December 5, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
This is the last post for the 2022 season.
The boys headed to Florida last week to compete in the NCCAA Tournament. The boys took a charter bus from Cedarville to Orlando which totaled for a 14-hour bus ride. Although this was a long ride, the boys enjoyed watching movies and eating some good food. The first day in Florida consisted of a training session to get the legs going and get used to the pitch, and a banquet for all the teams competing that week.
Monday was game day against Carolina University. The game was at 3:30 p.m. and the temperature rose to approximately 84 degrees. This was a huge difference than the week of training before in Ohio where we were lucky to train in the 40’s. Meanwhile, in the game, Carolina was able to slip one in for a 1-0 lead. Despite the pressure the boys had to find an equalizer, the boys came up short finishing the game 1-0.
Tuesday the lads enjoyed a slow morning, with an activation of soccer tennis on the tennis courts provided by the hotel. Immediately after, the boys were allowed to jump in the pool and enjoy the amenities that the hotel had to offer. The lads also watched the USMNT win 1-0 over Iran. We also managed to see an alligator just right outside the hotel in one of the ponds. Then shortly after, we went to Disney Springs and enjoyed a few hours shopping and seeing what they had to offer.
Wednesday was the last game of pool play. We played against Campbellsville. The previous day, Campbellsville beat Carolina 2-0. This meant that for us to move on, we needed to win by two goals. The boys jumped out quick from the start, but it was Campbellsville who scored the first strike. Quickly in the second half, Campbellsville found their second. Although the boys managed to score a PK by Jake Johnson, the lads finished the season short losing this one 3-1.
Although this season had many highs and lows, this season still was an awesome experience. With many seniors graduating the year before, many guys stepped up to the task of making Cedarville a dominant team in the G-MAC. As expected, it was not an easy road. However, the boys fought their way to the end by making it into the G-MAC Tournament after a mediocre middle of the season run and knocking off two higher seeded teams to make the G-MAC finals.
Although the boys missed out on the NCAA Tournament, the boys still have positives to look back on. The boys were able to share the hope that we have in Jesus Christ after each game and challenge teams to think bigger than the game of soccer. And this was a reminder that we preached to ourselves each day. The boys continued to be a team unlike any other and striving to be different in how we handled ourselves in every situation we came across.
Thanks for following along this season Jacket Fans. And as always, Go Jackets!
November 22, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
The boys began the NCCAA Tournament last Monday in the regional semifinals to qualify for Florida. The boys competed against Lancaster Bible College. The boys started quick when Trey McBride found the back of the net in the 3rd minute. Ben Carman also found his first of the season in the 31st minute. Then Jonny Stephens and Jono Bukasa both found the back of the net late in the second half to seal a 4-0 win. This win advanced us to the regional final against Roberts Wesleyan. However, since both teams were high in the national power rankings, this game did not have to be played and both teams qualified for the national tournament in Florida.
This past weekend, the bracket for the national tournament was revealed. The bracket is set up of three pools consisting of three teams each. The teams in the pool will play each other once and the winners of each pool will advance with the highest second seed from all the pools also advancing. The boys pool consists of Carolina University and Campbellsville University. The boys will play Carolina University on Monday, November 28, and Campbellsville University on Wednesday, November 30. The boys are hoping to win the group and move on to the semifinals on Friday, December 2.
With this being said, the boys had a solid week of training. Temperatures finally dipped in Ohio which made trainings cold. However, the boys are still getting after it each day aiming to end the season as champions.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
November 13, 2022
The boys discovered on Monday that we did not make the NCAA Tournament. However, as an alternative, the boys will compete in the NCCAA Tournament. Our first match up will be Monday (November 14) at home against Lancaster Bible College with kick-off at 2 PM.
Yellow Jacket Field
This week resulted in getting rest and beginning to prepare for our run in the NCCAA Tournament. Most noticeable moment this week was the drastic temperature drop. The boys enjoyed the warm weather for most of the week, until the temperature dropped to mid-30’s for their training on Saturday. Along with this temperature change came the first snowfall of the year. Because of this snowfall, the boys helped shovel off the entire game field for the Cedarville women’s soccer team who was competing on Saturday. The boys then got to enjoy their training session in the snow.
The boys are anxious to continue playing on Monday. The boys will then have another qualifying game against Roberts Wesleyan in Rochester, New York on Saturday (November 19).
A good performance against these two teams will qualify the boys for the national tournament in Florida.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
November 7, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
This past week, the boys finished G-MAC play.
