December 1, 2021
Hello Jacket Family,
After a successful season, it is all drawing to a close. Tonight the women’s soccer team will be participating in our annual SSB reveal party, the last piece to the puzzle. The entire year we anonymously give gifts to someone that we randomly drew during preseason. As I suspect she won’t see this before 8:00 pm tonight, I had the honor of getting gifts for Sara all year. She is a light on this team, a joy to be around, and a great teammate all around. I am very grateful for this last round of gift giving and I am looking forward to seeing who had me all season long!
These four years of soccer have been some of my favorites. I have a lot of great soccer memories from traveling to Vancouver to meeting Mia Hamm; yet, in all these awesome moments, Cedarville stands out to me. I still think back to the moment that I got to campus and how nervous I was. Almost everyone had already met and hung out with each other down in Costa Rica and I had missed the trip. I knew that I had the pressure of integrating myself with the team, and after my last college experience, I was not sure how that would go.
However, one of the first things we did was run the fitness test. That year Coach Meade was gracious and gave us a mile run with a partner, each of us only having to run half of it. I was paired with Alyssa Maillefer, a senior at the time, and she also had not gone on the trip. We all headed out to the track and she came to me to ask if she could pray for me. I was confused because I had never been asked that question before - I didn’t know what to say except “yes”. She prayed, and although she did not necessarily expect it from me, I learned that I probably should have prayed for her too. Regardless, she left an impact on me that would carry through all the coming years. I felt welcomed, loved, and cared for. The Christian community intimidated me, but I learned that I did not have to be afraid, it was going to be my home away from home.
Saying goodbye to home is one of the most difficult things that I have to do. Unfortunately college does not last forever and I have to move on to the next chapter of my life. Somehow this last season came and went right before my eyes and I do not know if I have truly processed that I am done with soccer. Before I knew how to lean into God, I always leaned into soccer. I would race home after school to play in the front yard, most of the time with my brothers, and I would go to club at night. I would travel long distances for the sport, up to 1 1/2 hours for practice for one of the teams I played on. I would stay outside juggling until it was dark outside, barely able to see the ball by the faint streetlight glow. I would get up at 5:00 in the morning to drive out to ODP training back when I still had the goal to play professional soccer. I would turn to soccer when I was sad, when I was frustrated, when I needed to relax - it was everything to me.
College became the time for me to realize that soccer was an idol. I put everything into a sport that would never be able to satisfy me, as much as I wanted it to. It was always a temporary relief. Even though it had been my life growing up, soccer could not have that place anymore. As God began to take over, I began to appreciate soccer more. Every time I played could be used for His glory. I was worshiping Him by dribbling, shooting, or passing the ball. I finally understood that I was blessed with talents from God for His purpose, not to elevate myself. It took a long time to get to that point, but I spent four great years tethered to that mind set.
College soccer taught me perseverance and grit. I tore my hip labrum my first year at Cedarville and only found out this year, 2021. After years of pain, doubt, and doctors telling me I was fine, I finally had the answer. It was not my first rodeo, I had been injured plenty of times before, but this specific injury tested my patience, my mind set, and my contentment in God. I did not always like the role I was given as sitting on the bench was hard, but I look back and see how necessary it was for my character and spiritual growth. Had I sustained this injury before Cedarville, I do not know what I would have done. The years would have been agonizing to me. It changed me for the better though, I know that.
We lost games that I really wanted to win. In my time here, we never won the G-MAC. Part of me still feels the frustration of loss, but I also know that every win and every loss served a purpose. I do not know what His purpose was, but I know it was good. I am not a conference champion and that is okay, I do not need to be. God blessed me enough when he gifted me with the ability to play soccer, especially to play soccer at Cedarville. This year had a tough ending, but there was so much to be grateful for.
Younger me would have never thought I would be at this school. In fact, I had never heard of Cedarville until my freshman year of college. I always had these big dreams of playing soccer at schools like UNC or Wake Forest, but in the end, my hard work was not meant to lead me there. Instead, it brought me to a school to learn some lessons, and to connect with God, before it brought me to the little school in Ohio that was not on my radar. I am glad God revealed it to me and led me to this team just when I needed it. His plan has been perfect the whole time.
