The first and second round games were played with mini goals and no goalkeepers. However, for the third and final round, teams played with regular soccer goals and goalkeepers. Each game was around 30–45 minutes long. The referees for the tournament were third-year Zoe Garver and fourth-year Brynn Adams, who are both women’s soccer players and recent All-NCAC honorees.

College third-year Olivia Gonzalez is on the club soccer team and played in the tournament. Her team — Koby’s BFFs, named after third-year Koby Mbonu — was a mix of College students, varsity soccer players, and members of other varsity teams.

“I had a great time at the tournament!” Gonzalez wrote in an email to the Review. “It was awesome for BSAG to organize this event, and I’m really proud of the turnout and success!! I was on Koby’s BFFs and despite our early elimination to Him (which actually featured a lot of my club soccer friends), we still had a blast.”

Gonzalez joined club soccer at the end of her first year, and though she believes she still has a long way to go in improving her game, it has given her an opportunity to practice a sport she loves.

“It was definitely daunting to join the club at first because I hadn’t played since middle school,” Gonzalez wrote. “However, we have practices 4–5 times a week, and slowly I’ve improved!”

These days, Gonzalez serves on the club soccer leadership committee team, which helped with the organization of the soccer tournament.

“BSAG invited me to one of their meetings to discuss logistics for the event and to run some ideas by club soccer regarding game timing, promotion, and rules,” Gonzalez wrote. “But I credit the majority of the event planning and success of the event to BSAG!”

Mbonu, who is co-chair of BSAG and on the men’s soccer team, served as one of the main organizers for this event.

“BSAG wanted to create another sports tournament for the Oberlin community and decided a soccer tournament would be the best idea,” Mbonu wrote in an email to the Review. “We partnered with Club Soccer and Yeofit (who were great to work with) and had an amazing time.”

Mbonu reached out to the club soccer team because it would guarantee players for the tournament. He also reached out to YeoFit since they would provide resources for the event, such as hoodies and frisbees for raffles and food and beverages.

“We haven’t hosted anything in the past with either organization, but will definitely be doing this tournament next year so we’ll be sure to reach out again,” Mbonu wrote. “In addition, the athletic and non-athletic community don’t cross over too much at Oberlin so it gave us a chance to do that as well.”

Only one team could win it all, and that was Tacha’s Team. Tacha Lee, a third-year on the women’s soccer team, thought that it would be fun to put a team together. It was composed of all varsity soccer members from the men’s and women’s teams.

“The tournament was really fun!” Lee wrote in an email to the Review. “It was nice seeing a bunch of people play soccer together. Winning was also great but it was more fun to just hang out with my friends and kick the ball around.”

Third-year Samantha Gilfond, who is on the women’s soccer team, played on the winning team.

“It was nice getting a chance to play with my teammates again after our season ended and also play alongside the men’s team,” Gilfond wrote in an email to the Review. “I thought it was a great way to spark friendly competition and meet new people. I love playing soccer and I am very competitive so it was a great way to support BSAG and leverage my competitiveness.”

When asked how the tournament was compared to a Division III in-season soccer match, Lee commented on the light-heartedness of the game.

“It definitely was a lot more relaxed than varsity soccer and I could just kinda enjoy myself while playing soccer more casually with others,” Lee wrote.

Gilfond noted the similarities and differences between this game and varsity games.

“It was super different, especially when we were competing against teams that were not made up of majority soccer athletes,” Gilfond wrote. “In the final game both teams were made up of mostly varsity soccer players which made the level of play pretty high.”

Mbonu, who also played on Tacha’s Team, had similar remarks to Lee and Gilfond.

“It was great playing in the tournament,” Mbonu wrote. “All around, I believed everyone had a great time though. It doesn’t really compare to DIII soccer at all because a lot of people playing weren’t currently training athletes, but the competition level was still high and I hope it will keep the same standard for next year.”

When asked how it felt to be nearing the end of their careers, soccer player Brynn Adams, volleyball player Lauren Sands, and soccer player Nasim Amer all described it as “bittersweet.”

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Adams said. “I think that’s what every senior would’ve said. I mean, Oberlin soccer is the most special team that I have ever been a part of, and I’ve been very lucky to have a great experience with great coaches and great people.”

Sands emphasized the commitment it takes to be a collegiate athlete and how strange it feels for it to be coming to a close.

