Cedarville University Yellow Jackets

October 31, 2016

Heart–Break härt br k/
Noun
Overwhelming distress.
(2016, Google)

This week has been a roller coaster of emotion. Coming off of a big overtime win over Ohio Valley, we were more than excited to take on Malone in the first round of the G-MAC tournament.

With Saturday approaching, we were preparing in all the ways we knew how. However, nothing could have prepared us for the sadness we felt after falling 2-1 in yet another overtime decision. Heartbreak, see definition above, may be a bit dramatic when attempting to pin point the shared feeling amongst the CUWS team, but to state anything less than heartbreak would be to lessen the magnitude of sadness that was felt.

To our ambitious freshmen, continue to challenge each other relentlessly. This opportunity that you are a part of is bigger than yourselves and it will be over before you know it. The beauty of the game is not to be taken for granted, and I have so much confidence in your class to leave your very own CUWS legacy.

To the sweet sophomores, you have been there through it all. From our 2015 G-MAC Championship, to the first round NCAA game, you all have experienced the true highs and lows of this sport that we choose to play day in and day out. It’s in the mountaintops of victory and valleys defeat that you see what/who one truly values; be sure to always reflect your testimony to Jesus Christ in any and all circumstances.

To Steph and Grace, our redshirt seniors, lead the team confidently this upcoming year. Having you on the field this season would have been awesome, but God has something amazing in store for you both! Thanks for being such amazing teammates, and more importantly friends, through these past four years. Carry on what has been exemplified to us throughout our time here. #ForHim

To my fellow seniors, my best friends, thank you for pushing each other when life seemed too hard to handle. Thanks for all the back rubs, the hair braids, and for all the hilarious memories. Four years ago we met in front of Printy after a long day of preseason to chat and to pray for each other, as this journey called "college" began. I remember vividly one of us saying, "… I know that our time here is going to go fast." Boy, were you right. Four years later and our soccer careers are over, but with the hanging up of our cleats comes a new beginning. We’re going to graduate and we’re going to start our lives outside of Cedarville. Though, whatever life may bring, we can always find peace knowing that there will ALWAYS be someone to lean on, and there is continuous comfort residing in the fact that He is on the throne and He will forever reign.

Blogging for this audience has been really rewarding and I have enjoyed it a lot. This to say, I really don’t feel as if I have done this team justice, as no amount of words could ever encompass what Cedarville University Women’s Soccer has meant to me.

With my lovely teammates being some of the most intelligent people that I know, I sent out a text, simply asking if they could give me one word to describe CUWS.

Family • Sisterhood • Passion • Uplifting • Matchless • Endurance • Uncommon • One

This is more than a team, and these words are more than just mine; I believe that they speak for themselves.

For His Glory,
Liv


October 24, 2016

(Ed. Note - Guest Blog submitted this week by Grace Miorelli)

This past weekend we made our way down south, first hitting Owensboro, Kentucky on Thursday night then Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday. Thursday morning we started our four-hour (actually five-hour because of the time change) journey towards the Blue Grass state. Our game at Kentucky Wesleyan was at 9:00 pm (Eastern Time) which may or may not have been passed some of our bedtimes (Steph Cradduck and Chandra Sweich). Nonetheless, our energy level was high and our effort throughout the game was fantastic. Unfortunately, we did not get the result we wanted and experienced the coldest weather of the season with rain that gently fell like snow. (Some of us took advantage of this time to sport our new CU soccer scarves).

On Friday, we had the whole day to kill. Some of us start days like this before the sun rises (Jocelyn Quirple), and some of us snooze until the last second possible (Taylor McKee). In the morning, we traveled two hours to Nashville and stopped at Wendy’s on the way for lunch. Creslyn Van Dyck and many others were ecstatic about eating fast food. Every time we enter a restaurant, every employees’ face is struck with dread and fear. I am not sure how the Frosty machine did not break/overheat because we ordered and consumed a record number of Frosties. We got to our new hotel and had the rest of the day to hang out. A few of us set aside an hour of the day to uncover our unknown dancing abilities. I don’t know what spectators thought as they glanced through the window of the fitness center (most likely they assumed we were uncoordinated white girls with little to no dancing experience), but we’d like to think they were impressed.