Now, I say goodbye. I say goodbye not only to the team, but to the school (my time ends in December), and sadly, to the sport. There are chapters ahead that are scary, but I feel well- equipped to take on what is to come. Thank you to my teammates for loving me so well and teaching me valuable lessons. For being a shoulder to cry on and the best people to go on adventures with. Thank you to my coaches for supporting me through the highs and lows and never giving up on me. Thank you for pushing me when I needed to be and comforting me when things got tough. Thank you to the school for providing me with this family and for giving me a great education. I have grown so much because of my time here. Thank you to everyone who reads this, all the people who watched my vlogs, and all the parents who poured into your kids so that they could be here. Thank you to my parents for all you have done, soccer was extra fun because I shared it with you guys.
I am excited to read the blogs to come from whoever takes this over. It has been a joy to be able to write these. Now onto the next thing.
- Mack
November 24, 2021
Jacket Family,
The last post I left off hoping we would get a National tournament bid. On Monday, November 15th, we joined as a team in a Callan classroom to watch the NCAA II Selection Show hoping that we would hear our names announced. Right when the show started, I became super nervous. We went through a few other regions before we heard the announcer say that Grand Valley would be first seed in the Midwest. At that point we held our breath. When they said Cedarville University, we erupted in applause and excitement knowing that our hard work throughout the season was paying off.
The tough part of making the tournament was that we had to play Grand Valley State in the first round. If you don’t know, Grand Valley tends to do very well in the tournament every year. They have many regional and national victories under their belts. Regardless, we knew we had a strong team and could pull it off.
We thought we were going to when Hannah Sareyka netted the first goal of the game. We were leading 1-0 for a lot of the match and victory seemed in reach. Grand Valley was very persistent though. They had many exceptional players and a strong attack. Although we would have liked to have more possession, they pressed high and hard. At the same time, the elements weren’t really helping us as it was freezing cold, snowy, and very windy. Grand Valley was eventually able to net a goal off of a corner kick. We went into overtime and they were able to finish a shot to win 2-1. The frustrating part of the loss was that we were leading and that we could have won, but that ultimately was not in the plan. It was difficult to swallow the end of my soccer career, but I was proud of the team nonetheless for battling well against such a great team. More importantly, we prayed with them after the match and delivered our letters to their players.
When I walked off the field, a Grand Valley mother came to me and said that the prayer was the best part of the entire game. She told me it was a true reflection of Christ and His love. That is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. The lesson God always wanted me to understand was very clear in that moment: soccer is a platform for Him and His glory, not for me. As we drove back to Ohio that night, many people on our team received messages from Grand Valley players thanking them for their notes. I might dare to say it was the most responses we have ever gotten from a team.
One of the first things I thought about leading into the tournament games was how fortunate we were to have a new ministry opportunity. The national tournament would provide new reach to teams we wouldn’t normally see. I did not know how far we would make it, but even writing to one team would help further the kingdom. It brought us a lot of joy to see how appreciative and happy they were. One girl even had her note that she received the last time they played us in 2018.
It was not the result we wanted, but both us and the men’s team got to go outside the conference to minister to other teams in the tournament. Soccer may be over, but I can look back and cherish the sweet memories of ministry that made it all worth it.
This isn’t the last post, I’ll have another one coming soon.
- Mack
November 14, 2021
Jacket Family,
This past week required a lot of strength and determination from our team. After receiving a bye for the first round of the G-MAC Tournament, we headed right into the semifinals on Thursday, November 11th against Walsh University. In previous years, Walsh was a fierce competitor when it came to the G-MAC Tournament. They had knocked us out of the tournament in the quarterfinals in 2018 and then the semifinals in 2019. We went into the match hopeful that we would be able to flip the script and earn the victory. Fortunately the ball ended up in the net with around six minutes left in regular time. We maintained the lead all the way until the final whistle.
Winning the semifinal was special. The conditions that night were really hard to work with as rain poured down on the artificial turf at Ashland University. The ball was moving quickly and it was easy to misjudge the speed or direction of the passes being made. In the end, it played to our advantage as the slick surface helped carry the ball into the goal.
