m.

September 17, 2002

Jesse King

It was another tough week for the Tiger men’s soccer team, which dropped another road game, this time at Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday by a 2-1 score in overtime.

Freshman Jesse King (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) had the Tigers’ lone goal, a first-half tally that put Wittenberg ahead until just five minutes remained in the game. A goal at that time sent the game to overtime and Mount Vernon Nazarene captured the win with a long pass and point blank shot with four minutes remaining in overtime to claim the win.

A final week of preparation for the NCAC now approaches, beginning with a September 17 home game against Muskingum, a busy weekend at the Wilmington Invitational, where the Tigers square off with Washington & Jefferson and Wheaton, and then a road game against the Quakers next Wednesday.

Next: 9/17 vs. Muskingum, 4 p.m.

September 10, 2002

Mike Walsh

Taggart Suddes

The Tiger men's soccer team put a poor start behind them over the weekend to clinch their first win of the season and a tie against one of the top teams in the nation.

Going into the weekend with a record of 0-3 the Tigers visited nationally ranked DePauw and Rose-Hulman on back-to-back days. Against DePauw on Saturday, Wittenberg went into halftime with a 2-0 lead, but the home team to catch up and take a 3-2 lead. The Tigers rallied late in the second and the hard work paid off with a Mike Walsh (Springfield, Ohio/North) goal with just 7 minutes left in regulation time. It was his third goal of both the game and the season. The first tally came in the first half off a cross from Greg Zeller (Springfield, Ohio/North) and the second first-half score came after Steve Doring (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) provided the long ball over the defense. The 3-3 tie was a valuable starting point and showed signs of improvement that will be necessary if the Tigers are to improve on last season's 10-7-1 record.

On Sunday the Tigers capitalized on the previous day's tie with a victory over Rose-Hulman. Walsh turned from scorer to provider for the first goal, which was scored by Taggart Studdes (Ostrander, Ohio/Dublin Coffman). Studdes then doubled his tally seven minutes later after Brian Armstrong (Delaware, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) provided a breakaway pass from the right side for the junior to slot home.

Next: 9/14 at Mt. Vernon Nazarene, 2 p.m.

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