“I have been playing volleyball for about half my life, so it has been a really big part of my life,” Sands said. “And the fact that it’s coming to an end is sad, but I’m feeling good about it, ready to move on,” Sands said.

Amer highlighted that his first season on the team was a COVID-19 season, so he has had the same amount of playing time as all of the juniors on the team. Nonetheless, he relishes the time that he has spent competing as a Yeoman.

“I think the time that I’ve been here was very enjoyable, even though over the years our record wasn’t the best, or we maybe didn’t get as many wins as we hoped,” Amer said. “It’s a great group of guys and I enjoyed playing with them, every practice and every game.”

The seniors had been a part of Senior Nights in the past, but always as underclassmen. All three athletes mentioned how meaningful it was to be supported and celebrated by their teammates and the student body, but for Amer, his Senior Night was extra special.

“That game, that was the first game my parents ever came to watch me play live at Oberlin, so for me, I was just trying my best to have a good game,” Amer said. “You know, ultimately I just wanted to get the win but maybe score a goal for them. I ended up scoring and we didn’t win the game, but I scored and it was nice. When your parents are watching, you may play a bit harder.”

Although he wishes that the team still had a chance to compete in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship, Amer’s individual career ended on an incredibly high note — winning the NCAC Athlete of the Week Award.

“That was amazing,” Amer said. “I was talking to my mom the other day, saying ‘It sucks not having a freshman season but it kinda feels like everything is wrapping up in a really nice way.’ It’s nice to win the individual achievement but all the guys on the team, they helped me with that.”

Sands admitted that her Senior Night felt completely different to the others that she has been a part of and that she was grateful for the support of her friends and teammates.

“The fact that everyone was there celebrating me and my teammates in my class, all of our accomplishments, it was very meaningful and emotional — definitely more emotional than my other senior nights,” Sands said. “[The emotions] definitely were with me when I stepped on the court, especially because I had my family there watching, it just felt like a really big moment.”

Adams acknowledged that her Senior Night was a bit of an out-of-body experience, since it truly signaled that her time as a Yeowoman was quickly coming to a close.

“It was surreal, it kinda felt fake,” Adams said. “It was weird until the moment I realized they were going to be calling my name and be talking about me. We have our locker room decorated every Senior Night and then I realized my locker would be decorated and so when I walked in there I was like, ‘Oh crap, it’s about me and it’s real.’”

The women’s soccer team has a motto that represents what their team stands for and the bonds that have been formed and strengthened within the team. Adams was happy to use the same motto as a way to sum up her career at Oberlin.

“We say this saying on our team, we say, ‘OC Love’ all the time,” Adams said. “We’ve defined the letters, we’ve picked words to define the ‘L-O-V-E’ that we use as our core values as a team. But we always say ‘OC Love,’ we’ll sign things ‘OC Love,’ and I think that’s a good definition of my career. Just OC Love.”

The Yeomen went into halftime down 1–0 after the Yellow Jackets scored at the 14th minute. However, they rebounded nicely, scoring just eight minutes into the second half. First-year John Wirtz scored his first career goal to even the score in the 53rd minute off an assist by third-year Augie Smith. 

The game was tied 1–1 from then on until the final minute, when the Yellow Jackets scored, leaving the Yeomen with little time to tie the game and earn a point. 

With just 54 seconds left in the game, second-year Louis Gandelheid swiftly scored his third goal of the season, redirecting the ball into the back of the net off a rebound from a shot on goal by third-year Toby Wells-Zimmerman. The Yeomen finished the game with a 2–2 draw. 

“I felt that we really improved in the second half of the match and created a lot more chances, scoring the tying goal midway through the period,” second-year Nate Thompson wrote in an email to the Review. “However, through a combination of misplaced shots, good saves from the opposition goalkeeper, and some unlucky ricochets, we were unable to take the lead. Then the last minute of play. That was crazy. Defiance had an amazing long range goal, but we ran straight back up from kickoff and tied the game again. I was proud of our response, as we could have easily become deflated and simply given up the game.”

Third-year goalie Colvin Iorio’s comments aligned similarly to Thompson’s. 

“The last couple minutes were crazy because we felt we were sure to get a goal with all the pressure we were putting on them before they managed to score,” Iorio said. “It was pretty deflating but luckily we kept pushing and managed to get one back to tie it.”