The following day we practiced and spent time doing homework, hanging out, or some of us even tuned into the NCAA Division I women’s soccer national tournament. For dinner, Carlie Stutzman’s family graciously opened their home to us. Not only did we have a great home cooked meal, but we played a few games as a team to finish the night. We played the Animal Game (which has become a team favorite these past couple of years), and Egyptian Writing, a team tradition. During Egyptian Writing, one person writes while another interprets. Although I cannot share the trick of the game (just in case future women’s soccer players stumble upon this), the game does not end until all freshmen figure out how to interpret the writing. Once they figure it out, they prove it to the group by becoming the next interpreter.
After a fun night at the Stutzman’s home, we went back to the hotel to rest before the finals. Saturday rolled around quickly and we soon found ourselves starting the game against the #1 seed, Ashland University. It was very cold outside, but the ground was no longer wet like it was on Thursday. Despite having toe warmers in my cleats, it was so cold that I still lost feeling in my feet. Regardless, we continued on and battled Ashland into overtime. They ended up scoring in the first OT period leaving us with another loss in the conference finals.
I was pretty hurt by the loss and thought to myself, “This could be it”. It began to sink in at dinner after the game that my soccer career could be drawing to a close even though I was begging it all to slow down. I wanted to end it all with a conference victory, but that was not the Lord’s plan. As much as I desired to put on the champion shirt and hat, the victory was not mine. In the end, it really was not Ashland’s either, it was God’s. I can find peace in that.
Now our team awaits Monday to see whether or not we will receive a bid into the national tournament. It is tough to say what the outcome will be, and honestly, all the stuff that goes into ranking and choosing teams confuses me; however, I trust that the right teams will get the bid even if that means Cedarville Women’s Soccer will not be one of them. For now, we will just have to relax and hope that the Lord makes a way for us.
- Mack
November 2, 2021
Hey Jacket Family,
This past week we had one game on Thursday and then an off-weekend. We traveled to North Canton to play Walsh University, a tough opponent for us the past couple of years, but we walked away with the win. Aleah Martone made her comeback after sitting out for six games with her injury. She made an immediate impact and brought the spark we needed 73 minutes into the game. One of her first plays of the game was the goal she scored which was exciting for all of us to see. Now we look forward to having her play in more of our upcoming games and maybe scoring a few more goals!
Since we had an off-weekend, we had service in the morning on Saturday. Our sophomores and juniors had served with Dayton soccer about a month ago so it was time for the freshmen and seniors to take their turn. We headed over to Athletes in Action in Xenia to help coach, support, and photograph the Dayton soccer teams as they participated in Turf Fest 2021. It was a joy to be around the upcoming youth who are loving the game as much as we do!
After volunteering, a bunch of us went over to Wright State to cheer on our men’s team on their Senior Day. It was a bit rainy, but we got to enjoy each other’s company. The remainder of the day was open for rest to physically and mentally prepare for the upcoming school week and our important game tonight, November 2nd. We are matched up against Ohio Dominican for the second time this season. If we win, we will secure second place in the conference and earn ourselves a bye for the first round of the Great Midwest conference tournament.
There has been a lot of preparation leading up to this game and I think we are ready for the challenge. It is our last home game and our last game of the regular season. There is some pressure to secure the win, but it is outweighed by joy and excitement.
Finally, we are closely watching regional rankings. The NCAA ranked us tenth in the region. It is possible that after our win against Walsh we will move up on the list. If your team is in the top eight of the region, you can go to the NCAA tournament; otherwise, you have to win your conference tournament. Our team is more than capable of winning the conference tournament, but it would also be nice to see us moving up the regional rankings. Hopefully we win tonight, and if we do, we keep ranking higher!
Thank you for reading -
tune in for our game tonight at 7:30 pm versus Ohio Dominican!
- Mack
October 25, 2021
Hey Jacket Family,
This past week was packed full of activities and adventures! We got to go on one of the best trips of the season to Trevecca and Kentucky Wesleyan. We set out on Wednesday night and began the journey down south before stopping at a hotel for the night. We watched most of the Blind Side on the trip, kept up with homework, or hung out with teammates. We had some extended bonding time when our bus accidentally headed to the wrong hotel. At the time we were supposed to have arrived, we still had an hour left of travel. Although it could have been frustrating, our team laughed it off and appreciated the additional time awarded to us.