After dinner, we decided to start the night off with a team bonding activity. We split the team up into groups and gave them three minutes to come up with a skit that had to include three specific words which the captains provided. The venue was far from ideal as we crammed 28 girls into one hotel room which does not allow much room for a stage…but the show must go on! Throughout these performances, there were a lot of laughs, inside jokes, as well as bad acting. But I would like to take this time to acknowledge some standout performances. I have never seen anyone imitate pickles better than Lyndsey Smith (pickle), Hanna Harris (planetarium), and Allison Garlock (merry-go-round). We were able to witness the greatest nonverbal acting of all time by Kaitlyn Walters and you all guessed it…Rachel Hoober. Bex Velloney stunned the audience during her performance as she let out her inner Meryl Streep. Also, please pray for Hannah Whicker and Stephanie Cradduck as they are recovering from the "dabbing" epidemic that has struck the nation. Thank you to all who participated…even though you had no choice. After the skits terminated, we shifted to a more serious note to share what God has been doing in each one of our lives. These are the times we realize how thankful we are to be a part of such an amazing team. Next, we played games for the rest of the night, and a guest appearance was made by the one and only Kaitlyn Stiles (former Yellow Jacket).

Prior to our game on Saturday, we got lunch at the beloved Panera Bread. One of the problems with going to a restaurant with 30 or so people is that some finish eating before others get their food. This might seem like an issue for some people, but we find ways to keep ourselves entertained without getting into trouble (most of the time). We took advantage of this time (like we always do) to relive the glory days of Cup Stacking/Speed Stacking using the dinky water cups given to us. I’ve never seen Lindsay Boone get so competitive. We then traveled to our game and unfortunately lost a tough match to Trevecca. Even though we did not get the results we wanted, we can take a lot of positives from the weekend. For instance, if we make it through a weekend without breaking anything, it is a good weekend. But seriously, we always learn a lot from weekends like this and make memories that we will be talking about for years to come.

"For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes." - Proverbs 24:16


October 18, 2016

Road trips seemed to be the theme of this past week with the CUWS traveling to Ursuline and Malone for two competitive away matches.

Though we were not able to get the win at Ursuline, we were able to snag a delicious meal at the Mahek family’s house prior to the game. Complete with sandwiches, salad, delicious fruit, and CUPCAKES, Mrs. Mahek definitely had out done herself.

On Saturday, we journeyed to Malone to face off in a rematch that was bound to be intense. Malone is a tough team, battling us at home until the very end, only to defeat them 1-0. That being said, we knew we had to be on our A-game to beat them on their turf. Sparked by goals from Lyndsey Smith and Creslyn Van Dyck, we were able to pull away the victory.

This upcoming week we are on the road yet again, with games against both Kentucky Wesleyan and Trevecca Nazarene. These games are critical for our rankings going into the G-MAC tournament, as we are currently seeded third. Please keep us in your prayers as continue our travels!


October 11, 2016

Tale of the Pink Laces

With Senior Night fresh on the mind, I found it most fitting to feature the sweet tale of a little girl who wasn’t incredibly fond of the whole "soccer" concept.

Rachel Hoober, more commonly known as Rach Puff, was first introduced to the idea of competitive athletics at around the age of six. However, what may come as a surprise to you CUWS fans, Rach Puff was not entirely convinced that this was the most suitable life plan for her young self. Though after much convincing, she finally gave into a morning of cleat shopping with her father.

The car ride to the store (we will refer to it as "Cleat Store" for the sake of the story) was a time full of pondering for our little Puff. An avid dancer, Rachel simply couldn’t imagine giving up her tutu for shin guards. The thought of running for any extensive period of time gave her hives, and she surely did not want to have to do this odd thing called "heading the ball." (note: the latter still applies today)

Cleat Store was essentially soccer heaven. Yes, Rach Puff didn’t exactly know if soccer was down her alley, but she figured she would at least browse the selection. Walking briskly towards her, Mr. Hoober held out a brand new pair of Nikes, all black leather, adorned with a stylish Swoosh. In this moment, our Puff peered off into the distance, only to see a set of cleats that would meet every need she may have ever had. Beyond her father appeared in what may have been a dream, a pair of Adidas cleats fashioned with hot pink leather and hot pink laces. This was the sign that Rachel needed; soccer was going to work out. A fan of the classics, Mr. Hoober was not entirely impressed with her powder puff, Barbie doll, lip-gloss loving choice. That being said, after much negotiating (potentially whining and crying - not entirely sure), Rach Puff and her father came to a compromise of black Adidas cleats with hot pink laces.