On Thursday, the guys traveled for a semifinal matchup against #1 seeded Tiffin. After a scoreless first half, Tiffin was the first to score in the 49th minute. However, the boys continued to fight. In the 72nd minute, Jake Johnson responded with a goal of his own off a pass from Victor Pomelli. In the 76th minute, the boys had a corner which was headed back from Michael Payne and Ladd-Patrick Fagerson straight to Matt Weller standing on top of the box. Matt Weller then struck the ball with his left foot into the back of the net, giving the boys a 2-1 lead. The boys were able to hold off Tiffin to give the boys a 2-1 win. This advanced the boys into the championship game against Ashland.
On Saturday, the boys faced Ashland in the G-MAC finals. The conditions for this game were horrendous as both teams felt the windy conditions. The boys had the wind to their backs the first half and capitalized quickly with a goal in the 3rd minute from Jake Johnson. However, after we switched sides after the half, Ashland was able to utilize the wind scoring two goals in the second half. The boys were not able to respond and gave Ashland the win.
The boys now look to the
selection show on Monday (November 7 at 6:30 pm) to see if they did enough throughout the season to make it into the NCAA tournament. The boys plan to continue their season regardless whether that be in the NCAA tournament or the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) tournament.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
October 31, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
This past week, the boys finished the regular season.
On Tuesday, the guys finished their last game of the season against Ohio Dominican. The lads needed to win this game to qualify for the conference tournament. As needed, the boys started quick in the 19th minute when Andy Volk slotted it home off a cross from Gabe Byrd. Mau Vazquez also joined the score sheet off a header from Victor Pomelli in the 51st minute. Although Ohio Dominican found a goal late in the game, it was not enough to tie the game. With this win, the boys qualified for the G-MAC Tournament.
On Saturday, the boys traveled for the first round of the G-MAC Tournament against Walsh. Although the boys put the pressure on in the first half, Walsh was able to find the back of the net with less than two minutes remaining in the first half. However, this did not discourage the boys. The boys started fast in the second half putting the pressure on Walsh. The boys leveled the game in the 67th minute with Alex Long’s first goal of the season. The pressure continued and the boys were able to find another goal by Victor Pomelli with five minutes left in the game. The boys were able to hold on to the lead and advance to the next round.
Although the boys had a great win, we did have trouble returning to Cedarville. As the players were in the locker room preparing for the journey back to Cedarville, the coaching staff went to get food on the charter bus that was rented for this road trip. As the coaches were getting food for the three-hour trek back to campus, the bus had difficulty going above 5 mph. This resulted in a delay while the charter company waited for their mechanic to fix the bus. After waiting an hour for the mechanic, the mechanic arrived and had his computer reset the system on the bus. However, after another additional hour, the bus was not any closer to resetting than when it began. Coach Faro ended up calling our Cedarville athletic department to have our bus pick us up. In short, the boys were picked up at 2:45 a.m. from North Canton, Ohio and arrived in Cedarville at 6 a.m. on Sunday. Although this was a lengthy delay, the boys enjoyed fellowship in Walsh’s athletic center after hours playing hide-and-seek, basketball, and any other miscellaneous games that we came up with.
On Thursday (November 3), the boys travel to play #1 seeded Tiffin for a semi-final match up. The boys look for redemption after falling to Tiffin twice this season. The boys believe they can take home the G-MAC trophy as our best soccer is still in front of us to play.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
October 24, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
This past week, the boys enjoyed their annual trip on the road to Owensboro, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee.
The trip started on Thursday with the boys taking on Kentucky Wesleyan. The boys started on the wrong side of the score sheet with Kentucky Wesleyan finding the back of the net first in the 32nd minute. However, after halftime, Matthew Weller found the back of the net off a corner kick from Victor Pomelli which leveled the score in the 54th minute. However, Kentucky was quick to respond in the 59th minute with a goal off a corner kick as well. Although the boys pushed hard to find the equalizer, it was not enough to find a tie, leaving the final score 2-1.
Between games, the boys enjoyed the fellowship with one another in the hotel. One notable game we played is the card game “Golf”. This is one of Coach Faro’s favorite games where the goal of the game is to have six cards with the least number of points. After back-and-forth battles between players, Victor Pomelli walked away as this year’s champion.
On Saturday, the boys returned to business as we traveled to Nashville to take on Trevecca. The boys started off hot finding a goal from Trey McBride in the 34th minute. However, after a long game, Trevecca managed to squeeze one past the boys in the 88th minute. The game ended 1-1 with both teams taking one point.
This week, the guy’s finish the regular season in Columbus against Ohio Dominican. This game is Tuesday (October 25 at 5 PM) with high stakes.
WATCH HERE!