The following day we had our game against Trevecca. We had a long wait for the game so we had breakfast in the hotel, stopped at Panera, and then finished the trek to the field. The game was a success - we won 2-1 off of goals from two freshmen. Not long after we had to get on the road to get to our next destination - our new hotel out in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Friday was our break in between the two games. We headed over to Kentucky Wesleyan’s field in the morning to do recovery and some fun games. After a couple laps and dynamic warm-up, we went into our skills ladder competition. We split into teams of six and partnered up with someone in the group. From there our coaches gave us different juggling patterns that we had to do to move up the ladder. As a team, you tally up the points you earn between the rounds. In the end, team LAAMMP were the winners, pictured here:
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From there, we played Tank. You partner up with someone and one has to get blindfolded while the other stands outside the square to give directions. A bunch of soccer balls are scattered around the square and the blindfolded partners have to listen closely to be able to find the available soccer balls. Once you get a ball, the goal is to throw the ball at any of the other people in the square. If you are hit, you are out. We played two rounds so both partners could play. Both times Mary Kate and I were finalists and we brought home the victory in the second round.
Next, we did our annual race walk. If you don’t know, the women’s soccer team does a race walk competition between the classes. We started at the end line and had to speed walk to the top of the eighteen yard box and back. For the first time since I have been at Cedarville, my class won! (or so I think - it was a close call with the juniors…we will have to review the tape).
After our fun practice session, we went back to the hotel to hang out until game night. Some of the team apparently spent some time pranking our coach as the groupme was flooded with confusing messages. Thankfully this mystery group (who have not revealed themselves to our coach yet) explained to the team what was going on so his remarks made more sense. The rest of the team hung out together or did more homework.
That night was what we had all been waiting for: game night. A huge group of us played the animal game for a while (a staple for this team now) and then it transitioned to a couple other group games. Some people branched off to try cup stacking (Aleah brought her set!) and others went to play dutch blitz. After a couple hours we were all tired and had to go to bed to get rest for the game the following day.
Our game against Kentucky Wesleyan was pretty late so we hung around in the hotel, got some meals together, had an impromptu dance party, and then headed that way. We caught some of the men’s game before taking the field ourselves. We won 2-0 with a goal from Mary Kate and Addie. It was an exciting end to the weekend and we came back with two wins!
Thanks for following along - looking forward to this week!
- Mack
October 19, 2021
Cedarville Jacket Family,
This past week was such a fun celebration. We were able to compete in two matches, one versus Malone and the other against Findlay, and Saturday’s game was our Senior Night! I had the blessing of seeing my parents for the weekend and I was excited to be able to celebrate my final soccer season with them there. My parents have been my biggest supporters from the beginning, and my dad was one of my first soccer coaches. I owe them a lot of gratitude for sticking it all out with me so that I could achieve my goal of playing college soccer. My dad spent long hours going to clinics and practicing to be a better coach while my mom was managing, doing research, and driving all over to encourage me.
It is strange to think that after all the years of soccer, this was the night that finally made it real. I could not have asked for a better way to celebrate being a senior. Not only did I have my parents who have been there from the start, but I had some of my favorite teammates of all time there too. The team decorated the locker room with a bunch of pictures of us and set out some baskets up against the wall. I loved the many notes that I received and the special words that my teammates had for me. Their encouragement and affirmations filled me with immense gratitude.
Not every team has a culture like we do. Not every team is as close as we are. Not every team loves as deeply as we do. It is truly nothing I have ever had before. For our Senior Night game, we got paired up with a young girl, or girls, on the Springfield Thunder team. As I reflected on that moment, I realized that at one point, that was me. I was ten years old dreaming of playing professional soccer. I was playing on a club team trying to better myself to make it to NCAA Division I. I was watching older girls play and thinking that one day that would be me. I asked the girl walking with me what position she played - she told me striker. I told her that if she scored during their scrimmage at halftime, she would have to come find me to let me know. I did not get to see her before the second half, and frankly, I forgot about our little deal; however, after the game, Coach Meade’s daughter came to me to tell me that she scored.
It seems small, but that is one of my favorite Senior Night memories. The pre-game celebration, walking out to meet my parents, the game itself, they were all great moments. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way; But, her scoring and remembering to tell me was special. As much as the night was about the seniors, that moment made it about her, about the up and coming. It is about passing the torch now - although soccer is coming to an end for us, there are still so many young girls and boys out there building their skills to compete at the next level. I hope that they all are growing to love the sport the way I was able to.