Iorio made three saves in the first half before second-year Louis Berger stepped up to the goalie position in the second half, making one more save for the Yeomen.

“We weren’t super happy with the draw because we felt we dominated the game and had a lot more shots, but they converted their chances more efficiently and sometimes that’s the way soccer goes,” Iorio said. “I didn’t have too much to do in the half I played because I think they only had two shots on me, but one of them was a goal.” 

Oberlin shined with 29 shots, 18 of them on goal, and 10 corner kicks. Star players included Gandelheid and Wirtz, who each had a goal, along with Wells-Zimmerman and Smith, who were both credited with an assist. Thompson kept the offensive pressure on the Yellow Jackets throughout the game with seven shots, five of which were on goal.

“While overall it was a very frustrating game for us, I was proud of the resilience of the group to fight back and get the equalizer so quickly after conceding the 2nd goal,” Head Coach Blake New wrote in an email to the Review. “If we take care of a couple of details in the game, we should win that game very easily. When you outshoot your opponent 29–10, you should win the game. We just didn’t finish well and we made a couple of mistakes defensively.”

Thompson echoed similar remarks to Coach New. 

“Such a comeback showed a resistance to adversity that the team has often missed in the past,” Thompson wrote. “Last year, we were quite a young team, with a majority of the squad composed of [first-years] and [second-years]. However, we have been able to progress together, and I am very excited to see how the greater amount of experience within the team can hopefully translate into an improved season. We also have been supplemented by a talented incoming class who have added in quality and been able to compete for positions right away.”

Coach New remained optimistic for the rest of the season despite this uncertain start. 

“The guys have worked hard in training, and I think we will bounce back quickly,” Coach New wrote. 

Thompson expressed gratitude for the students and community members who showed up to the game. 

“I would also love to give a shout out to the fans, as the support at the game was amazing,” Thompson wrote. “Hopefully we can get some more packed crowds out at Schultz throughout the year.”

The team currently stands at 1–2–3, and has not yet had a conference game. Following the draw against Defiance, the team lost 2–0 against Capital University at Schultz Field on Wednesday night. The Yeomen will next play Heidelberg University in Tiffin, OH at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. 

Blevins has been a part of the women’s soccer leadership committee for the past two years, which consists of six other members. When Head Women’s Soccer Coach Taylor Houck joined the team, Houck turned the captain system to a leadership committee system. The committee’s main goals are to uphold team values, which represent the phrase “OC Love”; lead by example; and provide support for teammates. They also help energize the team, keeping them focused on excelling in conference play and making the North Coast Atlantic Conference tournament.

“It has worked so well for our team,” Blevins said. “I feel like having all the leaders who are in the leadership group with different strengths and personalities really works well, and is able to bond the team in really great ways. I’m so grateful to have the other leaders. With captains, it can be only one or two people [leading], and I think it’s great that we have a large group of leadership.”

Though Blevins is currently injured, she is confident in the team’s abilities this season. She is also thankful for those who have stepped up in her absence and helped to replace the presence of former team leader Camille Franklin, OC ʼ23. 

“Genuinely, I’ve been so impressed by all my teammates so far,” Blevins said. “I think we look really good. This is honestly the best team since I got here… we only lost one person last year and brought on three new players. The transition and playing together this year has been really seamless. The new players fit right into our team, and I’m really, really excited for this season. I am confident [that] with this team we can not only make it to the tournament, but win the whole thing!”

Aside from soccer, Blevins walked onto the lacrosse team her first year and has been part of the team since. People ask her a lot about the similarities and differences between soccer and lacrosse. She claims that the fitness and strategy of both sports have a lot of overlap and the differences mostly come from the personalities from the team, which she is appreciative of. 

“I’m so lucky that I get 40 automatic family members within my teammates, and it’s kind of fun to see how those dynamics play out with the different people on my team,” she said. 

One difficult decision Blevins had to make was to give up her third lacrosse season in order to go abroad to Auckland, New Zealand, where she lived for seven months. Her teammates were supportive and understanding of her decision, which she is extremely grateful for. Blevins would watch all the livestreams of the team’s games, even with the 16-hour time difference.  

