men’s soccer – The Oberlin Review

Former Soccer Players Continue Playing Post-College

Khalid McCalla, Contributing Sports Editor

November 15, 2019

Sports, as many athletes are aware, is a temporary activity. Between the inevitability of age and the unpredictability of injury, there comes a time in every athlete’s life when they make the decision to stop playing the sport that used to define them. For the vast majority of athletes, the conclusion of an athletic career comes at the end of high school. Others manage to extend their career through four years of college, but that’s where it ends. However, three recent graduates of the Oberlin men’s soccer team have managed to continue their playing careers even further, continuing to hit the pitch even past the end of college. Tim Williams and Jesse Lauritsen, both OC ’17, and former Oberlin student Jake...

Remembering Love is The Way In

September 28, 2018

The first time Blake New walked into the men’s soccer locker room in the fall of 1999, it was the start of his first season as the team’s head coach. There, he found a stolen helmet from Heidelberg University and a photo of a player who had already graduated. New, who was attempting to get a feel for the group of young men he was going to coach, knew right away that he wanted his team to represent something more than random, trivial bits and pieces from seasons past. “I t...

In The Locker Room with Michael Candelori, Men’s Soccer Player and Filmmaker

September 21, 2018

When College sophomore Michael Candelori arrived at Oberlin last fall, his intentions were to focus on soccer and graduate with a degree in Economics. After three classes in economics and one in the math department, Candelori decided to shift gears. The Vienna, VA, native now plans on declaring a double-major in Cinema Studies and Theater. His interest in film began in high school when he had the opportunity to shadow a friend’s dad who was working on a documentary that ended up on Net...

Lords Eliminate Yeomen From Playoff Contention

October 27, 2017

The Yeomen fell to their rival Kenyon Lords 2–0 on Wednesday, dropping them to 7–8–2 and 3–5–0 in North Coast Athletic Conference play. The game also crushed their playoffs hopes. In what was a promising year following their historic second place regular-season finish and brutal NCAC Championship defeat to the Lords 2–1 in double overtime, the Yeomen started conference play on a four-game losing streak and could not recover. This past Saturday, they honored their seniors’ final home ga...

Men’s Soccer Cools Off, Drops Two Straight Matches

September 29, 2017

The Yeomen struggled this week as they opened North Coast Athletic Conference play with a 4–1 loss against the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops Saturday, then dropped Wednesday’s match against the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders 2–1. Head Coach Blake New, whose team’s offense has faltered in finding the net recently despite outscoring opponents 17–5 in their first four games, is confident the Yeomen can rebound to their winning ways as conference play picks up. “W...

Yeomen Soccer Set to Score Again

September 1, 2017

As Yeomen soccer prepares for its upcoming season, the sting of last year’s championship loss still lingers. After graduating eight seniors in one of the most decorated Yeomen classes ever, the team will rely on a combination of seasoned veterans and fresh blood to fill the big shoes of their predecessors. However, Head Coach Blake New is determined to keep a winning mentality alive in the depleted locker room. “As a team, our goals don’t change from year to year,” New, who earned the No...

Yeomen Take Second in Record Season

November 11, 2016

Appearing in its inaugural North Coast Athletic Conference Championship game, men’s soccer dropped a heartbreaker to the top-seeded Kenyon College Lords 2–1 in double overtime. “We expected to win. The guys were excited and confident and ready to prove that we belonged,” said Head Coach Blake New. “We thought we matched up well with them and we thought this was our time.” The Yeomen offense found a rhythm when senior winger Sam Weiss branded the scorecard less than four minutes...

Yeomen Head to First Ever NCAC Final

November 4, 2016

Men’s soccer is headed to the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship for the first time in school history after besting the Wabash College Little Giants 2–1 in the NCAC Semifinal on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Throughout the team’s first home field NCAC playoff game since 2005, Oberlin’s faithful crowd rattled the bleachers and provided the Yeomen with extra momentum. As they have for most of the season, the Yeomen looked to put the ball at the feet of two-time All-NCAC Second Team selection...

Nationally Ranked Yeomen Prepare for Postseason

Marissa Maxfield

October 28, 2016

It only took two goals to seal the deal. With a 2–0 win over the Hiram College Terriers Tuesday, the No. 25 Oberlin College Yeomen earned their place in the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament for the third time in four years — capping off a season that has brought 13 wins and the highest national ranking in program history. “It took a lot of patience to score the first goal, but we kept a positive mentality,” senior forward Dan Lev said. “Our defense held them to no shots on goal which bodes very well going into the postseason.” The Yeomen seemed to be in a lull for nearly the first 70 minutes of the game, until junior midfielder Jonah Blume-Kemkes got them going. The Santa Monica, CA, native...

Men’s Soccer Climbs to No. 17 in NCSAA Top-25 Poll

Jackie McDermott, Sports Editor

October 7, 2016

Men’s soccer has reached new heights. The team ascended to No. 17 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division-III Top-25 Poll — its best national ranking of all time. Oberlin is the only North Coast Athletic Conference team to crack the rankings, and currently holds an overall record of 9–1–1 and is 2–0 in conference play. Leading the Yeomen is senior captain Nick Wertman, who has made a habit out of scoring game-winning goals. Wertman notched his first career hat-trick against the Case Western Reserve University Spartans under the lights of Fred Shults Field Wednesday. Wertman found the back of the net less than four minutes into the match to put the Yeomen up 1–0. In the second half,...

Wertman Spearheads Yeomen Victories

September 30, 2016

After scoring game-winning goals over the Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets and the DePauw University Tigers last week, senior midfielder Nick Wertman was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week. The Westlake, Ohio native currently is tied for the team lead with three goals and eight points. A two-time Second Team All-NCAC selection, Wertman plays a key role for the squad being ranked No. 25 in the most recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25 poll...

Men’s Soccer Splits Opening Games

September 9, 2016

Men’s soccer split its season openers against the Heidelberg University Student Princes and the Ohio Northern University Polar Bears last week. The Yeomen pulled away with 3–1 victory against the Princes last Saturday at home, but fell short on the road just two days later with a 4–0 loss to the Polar Bears. In Saturday’s contest against Heidelberg, the Yeomen’s early momentum set the Student Princes back for most of the game. “After a rough patch in the very beginning, we got in...