Men’s and Women’s Soccer Dominating the Start of the Fall 2021 Season
Clark Field, Aly Wein/The Gettysburgian
By Emma Hladlik, contributing writer
The men’s and women’s soccer teams have started their 2021 seasons strong, both teams so far undefeated. The women are 2-0, while the men are 2-0-1, each team outplaying their opponents on the field.
In the 2021 Men’s Soccer Preview posted on the Gettysburg Athletic page, head coach Mark Mettrick discussed his goals for the 2021 season.
“It’s going to be an enjoyable experience to help this team and see who develops in our program as we have many new players,” Mettrick emphasized. “Hopefully, we continue with the momentum that we had in 2019.” There is only one returning senior, Jonathan Molina ’22, playing for the men’s soccer team this season, along with fourteen juniors, eleven sophomores, and nine first-years.
As coach Mettrick alluded to, the men’s soccer team had much success in their 2019 season, including a trip to the Centennial Conference semifinals, where they suffered a defeat to fourth-ranked Franklin & Marshall, and the NCAA Division III Tournament, where they won their first game against no. 22 Oglethorpe but lost in the next round to no. 11 Washington and Lee. They finished the season with an impressive 12-8-1 overall record.
This year’s men’s team has picked up right where the 2019 team left off. Junior Connor O’Donnell ’23 tied a Gettysburg school record on Saturday, September 4, 2021, with three assists in a single game, leading his team to defeat Greensboro College 6-2. This was the men’s soccer team’s first collegiate game since 2019 and was the first game of the Steve Shaw Classic in Newport News, Virginia which was hosted by Christopher Newport.
During the game, Gettysburg dominated the first half, testing the opposing goalkeeper with 16 shots compared to Greensboro’s three. They were up 3-1 going into halftime, and in the second half, Gettysburg continued their scoring spree, adding three more goals to their total. Kevin Muhic ’24 only let up one other goal, making the final score 6-2 and securing a Gettysburg win.
On Sunday, September 5, 2021, the Bullets were on the road again playing at the Steve Shaw Classic, this time against Christopher Newport University (CNU). Thanks to Connor Fife ’23, the Bullets had a 1-0 lead going into halftime, but CNU scored a goal in the final minutes of the second half, tying the game and sending the teams into overtime. After a scoreless first overtime period of ten minutes, the teams continued to battle it out in the second overtime, but neither team could score the winning goal. As per NCAA rules, the game ended in a tie, the first of the season.
Continuing with their strong 2021 season, the men’s soccer team won their battle against Lycoming on September 11 by a score of 3-1, adding another to the win column. They currently stand at 2-0-1 and look towards their away game against Lebanon Valley College on Wednesday, September 15, and their first home game against Ursinus College at Clark Field on Saturday, September 18 at 7 P.M.
Gettysburg’s success in soccer has not been limited to the men; the women’s team has also been dominating this season so far, currently sitting at 2-0. There are seven returning seniors, nine juniors, twelve sophomores, and seven first-years, an exciting combination of old and new faces.
When asked about what she is most excited for this season, Leah Mangold ‘24 said, “I’m most excited to finally be back on the field competing! The team has started strong, but we have so much more to show which is super exciting. The captains did a great job of keeping us all in contact over zoom during Covid which has shown since we have been back. Everyone is buying into the team, our goals, and our values. I am really looking forward to what is to come this season.”
The women’s team was equally as successful as the men in their 2019 season. Finishing with an overall record of 13-5-1, they cruised into the Centennial Conference playoffs. After holding off McDaniel in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory, they were unable to advance past Dickinson, who handed them a 3-0 loss. Despite this unfortunate ending, the women made it into the NCAA Division III tournament, where they lost in the opening round to no. 24 Williams.
The Bullets began their season by defeating the Elizabethtown College Blue Jays 2-1 on Saturday, September 4. While the first half ended scorelessly, the second half was a different story, and the Bullet’s offense took control of the match. Erika Muskus ’22 scored the first goal of the game and of the season making the score 1-0. Emma Bedell ’22 quickly added to the score with another goal making it 2-0, giving the Bullets a decisive advantage. The Blue Jays got on the board about ten minutes later, but the Bullets held on to their lead, claiming a 2-1 victory.
The Bullets continued their winning streak against Shenandoah University, winning 2-0 on Wednesday, September 8. Like their previous game, the first half ended in a deadlock of 0-0. Bedell accounted for two goals in the second half, scoring off of a penalty shot that put the Bullets in the lead and assisting the next goal by Grace Slevin ’23. The Bullets defense held strong and prevented the Shenandoah forwards from scoring, and Gettysburg won 2-0, upping their record to the same digits.
The women’s team will play their first home game against York College at Clark Field on Wednesday, September 15 at 7 P.M.