Fast forward to summer of 2016, Rachel, entering her senior year of college, was in desperate need of new cleats for the season. In years past, Rachel had sported variations of the Adidas model, ranging in colors from light blue to soft purple. Yet, something pulled Puff to take a look at where she had come from, what she had been through during those 15 year of competitive soccer.
 

Adidas cleats with pink laces seemed to be her only option.

October 4, 2016

The CUWS team has had a busy week, playing Findlay on Tuesday, Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday, and Ohio Valley on Saturday. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite catch Findlay after an intense second half, finishing the game at 2-1. We thoroughly enjoy playing Kentucky Wesleyan, so we decided to keep that game going into double overtime, and just to keep it fair, ended in a tie (3-3). However, the improvements kept coming as we defeated Ohio Valley 1-0 on Saturday, which also happened to be our homecoming. Speaking of homecoming, we do have some exciting team news that you all may want to hear:

Our very own Jocelyn Quirple, was named Miss Cedarville!

**pausing for applause**

In light of her recent crowning as ruler over our school, I thought it would be fitting to give her an opportunity to share with you all what being a part of CUWS means to her:

"Spit circles, team dinners, testimony note cards, singing in the locker room, and swarming on the field are all identifiable phrases for a women’s soccer team member (and hopefully it caught your eye too because this sentence started with the word "spit.")  In an even broader and more serious view: the "five pillars" of Cedarville soccer are core values of the program. This weekend called to mind one in specific: Legacy. Homecoming reminded me that though CUWS will graduate players and coaches who are examples of excellence, it will hold to the same common goal: glorifying and proclaiming the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That goal specifically looks like relentless competitive effort for excellence on the field, intentional discipleship with teammates, selfless service, dedicated outreach, and integrity in conduct.

I feel honored to be a part of the Cedarville soccer family. It has challenged and grown me as an athlete and Christian. I can attribute that growth to plenty of others who have been examples as teammates to me. CUWS is a family legacy that is built on one common goal. And yes (if you’ve read Olivia’s blog), we have a lot of fun accomplishing that." - Jocelyn Quirple

To be named Miss Cedarville as a sophomore is quite impressive, and we are incredibly privileged to have her as part of our team! Congratulations, Jocelyn! We are very proud of you.

This week we face off with Davis & Elkins as well as Alderson Broaddus. Please continue to pray for safety and for a competitive spirit that reflects His love and grace.


September 26, 2016
 
This week’s games led to many lessons being learned for the Cedarville women’s soccer team. After a full week of practice, we entered Thursday (aka GAMEDAY) with high hopes of defeating Malone. With an early goal scored by Alyssa Maillefer in the 10th minute, our team was able to remain tough for the rest of the game, pulling out a 1-0 victory! While in the locker room dancing around to "Sweet Victory" by Trip Lee, it was really easy to give the glory back to God, to relish in the joy that His blessings had supplied.

This same bold faith seemed to propel us into our next game as well.

Saturday we walked onto Yellow Jacket Field determined to shut out Ursuline College, our rival. Things seemed to be clicking "just right" as Hannah Atkinson put the ball into the back of the net just seven minutes into the first half. Spirits were high as we continued through the half, until suddenly we were matched 1-1 with a goal by Ursuline in the 28th minute. Much to my dismay, this trend continued, with Ursuline scoring goals in both the 55th and the 62nd minute of regulation.

I’ll be honest with you, as we shook hands with the other team, the last thing that I wanted to do was to give anyone, let alone the people who just beat us, a smile. Unlike our Malone victory, it seemed a little harder to give God the glory after being defeated 3-1. However, I was given an important reminder when looking around at all of our yellow shoelaces. This game, "Lace Up for Pediatric Cancer," had been played as a fundraiser to help raise funds for the children and the families who are fighting pediatric cancer in our area. Suddenly, this wasn’t about soccer, this wasn’t about winning or losing, this was about a single life that could be taken because of a disease that we do not fully understand.