While abroad, her university offered unique classes, including a Pacific Studies course that she took along with an introduction to photography course. Blevins was a big fan of New Zealand’s food, such as their cheese and garlic scones, butter chicken pot pie, and coffee — since dairy is the country’s largest export. 

“I have always wanted to go to New Zealand since I was really little,” she said. “Growing up, I went to an overnight summer camp for two weeks every year. I had a lot of Kiwi counselors and they were always so fun and so nice. So ever since I was little, I think I had a good impression as I got older. I really loved New Zealand’s response to COVID-19, their connection with nature, and their relationship with their environment — that really pulled me in. Then, of course, I’m a Lord of the Rings fan.”

The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. When asked about her favorite character, she immediately responded with Legolas.

While abroad, Blevins had the opportunity to participate in outdoor thrills. This includes riding the Nevis Swing — the world’s largest swing — upside down. The swing hangs over a canyon and has a 300-meter arc. Her spring break included traveling around New Zealand and living out of a car for two and a half weeks with friends. She also traveled to Australia and hit Sydney, Cairns, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast. While in Australia, she had the chance to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef. 

Most importantly, studying abroad changed Blevins’ understanding of the world and different cultures. 

“It can kind of be a cliché to say after studying abroad, but I am convinced that my global perspective of the world has completely shifted,” Blevins said. “It’s one thing to learn about and completely another thing to go and live there and really immerse yourself in somewhere new. To see how other people see the world … is so valuable.”

Living alone for more than half a year can be a big step as a college student. However, Blevins felt that she grew from taking care of herself and being on her own in a new place. 

“I totally feel like I have newfound confidence in myself that I could go and live somewhere new, create my own support system, and build my own schedule,” she said. “Traveling takes a lot of planning. I haven’t been able to do so much self-organized traveling.”

To keep active, Blevins joined Auckland Central United, a club soccer team in the city that plays matches against other local club teams. Since lacrosse isn’t as big in New Zealand, her lacrosse playing was limited only to practices. One of Blevins’ highlights was playing in the interfaculty futsal tournament at her university abroad, in which teams consisted of students from each school division. Her team, the Science Spartans, won the tournament, dominating the finals 3-1. As a soccer fan, Blevins also witnessed two World Cup games, one between New Zealand and Norway, and the other between Vietnam and the United States. 

Being back at Oberlin, Blevins is excited for this upcoming year. 

“I’m looking forward to making the most out of my [fourth-year], really trying to stay present in the moment, and enjoy the company of all the good people I’ve met here,” Blevins said.

“It was actually a really good assist,” Garver said. “[Benway] just slotted it past the back line, and that was what was really fun.”

Second-year Ali Grant started as goalkeeper for the first two games. Grant saved all four shots from the Gators, securing Oberlin’s defensive line. On the offensive side, Garver led the charge and took eight shots with four shots on goal. Five of Benway’s six shots were on goal, fourthyear Adrienne Sato shot three times with one shot on goal, and third-year Tacha Lee took two shots with one shot on goal.

In the Yeowomen’s second game on Sunday, Benway’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. She scored a hat trick, a rare phenomenon that occurs when a player scores three consecutive goals in a single match. The final score was 3–1 against the Franciscan University Barons. Her first goal came in the first half, while the other two were netted in the second half.

“This is my first collegiate hat trick so it was a really exciting game,” Benway said. “I think the last time I got a hat track was during club senior year of high school, and for it to come during the second half, the whole team put in a ton of effort to get those opportunities coming back from a goal down.”

Last year, Benway was named North Coast Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year. As a testament to her accomplishments, she was recently recognized as this week’s NCAC Player of the Week.

“NCAC player of the week is a cool award because we can get an early look at how the conference sees our team, especially during our non-conference games,” Benway said. “I’m happy to get that recognition.”

Norah Mosley, a first-year on the team from Robbinsville, New Jersey, secured her first career point by assisting Benway during the 70’ goal. As a first-year, she has had 98 minutes of playing time between the two games, affirming a promising start to her collegiate career.

Aside from Mosley’s assist, Benway made seven of her eight shots on goal, second-year Sophia Timm-Blow shot three times with one shot on goal, and second-year Elena Foley shot twice.

Claire Vallely, a fourth-year from Trumansburg, NY, praised her team’s performance this past weekend.