The boys need to win this game to go to the G-MAC playoffs. There is a lot on the line, but the boys are ready to finally punch their ticket into the playoffs.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
October 17, 2022
On Thursday, the boys had their last home game of the season. The boys welcomed Kentucky Wesleyan to town. The boys were quick to strike first with a goal from Andy Volk in the 7th minute. However, the lead did not last long as Kentucky Wesleyan responded quick in the 9th minute. Yet, Andy Volk laid the final punch in the 20th minute giving the boys a 2-1 win.
On Saturday, the boys traveled to Lake Erie to take on the Storm. The boys had a few mistakes that led to a disappointing game and leaving the guys empty handed.
This week, the guy’s head for their annual Kentucky Wesleyan (October 20) and Trevecca (October 22) trip. The boys are currently in fourth place with three games left in the season. The race is still on as we continue to clinch a spot in the G-MAC Tournament.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
October 12, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
Last week was our last introduction of all our new guys who joined the program. With that being said, I will jump right into the news from this past week.
On Thursday, the boys traveled to Ashland who currently sit at the top of the conference standings. However, the boys wasted no time shaking off the road trip cobwebs. In the 14th minute, Andy “Andy Baby” Volk crossed a ball into Mauricio “Mau” Vazquez who buried the ball into the back of the net from the PK spot. Ten minutes later, Trey “Trey Way” McBride drew a penalty, and Mau extended the lead to 2-0 by finishing the PK. The boys held this lead for the entire game until Ashland broke through with 14 seconds left in the game. However, the boys traveled back to Cedarville with a 2-1 victory.
Senior Day 2022
On Saturday, the boys welcomed Malone to town. Saturday was also Senior Day where the seniors were honored for their commitment to the program. After a scoreless first half, the boys finally broke through off a cross from Brett “Beto” Vaughn to Mau who put the ball into the net inside the six-yard box. More goals quickly followed as Tim “Tiger Tim” Lee utilized his vertical jump and headed the ball into the back of the net and Victor “V” Pomelli hit a screamer from 25 yards out from the goal. However, Malone was finally able to respond, but it was not enough as the boys took a 3-1 victory at home.
This week, the boys host their final home game of the regular season. The boys welcome Kentucky Wesleyan to town on Thursday (October 13). Then the boys will be traveling to Lake Erie on Saturday (October 15).
Playoff mentality has begun as there are only five games left of the regular season. Currently, the boys are sitting at fifth place in the conference, but only three points away from the top seeded Ashland. There is not a lot to separate teams in the G-MAC this year, which means it is still anyone’s game for who becomes the regular season champion.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
October 4, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
Ladd-Patrick Fagerson
Another week is upon us which means introducing our last addition to the Yellow Jacket Family. This week we want to introduce Ladd-Patrick Fagerson to the team. Ladd is a graduate transfer student from the University of New Hampshire. Ladd’s undergraduate degree is in marketing, and he is pursuing a graduate degree in business administration. He brings us his center midfielder and center back abilities from Medway, Massachusetts. Off the field, this man loves to play basketball, tennis, beach volleyball, exploring new places, and hanging with friends and family. A fun fact about Ladd is that his two cousins in Scotland are professional rugby players and play on the national team. Ladd is an awesome addition to the team and we are excited for his future at Cedarville.
In other news from this past week, the boys continued G-MAC play. On Thursday, the boys traveled to Findlay. After a scoreless first half, Mau headed the ball into the back of the net early in the second half to give Cedarville a 1-0 lead. Not long after, Jackson Issacs literally threw the ball into the back of the net off of a throw in to seal a 2-0 win for the Jackets. On Saturday, the boys faced Tiffin for the second time this season. Although the boys put the pressure on Tiffin and had many opportunities, Tiffin escaped with a 1-0 win.
With two more games under our belt, the boys are still in the hunt in the G-MAC. This week, the boys head to Ashland on Thursday for another rematch for this season (October 6). Ashland won the first match up, so the guys are looking to take one back. Then the boys will be welcoming Malone to Cedarville for the first time this season. This game will be played on Saturday (October 8) and will also be Senior Night at 4:30 PM.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
September 26, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
Caleb Knight
Another week means introducing another player to introduce to the Yellow Jacket Family. This week we want to introduce Caleb “Cay” Knight to the team. Caleb is a transfer student from the University of Evansville. Caleb is originally from Carterville, Illinois and is a center midfielder. Caleb is a secondary math education major, and his hobbies include watching mystery movies and playing soccer. Some interesting facts about Caleb are that he is part Oklahoma Cherokee Native American, every place he has lived has ended in -ville, and that he was the kicker for his high school football team. We are excited to welcome Caleb to Cedarville and cannot wait for what the future has in store for him.