However, one thing that we do fully understand is that we serve a God who saves, a God who loves, and a God who is merciful beyond our imagination. Unlike the poor children suffering from pediatric cancer, we were given bodies that are capable of running, jumping, and kicking a ball around for 90 minutes with dreams and aspirations of being G-MAC Champions. This to say, in the end, it’s all about that one single life, a life that has the opportunity to attain an everlasting hope from our Father in Heaven. That being said, let us "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."


September 19, 2016

Road trips to West Virginia always seem to result in some interesting memories. I’m not entirely sure what it is about that little state, but the amount of laughter produced there never ceases to amaze me. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is in no way my way of insinuating West Virginia to be a lesser state than all the others, but rather me acknowledging the fact that similarly to the Bermuda Triangle, odd things seem to occur there. In honor of West Virginia, I have decided to dedicate this blog to the act of reminiscing on its relationship with the Cedarville Women’s Soccer Team throughout the years.

2011
On October 29, 2011 (yes, I did my research), in a land far, far away (well not actually that far) the Lady Jackets made their way to Elkins, WV to face Davis & Elkins in their last regular season game. In a recent interview with Assistant Coach Bri Barnes, we are taken back in time to relive that encounter with the grand state of West Virginia.

September 18, 2016. 6:30 PM (recorded for accuracy)
Interviewer (clearly me, but I thought I would clarify): So, Brianne – do you mind if I call you Brianne?
Brianne (interrupting): Actually, I prefer Bri, thank you.
Interviewer: Ah, my mistake. So, Bri – tell us what you remember from that fateful weekend many years ago.
Bri (not Brianne): Well, this was our first time traveling to Elkins, WV and I was pretty eager to see what the school was like.
Interviewer: This was your first year coaching, am I correct?
Bri: That is correct, ma’am.
Side note: always grateful for when Bri refers to me as ma’am.
Interviewer: Was this an overnight trip?
Bri: Oh my, was it ever. To make it even better we stayed at a pretty sketchy Super 8 that was cabin-themed…
Interviewer: Did you enjoy the rustic feel?
Bri: I’m not sure if "enjoy" is the word I would use…
Interviewer: Did you at least get a win out of it?
Bri: (begins sobbing)
Interviewer: (awkwardly waiting)
Bri: It snowed; we didn’t even get to play.
Interviewer: Man, what a bummer. Want to go get coffee?
Bri: (between sniffles) Yeah Liv, you’re the best.
September 18, 2016 7:00 PM (we spoke pretty slowly)

Weather delays appear to be a trend as we take a look back at 2014…

2014
On September 6, 2014 the CUWS team set out to play West Virginia Wesleyan on their own turf. (Could have been grass, but that’s besides the point) Having played the whole first half (ahead 3-1, mind you), we came into the second half with a feeling that it was going to storm. Naturally, it not only stormed, but it stormed hard. After delaying the game several times, it was concluded that we would have to cancel. Now, some of you may be thinking: "Did you get enough minutes in to count the game, Olivia?" Sadly, I would have to say no.

With that, I move onto 2015...

2015
Don’t be discouraged, West Virginia circa 2015 provided the CUWS team with some pretty exciting memories. Entering the G-MAC Tournament seeded 4th, our entire team knew that we were going to have to fight relentlessly in order to pull out a win, let alone a championship.
(Note: 1^st round: at Cedarville, 2^nd & Final Rounds: at Davis & Elkins)
First Round: In the first round of the G-MAC Championship, we faced Trevecca Nazarene. Having tied them 1-1 in both regular season games, this game could truly go either way. However, with goals by Jacoby Ziegler and Grace Miorelli, the CUWS team marched into the second round.
Second Round: Having lost to Davis & Elkins twice in the regular season, this second round game was bound to be a tough one. After battling for 90 minutes, the score remained 0-0, entering us into sudden death overtime. Scoring in the 98th minute, Alyssa Maillefer put the ball in the back of the net to send us to the CHAMPIONSHIP. Welcome to West Virginia, folks.
Final Round: I can honestly say that the G-MAC Championship game was without a doubt one of the most nerve wracking days of my life. Ursuline College, the team we would be playing, was known for being tough in the playoffs, meaning that we were going to have to bring our "A game." Unfortunately for Urusline, we did just that. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half, Carly Gregory put away a header off a corner from Kaleigh Rowlands (now Gruenberg), to give us the overall victory. West Virginia definitely treated us well this time around.