At the end of the night, we ended up tying Findlay 0-0. It was a tough draw, but we were content with the result nonetheless. Now we can look forward to the upcoming games against Trevecca and Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday and Saturday. This is one of my favorite trips because we get to spend a lot of time with each other over 3+ days. We will leave Wednesday night and come back late Saturday night. One of the cool parts about the trip is that our team committed to being completely social media free the entire weekend. This will not only benefit our mental health, but allow for us to be fully present in the many memories we will make in Tennessee and Kentucky. Thankful for our coaches for suggesting this great idea and I cannot wait to see the many benefits it will have!
I hope everyone has a blessed week! Cannot wait to see what God has in store for the team the rest of the season!
- Mack
October 12, 2021
Cedarville Jacket Family,
This last week of games was filled with a lot of emotions. We traveled to Lake Erie on Wednesday night so that we did not have to wake up early on Thursday to travel. We returned to the same hotel from our Ursuline trip but shared rooms with different people than last time. I really missed mixing up the rooms throughout the season so it was fun to see new faces. When the COVID season happened, we did not get to branch out and room with different teammates, we stayed with the same one or two for contact tracing purposes. It is small, but especially for my last season, I am trying to find joy in the simple things like this.
On Thursday we took the field and won 3-0. We had goals from Hannah, Audrey, and Tiffany. We headed back soon after and a lot of us were able to make it back for the second half of the men’s soccer game to support them!
On Saturday morning we were able to have our senior brunch in the townhouse. Normally the seniors would make dinner for the team, but we all agreed serving brunch on Saturday would work perfectly, especially with such a late game. We all got together about an hour before the meeting time and began preparing the meal. There was a variety of food ranging from pancakes to yogurt parfaits. After we ate together, Aleah led us in a couple worship songs. As people began to file out of the house, some stayed behind to try and create a good chant to fire us up for the game at night. Unfortunately, we couldn’t agree on one; however, we will have to try again for one of our games this week. We may need to get in touch with our former teammate, Emma Conway, the mastermind behind a couple of our existing chants.
Later that night we played in our game against Ashland. It was hard-fought and I thought we played really well. In the last couple minutes of the game, Ashland was able to put a ball in the net. It was very disheartening after seeing my teammates give their very best effort, but we since picked ourselves up and got to work again.
We have a tough schedule ahead of us with homes games against Malone on Thursday (7 PM) and Findlay on Saturday (5 PM). The game Saturday is also Senior Night. Many of us have parents coming into town for the match so prayers for safe travels into town this week would be great!
Looking forward to checking in next week!
- Mack
October 5, 2021
Cedarville Jacket Family,
This past week was important for our team as we were finally able to put away more than one goal in a game. After falling behind Tiffin 2-0 in the first ten minutes of our game, we had to quickly turn it around if we wanted to win. We were able to put away five goals, an encouraging moment for our team. Despite facing the possibility of a loss in the beginning of the game, we picked our heads up and worked hard until the end with our final goal going in at the 85th minute. Starting at a 2-0 deficit was arguably the best motivator for us to start being even more dangerous in front of the net.
That same hunger for a larger score line bled into our second game against Ursuline. We were able to put away three goals, all in the second half. Much like our game against Tiffin, our third goal came in the final minutes of the game. It was also a special day of soccer as we celebrated Homecoming and all the alumni returning to campus. It was great to be able to honor the legacy of all the soccer players before us with the way that we performed.
This week we look ahead to our game against Lake Erie on Thursday. The last two times we competed with them we won in overtime. Hopefully this newly established pattern of multiple goals in the run of play will transfer into this match as well. Following this game, we have a rematch with Ashland. We are looking to flip the score line this time around and come out with a win! It will certainly be a challenging week, but we are up for it!
It is a busy time for our team right now. We are heading into mid-terms while taking on the middle of our season. It can get to be a bit overwhelming, but my teammates have not sacrificed academic success for athletic success or vice versa. One of the things that athletes have to learn is balancing the two so we can do well on the field and in the classroom. Maybe you too are in a busy season of your life. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (NIV) No matter what we are going through, the Lord wants to lift away our anxieties and give us peace. Life can be exhausting, but the Lord is never exhausted.