In other news from this past week, the boys continued their fight towards November. On Wednesday, the boys battled against Ashland. However, after a hard-fought game, Ashland was able to pull it out and win 1-0. On Saturday, the boys traveled to West Virginia Wesleyan for a non-conference matchup. However, after another hard fought contest, West Virginia Wesleyan snuck one in and won 1-0.
The boys are looking forward to the rest of G-MAC play. As this past weekend was the halfway mark through the season, there is plenty of opportunity to regain ground and push for the conference title. This week, the boys head to Findlay on Thursday (September 29). Then the boys will be welcoming Tiffin to town for the second meeting of this season. This game will be played during homecoming on Saturday (October 1) at high noon.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
September 19, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
Carson Young
Another week means another player to introduce to the Yellow Jacket Family. This week we want to introduce Carson “Cars” Young to the team. Carson brings us his goal keeping skills from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. His hobbies include photography and being in the gym. This man wins the award for being in the gym the most. He hopes to be able to bench 315 pounds by the end of the season. In the classroom, Carson is a digital media major and loves photography. His favorite form of photography is cinematography. We are excited to have Carson on the team and cannot wait for what the future has in store for him.
In other news from this past week, the boys continued G-MAC play. On Thursday, the boys battled against Trevecca University. In the 62nd minute, Andy Volk drew a penalty for the lads and Jake Johnson finished it from the spot. The boys were able to hold the lead for the rest of the game and win 1-0. On Saturday, the boys traveled to Tiffin University for our second away trip of the season. However, after a scoreless first half, Tiffin was able to find the back of the net twice and win 2-0. The boys are looking forward to the rematch against Tiffin which will happen in two weeks during Cedarville’s homecoming (October 1).
The team looks to bounce back and continue conference play again this week. We will be welcoming Ashland to town at 6:30 PM on Wednesday (September 21). Then the boys will be traveling to West Virginia for a non-conference match up against West Virginia Wesleyan (September 24).
Until next week Jacket Fans!
September 12, 2022
(Editor's Note: Senior forward Timothy Lee steps in again as the guest blogger for this edition)
Welcome back Yellow Jacket fans!
My name is Timothy Lee, and I am back with this week’s blog. It feels good to be back in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play! A lot has happened in the last week, so I will try to get you all up to speed!
Alex Long
But before I do so, I would like to introduce another freshman. This week I have the pleasure of introducing Alex “Tim Lee” Long. So…for a little bit of context behind his nickname (which happens to be my name). If you tuned in to our games recently, you may have heard the commentators confuse me and Alex multiple times. I understand that in their defense, it is hard to see our faces from the press box, but just for clarification, I would like to mention some key differences. Alex is a center-attacking mid, while I play out on the flanks. Alex has longer hair that all parts to one side, while my hair is a little bit shorter and is more of a middle part. Alex is an absolute tank with great strength and technique and has been a vital player for our midfield, while I am the faster Asian. Hopefully, these things can help you tell us apart in the future as Alex and I look forward to more combinations on the field! Catch one of us on the score sheet very soon :)
On Thursday (September 8th), we had our first conference game against Northwood. A conference opener, under the lights, in front of our home fans, meant that we needed to show up with a good performance and result. Knowing this, we were quick to dominate with possession and create opportunities. It only took the Jackets 14 minutes to find the back of the net off of an Andy Volk tap-in from five yards out. The boys did not get complacent after this goal and continued to push for another. Jonathan “Jono” Bukasa was able to double our lead and find the back of the net for his first collegiate goal after a dangerous free kick played into the opponent’s box by Jake Johnson. In all honesty, we should have put a few more away this night and taken full control of the game. Not doing so meant that the boys had to fight until the last minute to hold on to a 2-1 victory.
This hard-fought victory was followed by a disappointing game against Walsh. For anyone who has followed Cedarville Soccer for the past several years, you know that Walsh has proved to be a tough opponent. Everyone on our team knew that too and was excited to come out with a result. However, the Cavaliers proved to be a good match up, and although we were able to create quality opportunities, we were unlucky to not find the back of the net. With 10 minutes left to play, we conceded a scrappy goal that handed us our first loss of the season.
This week we get back on the training pitch to begin to prepare for more conference games against Trevecca (Thursday) and at Tiffin (Saturday). Thank God for more opportunities to grow on and off the field. I expect everyone is as excited as I am to continue putting in the work to prepare for another home conference win on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Until next time!
