Men’s Soccer Team Falls Short on Homecoming Weekend

By: Alan Brads

The Cedarville University men’s soccer team suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Tiffin Dragons on Saturday, October 1.

A biting wind matched the cold, bitter mood of some 345 fans who came to watch the match on homecoming weekend.

This marks the Yellow Jackets’ fourth loss in their last five matches, leaving the team at an even 5-5-1 on the year.

The result threw the tightly knit conference standings into disarray as the Dragons shot all the way to third, while Cedarville maintained their position at 8th. The highly competitive GMAC features many talented teams jostling for the top 6 spots to earn an entry into the conference tournament. Several high-caliber teams will finish on the outside looking in.

George McCarthy, Tiffin central-midfielder, netted the lone goal of the match, sneaking the ball past Cedarville goalkeeper Jared Zacharias in the 55th minute.

From that point on, Tiffin played stout defense and patiently possessed the ball to milk the clock.

Cedarville outplayed Tiffin significantly in the second half, creating countless scoring opportunities, but nonetheless, the Dragons defended their one-goal lead until the final whistle.

“We controlled a lot of the game,” head coach Brett Faro said. “We had more shots, more corners, better possession, and controlled the pace of the game. We did everything we wanted but put the ball in the back of the net.”

Cedarville forward Jackson Isaacs, who led both sides with two shots on goal, echoed his coach’s sentiment.

“I think Tiffin stole this one from us,” Isaacs said. “They’re lucky to get out of here with a win.”

After falling to Tiffin twice in as many weeks, the team has to leave it in the past and look forward.

“Overall, I think we’re headed in the right direction for the season,” Faro said. 

Coach Faro’s teams are historically strong in the back half of the season. The Yellow Jackets will strive to continue that trend, starting on Thursday, October 6, while playing the Ashland Eagles on the road.

Alan Brads is a sophomore journalism student and frequent contributor to Cedars. He enjoys playing the drums and speaking Spanish, and watches Buckeye football like his life depends on it.