“I think we played really well and are really incorporating our new players really well,” Vallely said. “We really studied the tactics of the other teams beforehand and incorporated that into our play.”

Though there are currently some injuries on the team, Head Women’s Soccer Coach Taylor Houck is handling it well. The starting lineup has not drastically changed from last year with their one senior, Camille Franklin, OC ‘23, graduating. There are also new additions to the team, including second-year Sophia Timm-Blow, a transfer from Kalamazoo College, and first-years Audrey Benson and Mosley, all of whom are seamlessly integrating into the squad.

“I think they’re really good additions to the team,” Garver said. “They fit right in and they’re definitely gonna contribute and help us have a good season.”

Some new changes were made in leadership too. This year’s leadership committee members include fourth-years Brynn Adams, Maya Blevins, Mattie Rie, Benji Maddox, and Clark Waltz, as well as third-years Zoe Garver and Sofia Mitchell.

While the Yeowomen faced a setback against Baldwin Wallace University on Tuesday with a 1–4 loss (with a goal made by Garver and assisted by Benway), the team remains resilient. Catch the women’s soccer team this Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. on Fred Shults Field as they play against the Wilmington College Quakers. With their talent, expertise, and determination, the women’s soccer team is poised for an exciting and successful season ahead.

As a Brazilian international student, I didn’t know what to expect watching the World Cup in the U.S., where soccer — or football, as it’s known to most of the world — feels less culturally relevant than in my home country, however true that may be. The familiar feeling of homesickness crept up as my family flooded our group chat with spirited updates about the most recent games. However, I have been pleasantly surprised about the effect of the present World Cup on campus.

College second-year Ava Shigur decided to keep up with the World Cup in one of her classes last week. Not only did she learn more about soccer and how the tournament works, but she also made a new friend in the process.

“I was sitting in one of my classes, and instead of paying attention, I put on the World Cup,” Shigur said. “There was a guy sitting a few chairs next to me also watching. After class, he came up to me and congratulated me on the win since the U.S.A. was playing. He then asked me if I was a soccer fan, which I am not. I’m only watching because my friends are watching and I need to stay in the loop. After a whole conversation about soccer, he introduced himself and now we’re friends.”

It’s not just students who are distracted by the games during class time. Professors can be soccer fans too. College third-year Audrey Weber shared her experience in a class on Monday during the Brazil vs. South Korea game, when her professor was just as eager to stay updated on the score as the students were.

“In my Hispanic Studies class, we finished a couple minutes early after we did some presentations, and in the last five minutes of class, our professor put on the South Korea vs. Brazil game,” Weber said. “There were already a couple people watching the game during class; my professor was even sliding it onto the screen while we were presenting. There was definitely a sense of camaraderie.”

Although some students are willing to give the World Cup their full attention, others have decided to stay focused on their schoolwork. College second-year Eliza Giane won’t miss class for a game, but acknowledges that the World Cup is culturally relevant for her, especially as a Brazilian.

“If I have class or homework, I’m not gonna prioritize watching the game, even if it’s Brazil,” Giane said. “But I won’t tell anyone — I’m gonna hide it with shame if I don’t watch a Brazil game. I’ll lose my Brazilian citizenship if anyone finds out. I don’t care about [soccer] unless it’s the World Cup, because that’s the only time that we [Brazilians] actually have to care. Everyone has to care.”

Giane may not miss class, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t keeping up with the tournament. Unlike American football, soccer doesn’t seem to hold as much importance in American culture as it does in other parts of the world. As Brazilians who are away from home and not surrounded by the familiar yellow and green jerseys during the World Cup season, we crave the feeling of community.

“It’s weird watching the game in the U.S. and everywhere being so quiet,” Giane said. “They don’t freak out for every close hit. It’s not the entire city watching that game like it is back in Brazil. Watching it here with the other Brazilian students makes me feel more at home.”

Watching the games has created connections not just for those who are already established, such as students from the same country, but between more unlikely groups too. College second-year Colvin Iorio co-hosted a watch party for the Brazil vs. Cameroon game at Harvey House, La Casa Hispánica.