I will now bring you up to speed with this past road trip...

2016
For those of you who have been on road trips with teams before, you are quite aware that some of the main highlights involve food. That being said, Friday night we decided to go to a popular BBQ restaurant near our hotel in Elkins, WV. While most of us found the food to be fantastic, Haili, our poor videographer, had a SPIDER crawl out from under her ribs. As if finding a hair in your food isn’t bad enough, she had to find a spider? It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. This is not a joke ladies and gentlemen; this is what happens to CUWS in West Virginia.

In sum, road trips to West Virginia have always been a season highlight for the CUWS team. Between the ups and the downs, we have managed to create some pretty incredible stories in the process. Thank you for traveling down memory lane with me as we took a look at road trips past. I’ll see you all this Thursday and Saturday as we take on Malone and Ursuline on the home field!


September 12, 2016

In this week’s happenings, CUWS got their first WIN of the year! Thursday evening we stepped out on the pitch to face off with the always competitive, Trevecca Nazarene. While it’s always nice to be able to get the job done in the regulation 90 minutes, we decided to keep it interesting for our fans and carry the game into the 103rd minute, where Hannah Atkinson (Atty/Atky for short) put the ball in the back of the net to give us the victory. Led by our very own Coach Meade, we stormed the field in a rush of excitement. Luckily for you, the famous Grace Puff was able to capture the moment on camera, just click on the link below:

Man, winning is fun!

On Saturday, we were supposed to play Kentucky Wesleyan in what was to be our "Lace up for Pediatric Cancer" fund raiser. However, due to some angry storm clouds and a whole lot of lightning, we were unable to get the game in. Bless KWC’s hearts, those girls had one crazy day, night, bus trip, etc. That being said, we are hoping to be able to get the game rescheduled in the near future, preferably on a day when the sun remains in the sky.

This Wednesday, the CUWS team is departing for West Virginia, where we will be playing Alderson Broaddus (Thursday) along with Davis & Elkins (Saturday). Both are bound to be tough games, as these teams always work incredibly hard. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel to and from, and stay tuned for more blogs to come!


September 5, 2016

Good news, CUWS fans, we have made it home safely from our ventures up in Michigan! While we may not have come back to campus with the results we were hoping for, there is no denying that our team has learned a lot and has improved leaps and bounds from where we were prior.

Instead of attempting to accomplish the impossible feat of summarizing a four-day road trip into a blog post, I thought that I would instead focus in on some of the highlights of our trip up North.

Bri’s Alma Mater/Homestead
After departing from Cedarville on Wednesday morning, we hit the road with our destination being THE Lake Fenton High School (aka, Bri Barnes’ old stompin’ grounds). While reminiscing on her glory days, we were able to get a light practice in before heading on over to her homestead for some delicious salad, pasta, and cake, prepared by her sweet parents! Much to our delight, Bri’s senior portraits were displayed proudly throughout the home, and may I just say, modeling may be her calling.

Team Goals
Following dinner Wednesday evening, we all gathered into the hotel to discuss team goals for the season. Yes, it is always important for us to set high standards in relation to soccer, but beyond that, it has been so encouraging to hear the spiritual goals that our team wants to strive to meet as well. For those of you who are not aware, immediately after each game, we as a team invite our opponents to pray with us. Once having initiated this connection, we are then able to give each individual player a note of encouragement. However, this season, we are prioritizing the idea that God has blessed us with this game of soccer as a platform to glorify Him. This being said, we want to be incredibly intentional about praying for the young women we write our notes to, as well as taking opportunity to pray with them as well. It is in these moments, in the raw dialogue in which a total stranger asks to pray with another, that the true identity of Christ is found. His grace, His love, and His mercy for us abounds, and as a team we want to promote this very thing above all else.