September 5, 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
Matthew Leo
Another week is upon us which means it is time to meet another new face to the Yellow Jacket Family. This week we want to introduce Matthew Leo to the team. This freshman is versatile as he plays in the midfield and as a winger. Leo is our only international freshman as he brings us his talents from Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. His hobbies include playing sports and playing the guitar. Leo is an international studies major with hopes to return to the UAE after his collegiate career. We are excited to welcome Leo to the team and cannot wait for what the future holds for him at Cedarville University.
In other news from this past week, the boys continued their journey towards November. On Thursday, the boys battled against McKendree University. After a solid 90 minutes, there was not much to separate between the two sides as the game ended in a 0-0 tie. On Saturday, the boys had our first away trip to California, Pennsylvania. After 82 minutes of play, Mauricio “Mau” Vazquez scored the game winner from outside the 18-yard box. The boys defeated California PA with a 1-0 victory.
The team now looks forward to the beginning of conference play this week. We will be taking on both Northwood (September 8) and Walsh (September 10) at home this week. The team is full of confidence and ready to begin G-MAC play.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
August 30. 2022
Hey Jacket Fans!
My name is Jonny Stephens and I have the privilege of writing the Yellow Jacket Men’s Soccer Blog this week.
Dietrich Zeisloft
A new week means another new player to introduce to the Yellow Jacket Family. This week we want to introduce Dietrich “D, Demetrius, Dizzy, Damerius, Drizzy Drake, David, Daniel, Diesel, DZ, Denzel” Zeisloft to the team. This freshman is an attacking midfielder and wins the award of having the most nicknames on the team. Dietrich brings us his talents from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. His hobbies include playing soccer, reading, and hiking. Dietrich is a history major with his favorite time period being early American history. Dietrich is an awesome addition to the team both on and off the field. Please welcome this charming man around campus when you see him.
In other news from this past week, the boys had our first game of the season on Saturday night with many fans packing the track and supporting us up close. This tradition took a pause for the past couple of years where fans had to stay in the bleachers, but the tradition has now returned, and the fans did not disappoint. The boys started the season strong with a 2-0 win over Wheeling University. Michael “Prison Mike” Payne netted our first goal of the season with a header goal from a corner. Meanwhile, Mauricio “Mau” Ochoa Vazquez sealed the deal with another header goal from a free kick. With this being the first game of the season, there is still much improvement that can be made in training but winning at home was a great way to kick-off the season.
The team now looks forward to playing McKendree at home (Thurs., Sept. 1 at 5 PM) and California PA away (Sat., Sept. 3 at 3 PM). These teams will be a good test for us as we continue our adventure towards those deep playoff games in November.
Until next week Jacket Fans!
August 25, 2022
(Editor's Note: Senior forward Timothy Lee steps in as the guest blogger for the first edition of the 2022 season)
Timothy Lee
Welcome back Jacket fans!!!!!
My name is Timothy Lee, and I’m excited to be writing the first Yellow Jacket Men’s Soccer Blog of the 2022 season!
After a summer full of different internships, jobs, conditioning runs, workouts, summer team matches, vacations, and traveling all around the world, our players are buzzing to be back together in the ‘Ville and take on the season!
A new season means new faces to the program, and I get the opportunity to introduce the first of our seven new additions to the squad. After contemplating for quite a while on whom I should introduce first, it just felt right to start with the freshman that already has the coolest nickname. Benjamin “Zeus” Carman, is from Waxhaw, North Carolina, and is a great addition to the team. He is a strong, composed, and versatile player who can put in a solid
Benjamin Carman
shift in different positions. Ben’s nickname “Zeus” describes his “Greek-god-like” tall, strong, athletic build and great stamina (seen when he utterly destroyed the preseason fitness test). Ben also has a pretty quiet, yet charming personality, so you might need to say ‘hi’ to him first if you see him on campus. We can’t wait to make some more great memories and grow with him on and off the field!
In other news, we just finished up our run of preseason games and are ready to start the regular season this Saturday on home soil against Wheeling. Our preseason games have been able to show the coaches and players what areas we need to improve on as we continue to build towards our goal of winning the G-MAC this year. A few players have been fighting to recover from injuries, so our squad depth seems like it will be an important factor in the flow of the season. Preseason has also been a time where we have been able to enjoy each other’s fellowship, compete in some fun activities like mini golf and paint ball, and discuss what it means to be a part of a program that truly strives to play and live “For Him.”
We hope to see you all show up or
tune in to our first game of the season this Saturday, at 7 PM. Using what we have learned from the last couple of weeks in preseason, we hope to start the season off with a good performance and bag those three points!
Until next week Jacket Fans!!!
Jonny Stephens is a graduate student from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is in his fifth season as a defender with the Yellow Jackets and has been a Dean's Honor List student as a civil engineering major.