“As a soccer player and a soccer fan, I wanted to throw a World Cup watch party,” Iorio said, “At the Spanish house, we watched a Brazil game and there were Brazilians watching it with us, which was exciting. It was a nice atmosphere to watch a game that I had never experienced — anytime the ball got anywhere near either goal, they would start shrieking. It made me feel hyped up too. ”

Going to school in the U.S. for the last four-and-a-half years, I have observed that the cultural impact of the Super Bowl here seems comparable to that of the World Cup in Brazil. However, the difference between the two sporting events has to do with both the nature of the sports themselves and the countries or teams which the players are competing for. The passion behind the World Cup is largely rooted in identity, whereas the Super Bowl’s large viewership may be more rooted in American commercialism. Iorio explained why he, as an American, feels more drawn to the World Cup than the Super Bowl.

“The athletes are competing for their national team rather than for a club or their employer,” Iorio said. “Supporting that feels different than supporting the Super Bowl.”

Whether in sports teams, international student groups, or the general student population, the World Cup has a way of bringing people together to connect, watch, and banter.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

When did you start playing soccer?

I think starting when I was five, I did a lot of recreational stuff until fifth or sixth grade, then I started doing club and eventually was a part of my high school team. I think I might technically be a walk-on for soccer at Oberlin, because I emailed the coach after I got into school.

How has your team impacted your time and your experience here?

It’s made it a lot better. With our new coach, I feel like the team morale and just how close we are off the field has really increased. Everyone has fun at practice, and we all try to hang out outside of practice too. It’s a little different now out of season, but I think just having those connections is really important. If you see anyone on the team on campus, you always say hi to each other. Especially coming in as a first-year, having that foundation of friends was really important. My roommate now, second-year Zoe Garver, was one of my first friends on the team last year. If I didn’t have the team, my experience would obviously be a lot different here.

When did you start track?

I started doing track in middle school, and then I did it freshman and sophomore year of high school. Junior year, I had decided not to do it just because of the junior year workload, and then COVID-19 hit. Senior year I only did soccer — because of COVID, that got moved to the spring season, so I picked soccer over track.

Were you a walk-on for track?

I joined at the end of the soccer season last year because the jumps coach had seen some of the soccer games. He had also talked to former Women’s Soccer Head Coach Dan Palmer last year, and he could tell from my running form that my hamstrings were messed up. Basically, he said he could help me improve my running form. I definitely have since joining the team, and I think I improved some of my time so I could get faster for soccer too. I also did long jump for track, which I think is my favorite event. For indoor, I did long jump and the 60-meter — basically the shortest sprint — and then for outdoor, I did long jump and the 4×100-meter relay.

What are you looking forward to for track season?

Track is much more individual; I really love the track team, and there’s usually a team aspect to all the track meets to get points, but I think sometimes it’s nice to kind of have that time to focus on my personal improvement. I’m just looking forward to getting a little bit better, especially in long jump — I did it in high school, but because we didn’t have a long jump coach, I didn’t really improve that much. Last year, I improved a lot over the season. We had a lot of fourth-years last year who were really good at long jump, then the relay was three fourth-years and me. It’ll be interesting to kind of rebuild that as a second-year, but also as the oldest person on the team for some of those things. There’s third-years who do long jump, but at least for the relay, I’m gonna be the only person who’s done it before.

Do you think that you’ll explore new events, or are you just going to stick to the ones you have been doing?

In terms of jumps, I’m pretty sure I’m only gonna have one just because all of the jumps involve really different types of technique, but I know the coach talked a little bit about expanding what I would do in sprints. I’m not sure if I wanted to do that just because I did the 200-meter in high school, again with not much training. But I think it would be interesting with good training and practice to see how that would go.

The men’s cross country team, led by fourth-year captains Chase Sortor and Sam Russ, took home its first North Coast Athletic Conference Championship this season. To top off the championship win, Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach Ray Appenheimer, Associate Head Cross Country Coach Izzy Alexander, and Volunteer Assistant Coach Anna Scott, OC ’22, took home NCAC Coaching Staff of the Year for the men’s division. Cross country now looks toward the NCAA Great Lakes Regional tournament and the NCAA Championships in the coming weeks. Fourth-years Niels Vanderloo and Sunniva Sheffield earned NCAC first-team honors, followed by fellow fourth-years Ross D’Orfani, Sam Russ, and Matthew Walton, third-year Eliza Medearis, second-years Walter Moak, Jonah Barber, and Sage Reddish earning NCAC second-team.