Make sure to
tune into our two upcoming games!
- Mack
September 27, 2021
Cedarville Jacket Family,
One thing that really hit me today was that this is my last season of Cedarville soccer. As I have reflected on everything that has happened already, I am shocked by how fast everything is going. We are already at the end of September and onto our fifth conference match on Tuesday night. Not only that, but we are also quickly approaching Homecoming Weekend too. I am trying to learn to pause and be grateful for all the small moments, practices, games, and team adventures before I have to move on from this sport that I love.
As many of my teammates would agree, soccer has brought me a lot of joy throughout my life. I sifted through a variety of hobbies, activities, and sports, but the only constant was soccer. Soccer brought me on adventures across the country and even abroad. It helped me meet people I would have never known otherwise. It helped me grow as a person, especially as I switched from team to team. And it brought me closer to God, the most important journey of them all.
It was strange how it suddenly hit that this was the final stretch; Yet, knowing that to be true makes recapping games all the more enjoyable. This past week we played a game against Lake Erie and one against Ashland. We won the Lake Erie game 1-0 and then flipped the score line against Ashland and lost 1-0. Experiencing our first conference loss this season was frustrating. It was difficult to not dwell on the things that we could have done differently and to be upset about the result. The next morning after the game, I received a text message from the girl I wrote at Ashland. Every time I write a note I try to leave my phone number to open myself up for conversation. I do not normally expect a response, but seeing her take the time to talk to me and even ask for prayer reoriented me. That was one of the victories God had for that game.
The off-team connections that Cedarville has brought me will definitely be one of my favorite memories. It was hard for me to believe at first that a simple letter could be exactly what someone else needed to receive - but I have seen that happen over my four years here. Sometimes I do not know why I am writing out my testimony to someone, or why I am telling them about my recent trials and God’s deliverance, but God has a purpose I do not see. The notes have brought about an openness to vulnerability that I never used to have. They have taught me to be confident in my faith and to be intentional with my words. A simple piece of paper with the words of a college student-athlete on them can be more meaningful than I ever thought.
You may not be writing letters to opponents, but you do have the opportunity to love and encourage others. You may never know what someone else is going through, but you can remind them of their value and worth. You can offer your shoulder if they need someone to lean on. You can share in their excitement over a recent life event. Most importantly, you can plant a seed in their heart so that they too can come to share in the eternal life that Christ provides. It is sometimes the smallest things that can really change someone’s life.
Although this was more sentimental than I had initially thought this would go, soccer has been a huge part of my life. I have been around the sport since I was four, but never have I experienced it like I have at Cedarville. For the rest of my life, I will carry this memory of note-writing with me.
I will always be grateful for this second family I have been blessed with.
We are coming off of a loss, but I know there is still so much waiting for us this season. I look forward to the journey ahead no matter what the final destination is.
- Mack
September 20, 2021
Hello Cedarville Jacket Family,
A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks. The last update I gave included a brief rundown of our loss to University of Indianapolis and two upcoming games against the University of Southern Indiana and Lee University. Since then, not only did we play in those matches, but we also opened conference play.
Our game versus the University of Southern Indiana truly revealed our team’s heart, grit, and work ethic. We battled for 110 minutes, cruising through two overtime periods, only to end the game in a tie. Although not completely satisfied, we left feeling excited about the things we might be able to accomplish during the season. This particular team was not only talented, but they pushed us mentally and physically the entire time. We joyfully celebrated our defensive abilities as we saw on the scoreboard that we never conceded a single corner kick the whole game. The only thing we needed to add was finishing in the attacking third.
Lee University came shortly after and we lost 2-1. We tied up the game in the second half, but with only a few minutes remaining, their midfielder threaded a ball through our back line and their striker was able to finish off the chance. Lee was tenacious with a solid center midfield always on the move for the ball. Our team started out the game a bit slow, but as the game went on, we began to pick things up. Lee challenged us with a different formation with movements and transitions we do not see often in our conference. The game allowed us to face a nationally ranked team, but it also proved to us that our roster is strong enough to compete at a high level.
