Soccer Rallies to Win

If you have ever had a homework assignment due for an afternoon class, you know there's a much better chance you'll succeed in finishing if you get up at 8 a.m. instead of at noon. It's the same for a soccer game.

The Yeomen's only assignment this week was Wabash College, but it was a tough one. Fortunately, got started early, coming out to beat Wabash 3-1. Oberlin's record is now 1-2-1 in NCAC play and 4-6-1 overall.

Against Wabash, Oberlin jumped out to an early 2 - 0 lead, thanks to, according to senior goalkeeper Caleb Stokes, "an amazing assist, by senior Sam Hopkins."

First-year Nick DiSanza, who had to sit out the Denison game for getting a red card, also came out ready to play. "This was a big game for us, a must win," DiSanza said. "And I wanted to make up for getting a red card." And make up he did.

"He was awesome up-front, always creating great chances," Stokes said of DiSanza. "Our defense rotated smoothly, and our offense was creative and effective," said Stokes, who contributed a few fine saves to preserve the Yeomen lead.

"I was very pleased with the team's play in the first half," Head Coach Blake New said. "But the momentum started shifting their way in the second half."

The Yeomen came out flat and couldn't get anything going offensively in the second half. They began to slip defensively as well.

"Their forwards got by our defenders," New said. Wabash cashed in on a goal about 20 minutes into the second half, forcing the Yeomen to regain their composure.

They battled scorelessly until Hopkins "iced the game with a devestating penalty kick," Stokes said.

The Yeomen have yet to put together an optimum performance for the entire 90 minutes, and it seems consistency is their only goal presently unattained. That is, except for a birth in the conference tournament.

"When this team comes to play, we're a tough team to beat," Disanza said. "We just have to find a way to come to play as a team every game."

New plans to head down to Kenyon to scout them out before their meeting Saturday at 2 p.m. "Kenyon will be a tough game," New said. "And they'll be looking for some revenge after our 1-0 win [against them] last year."

It looks like the Yeomen will have a test this Saturday, but they've already started studying. The Yeomen will just have to study harder, and be wide awake when their alarm clocks go off Saturday morning.