Saginaw Valley
Thursday we entered into a match with Saginaw Valley State University. Being one of the stronger teams in their conference (GLIAC), we knew that we would be in for a quality game. While Saginaw ended up coming out on top (1-0), our girls played quite well and there was definitely no lack of effort. As we closed our game with prayer, the team goals fresh in our minds, it was awesome to witness several CUWS players being able to pray one-on-one with various players from Saginaw Valley. Immediately after experiencing this, I sent a text to my dad to get some of my excitement out. "They’ll remember the prayers more than the victory," he said. To this, I hold onto, as it speaks volumes of Truth.

Spark Family
Shortly before our Saturday game against Northwood University, we all sauntered down to the lobby for a sleepy-eyed breakfast after what had become a very intense "game night" the evening before. In what we had imagined being an average morning of waffles and eggs, turned out to be an unforgettable memory for many. Tammy, our wonderful bus driver, had been down in the lobby much longer than the rest of us, and had happened to initiate conversation with the right people at the right time. The Spark’s, a Christian family who recently lost their home to a fire, had been living in the hotel all while trying to put the many broken pieces back together. Tammy, being bold in the Lord, informed our team of what was going on, and asked us if we would be willing to pray over the family once being done eating. Without hesitation we agreed and proceeded to form a giant circle around the family. With humbled hearts we entered into prayer, a prayer that had the potential to impact a family in ways that we could not even fathom.

Northwood University
To conclude our adventures in Michigan, we faced off with Northwood University. Once scoring off of a PK, Northwood entered halftime up 1-0 on us. The second half was a hard battle by both teams, but in the last 10 minutes of the game, Alyssa Maillefer scored on a through ball from Creslyn Van Dyck, sparking us into overtime action. Unfortunately, Northwood found the back of the net off of a corner kick, ending the game at 2-1. Despite the loss, the ability of our team to fight back to tie the game before the end of regulation was impressive to say the least. Naturally, nobody likes to lose, but there was no doubt that we fought hard.

Hopefully you enjoyed hearing about some of the bits and pieces of our trip. This coming week we have our first HOME GAMES - Thursday vs Trevecca and Saturday vs Kentucky Wesleyan! We had better see you there!


August 31, 2016

Ah, Cedarville women’s soccer fans, we meet again. Now for those of you who were not all aboard the CUWS blog train way back in circa 2014, what I like to refer to as the Chloe West years, then you would have missed my occasional "guest blog" that would occur from time to time. That being said, please don’t go back and read them, as you would then be exposed to the exceptional writing of Chloe West and I would prefer to minimize any sort of comparisons. Now that I have possibly confused a large majority of you, my name is Olivia Moore, and I will be blogging for the CUWS team this year.

To kick things off, let’s first give a quick run down of what’s new this year:

EVERYTHING.

You heard it right folks, this season we have 12 new players and a new head coach! Oh, and we have new away jerseys that are beautiful, but I suppose that’s beside the point.

So, with a roster full of smiling faces, we entered preseason. Now, to set the scene, imagine the pristine campus of Cedarville, flowers blooming, grass recently trimmed, and the fountain gently flowing. Next, with this image in mind, make an addition of torrential sideways rain. You may ask, "Did it rain for a day?" To that, I chuckle. No, it rained every day. However, it was in this soppy ground, smelly jersey, and matted hair conditions that friendships were made, laughter erupted, and a season full of memories began to form.

With preseason under our belts, the CUWS team ventured off to take on Grace College, Bellarmine University, as well as Tiffin University, in some friendly scrimmages before our official season would begin. Each match gave us all an opportunity to learn and develop our play, as well as allowing us to get a glimpse of areas that we would need to work on in practices to come.

The Cedarville women’s soccer team is so excited for this season and we are thrilled to have you all supporting us. This week we take on Saginaw Valley State University as well as Northwood University. Please keep us in your prayers as we venture up to Michigan… or to my fellow Buckeye fans… that state up North. :)


Olivia Moore is a senior forward from Biglerville, Pa. She is in her fourth season with the Lady Jackets and is a Dean's List student majoring in business management.