After starting our season with two losses and a tie, some may think we would continue into the season with our heads down, fearful about the matches to come. On the contrary, our team headed to Columbus to play Ohio Dominican with excitement and drive. Not too long ago in the Spring we had played on that turf and lost in the G-MAC finals. Although that game was not against Ohio Dominican, being on that field again fired us up to secure our first win of the season. It was a long fight, as it always is when we play Ohio Dominican, but in the final minutes of the match, Aleah Martone drove a shot to the far post of the net which gave us the lead. Before this match, our team was 0-8-1 over the last nine games on Ohio Dominican’s field. Our only win was back in 2000. Our team was finally able to break a long streak of losses and ties and hopefully start a new tradition of victories.
On Friday night we headed to Ursuline College. Normally the trip would not require an overnight stay, but our game was at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, so it would have been a very early morning for us. After Friday night’s practice, we loaded the bus and hit the road for our three hour trip. Bus rides are always filled with a variety of things from people watching movies to others doing homework. As a student-athlete, we have to learn how to balance our academics and athletics. Sometimes that means our school materials come with us on trips, especially our long overnights, so we can finish assignments or prepare for upcoming exams.
We arrived at the hotel around 10:30 p.m. and got to hang out with our hotel roommates. We woke up in the morning to go to Panera before heading to the game. We possessed a lot of the first half but were unable to finish the chances we created in the final third. We faced a similar issue in the second half and ended up heading into overtime. During the first overtime period, Emily Hansen, Sara Olivarez, and Mary Kate Wyer combined to put the ball in the goal and give us our second win for the season.
These last couple of matches have really shown the depth of our team. Although we have talented starters, we also have plenty of people who come into the game who match the level of play. Furthermore, I am constantly encouraged by the injured people on the sideline who keep their spirits high. I understand the frustration of sitting out of games after getting hurt, and some of my teammates are facing long-term recoveries. Despite this, they help with set up, shag balls, cheer us on, and even help collect equipment at the end of the match. It is a reminder to me that no matter the role we are given on the team, we can still serve and love others and find contentment and joy.
One of the things our Assistant Coach Hannah Shay talked to us about in our Bible study this week was playing with joy in Christ. All too often it is easy to focus our soccer careers on the accolades, playing time, goals, assists, or whatever else it is that puts the attention on ourselves and our pride. We forget that at any point soccer could be taken from us. As much as we do not like to think about it, any player could lose their playing time or starting position. Any player could miss out on an award they thought they deserved. Any player could get injured and have to sit out a couple games or a whole season. Ultimately, the thing that sustains us is the joy we have in Christ. It is so easy to miss out on how truly enjoyable and fulfilling soccer could be if we are only absorbed in the way it glorifies ourselves, not our Father.
We have many games left this season. The two this week include hosting Lake Erie on Thursday and at Ashland on Saturday. It is exciting to see how our team has competed so far. I am hopeful for these next matches.
Thank you for checking in. I will talk to you guys next week.
- Mack
September 7, 2021
Cedarville Jacket Family,
I am back with some more updates! Our team had different people in and out of quarantine and last week we got to welcome a lot more people back to practice! When we traveled out to the University of Indianapolis on Thursday, September 2nd, it was nice to have more of the group back on the bus!
Our first official game of the season did not go as we expected. The game had to be pushed back an hour after we got stuck in traffic. During the match there were a lot of moments of brilliance and our team was able to maintain a lot of possession. Unfortunately, the University of Indianapolis scored four goals, all off of set plays. I would argue that the score margin was not reflective of the play throughout the game. I won’t take away from the beauty of the goals that they scored, but the game could have really gone either way.
We were very fortunate to have played a team like that. It really showed us a lot about ourselves and our adaptability to other formations and styles of play. We began to make connections and we were able to translate things from practice into the game. We even had an amazing goal from a combination between three of our freshmen. If you have not seen it, I hope you’ll get the opportunity to go back and see the ball progress from Addie to Payton and through to Audrey who put the ball in the back of the net. It was truly a highlight of the game.
We play tomorrow, September 8th, at 7:00 pm against the University of Southern Indiana. This is yet another team from the GLVC and will be a tough match for us. I am confident that our team will be able to compete well again and hopefully we will see a better result. No matter what, our team will push on together.
