A Young Tigers Team Starts the Season on Shaky Grounds

Andy Stewart

A young team in search of an offense after heavy graduation losses continues to grow and find itself against a very challenging nonconference schedule. The Tiger men's soccer team has competed well and has now won two of its last four games and has hopefully found its offensive stride.

Of Wittenberg's five losses in the early going, four have been by one goal and the other was by a 2-0 margin. The Tigers opened the campaign with a pair of narrow defeats against NAIA scholarship programs in the Wittenberg Invitational Aug. 30-31. In the opener, Wittenberg lost 2-1 to Walsh, despite a game-tying second-half goal by freshman David Caputo (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) off a pass from sophomore Andy Stewart (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne). In the second game of the weekend, the Tigers lost 2-0 to Ohio Dominican.

The next weekend featured two more home games and the results were mixed once again. On Saturday, against perennial national power DePauw, the Tigers fell 2-1 despite a game-tying second-half goal by freshman Sebastian Missura (Quito, Ecuador/American School) off an assist from freshman Ian Acker (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington). On Sunday, Wittenberg finally got into the win colum with a 1-0 shutout of Rose-Hulman as sophomore Isaac Boye-Arthur (Tema, Ghana/St. Peter's Secondary) had the goal and senior Matt Sharp (Mainville, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) recorded six saves for the shutout.

On Sept. 9, the Tigers dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to neighboring rival Cedarville and on Sept. 13, Wittenberg fell again by a 3-2 margin, this time to Mount Vernon Nazarene. Both programs are members of NAIA and offer athletic grants-in-aid.

Hopefully, the season's momentum turned in a Sept. 17 win at Muskingum. In the 2-1 victory, the Tigers scored the first goal of the game for just the second time this year as freshman David Ross (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) scored off a feed from sophomore Matt Berry (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe). The game-winner was scored late in the game by Stewart off an assist from Caputo.

Wittenberg plays its fifth game of the season against NAIA competition on Sunday when the Tigers visit Urbana. After a Wednesday game against perennial powerhouse Wilmington at home, the Tigers head into NCAC action. The conference features a host of strong programs again this year, including nationally ranked outfits at Ohio Wesleyan, Allegheny and Denison.