Following our game tomorrow, we will play #25 Lee University on Saturday, September 11th, at 1:00 pm. We have played Lee University in the past in 2019 and we lost in overtime 1-0. I am excited to get to meet with them again and to even reconnect with the same player I wrote a note to last game. It will be cool to see the ways that Lee has progressed over the past two years and how we will compete with them this time around.
One of the things that encourages me the most about this team is how united we are. I have been on numerous soccer teams throughout my life and never once have I been on a team as connected as this one. After our loss, my teammates immediately began to comfort each other. There is room for sadness after a loss, but seeing my teammates smiling and encouraging those who were down reminded me of the special bond this team has. God has graciously provided me with a second family away from home.
I cannot wait to see what we are able to accomplish this week. These games will be tough, but they will set us up well to be competitors in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. I hope you will continue to follow us throughout the rest of the season!
- Mack
September 1, 2021
Hello Cedarville Jacket Family,
My name is Mackenzie Northcutt and I am back again with the blog posts! I loved being able to update everyone last year on what the women’s soccer team was up to and I am honored to be writing for this fall season as well.
If you do not know me, I am a super senior here at Cedarville. I decided to take an additional semester to play soccer one more time. I am from Connecticut and the twelve hour drive out to school has actually become something I’ve learned to enjoy. I am a criminal justice major and I intend on pursuing a career in teaching at the college level.
There have already been so many fun things that have taken place this season. We arrived on campus August 11th to move in and prepare for preseason. The first week of preseason flew by right before our eyes as we did a combination of soccer training and team bonding. We played our first scrimmage at home against Grace College and came out with a 3-0 win.
After this game we spent some time preparing for our second scrimmage that took place the following weekend. We traveled to Ohio Wesleyan University for our first away trip of the season. We won 3-0 again and saw even more connections being made across the team on the field.
These two scrimmages were a great opportunity for us to build chemistry with one another; however, not only is the on-field chemistry important, but off-field as well. During preseason we always spend a lot of time with each other. One of our favorite preseason traditions is the Amazing Race. We split the team into small groups and sent out a sheet of activities that are worth a different amount of points. The groups each had one hour to complete as many activities as possible and had to document them all in order for them to count. Once the hour was up, the groups went to the game field. If any team is late, there is a point deduction. Fortunately all teams were on time this year.
After the Amazing Race, we all spread out across the game field for dedication. In my opinion, this is easily one of the best parts of preseason. Every player found a place to sit and pray over the field and over the season. Once we all finished, we joined together in the middle circle to sing “Bind Us Together”. This song is important as it reminds us of our unity in Christ. This tradition starts our season focused on God and His glory.
Now we are looking forward to our game at the University of Indianapolis. Thursday, September 2nd (6:30 PM), will be our season opener. It can be a little nerve racking to think about the first game, but as I have thought about how to counteract that feeling, I reflected on who this is all for. On a competitive college soccer team, we definitely want to win each and every game we play. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a game where I have wanted to lose; however, there are times when winning is filling up the entirety of the frame and God is being cropped out of the picture.
I want to win every game and I think we can glorify God through the victories. At the same time, if we do not win, God is also glorified. Our team is going to work as hard as we can, and always try to do the best that we can, but our focus is a combination of seeking a victory in the game itself, but also seeking victories for Christ. I have noticed a stark difference in the worry and fear I have prior to a match when my heart is more focused on winning than it is on glorifying God. I have noticed my frustration during the game compounds when I am focused inward and not upward.
For the rest of the week leading up to the game, the team will continue to prepare for the match. UIndy is a great team and the prospect of playing such talent is very exciting. Hopefully the match will refine our play and further prepare us for the rest of our games to come. The only thing I can feel is the excitement of being able to participate in my last first game of the season. I am entrusting everything else to the Lord and focusing my attention on glorifying Him.
We are in for a very fun season. We have an amazing team and I am looking forward to seeing the things we will accomplish. If you want to see any behind the scenes of our team and the things we do, check out the vlog! The newest preseason video can be found at this
link.
Thank you so much for checking out the first blog post. I am excited to update you all along the way.
- Mack
Mackenzie Northcutt is a senior midfielder from Niantic, Connectict. She is in her fifth season with the Lady Jackets and is a Dean's List student as a criminal justice major.