On the flip side, football’s performance has been disappointing, with a 0–9 record thus far. However, the Yeomen have had close, hard-fought battles against Kalamazoo College, Alvernia University, and Kenyon College. Notable performances came from the team captains: fourth-year and quarterback Chris Allen Jr., who threw 11 touchdowns with only eight interceptions, and fifth-year Brian Colarusso, who leads the team thus far in both receiving yards and touchdowns.

Although they began this season with 12 incoming first-years making up nearly half the team and a brand new head coach, women’s soccer has been another one of Oberlin Athletics’ bright spots this fall season, finishing with a winning record of 7–6–2. In the postseason, second-year Heather Benway was named NCAC’s Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Year, third-year Brynn Adams and second-year Sofia Mitchell earned NCAC second team honors, and second-year Zoe Garver earned third team honors.

“Starting a new season with a new coach is always a hard thing to settle into,” fourth-year midfielder Camille Franklin said. “[Head Women’s Soccer] Coach Taylor Houck made it a priority to make sure the team felt comfortable with her and with each other. [She] always told us that our greatest strength was the love we have for each other.”

Men’s soccer had an up and down season this fall, going 5–7–3 overall and 1–4–3 in conference games with well-earned draws against Denison University, DePauw University, and Wooster and a triumphant 5–1 victory against Hiram College. This team was spearheaded by experienced captains: fourth-year Jon Schafer, fourth-year Zack Butter, and second-year Anthony Pacewicz. Second-year Toby Wells-Zimmerman led the team with 16 points and 40 shots taken while tying for second in the NCAC with six assists, and Pacewicz came in clutch for the Yeomen, scoring two game-winners and putting up an additional goal and assist for seven points on the season. As a result, Pacewicz and Wells-Zimmerman earned NCAC second-team and third-team honors, respectively.

Field hockey has not seen copious amounts of success the last few years, but it banded together to win some crucial games this season, finishing with a 4–12 record, its best season since 2013. The team proved to be mentally tough, emerging victorious in both games this season that went to a penalty shootout, and third-year defender Abbie Patchen earned her NCAC third-team honors for the second year in a row.

“We have grown so much as a team,” fourth-year goalie Post said. “I think the biggest way is how we continue to treat each other with grace, motivate each other on and off the field, and push each other to be better athletes.”

Oberlin’s volleyball team, led by captains third-year Andréa Jones, third-year Taylor Gwynne, and fourth-year Zoe Kuzbari, started its fall season off well, winning six of their first seven games. However, the wheels fell off toward the end of the season, resulting in a 7–16 finish. Second-year Cami Sweet and fourth-year Iyanna Lewis also earned NCAC second and third-team honors for volleyball, respectively.

Although the team didn’t achieve all the results they hoped for, Jones highlighted the importance of the team’s culture and relationships.“I felt like we had a winning season within the improvement of our chemistry as a team, and I feel like that is the most important part of being on a team — making sure that every one of us has each other’s back as we go through the tough times as a team,” Jones said. “I have never felt more supported by a team that I call family.”

Although some teams, such as men’s and women’s soccer, who will have an abbreviated season this spring during which coaches will be able to return and work with their teams, and many cross country runners, who will transition to winter track, most are preparing to stay in shape for unofficial winter training, when they can receive no coaching per NCAA rules and regulations.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Courtesy of Lucas Draper

The Men’s soccer team honored seniors Jon Schafer, Alec Gembala, Jesper Soelvberg, and Zack Butter before kickoff.

In the past few weeks, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, and field hockey all paid homage to their graduating classes through senior night games.

The first honorees were men’s soccer fourth-years Jon Schafer, Alec Gembala, Jesper Soelvberg, and Zack Butter, who were all recognized prior to the team’s Oct. 19 match against Hiram College. The Yeomen sent them out in style with a dominant victory over the Terriers, recording a blowout score of 5–1. Goals were spread out evenly throughout the depth chart, with Schafer capitalizing off a corner for a remarkable header at the 55th minute mark and second-year Xander Francoeur putting in his seventh goal at the 72nd minute mark, the most made on the team this year.

For Gembala, the last game was a touching moment, but he was glad he celebrated with his teammates, especially since the four seniors had a lot of playing time together for their final game on Fred Shults Field.

“Having the guys on the soccer team has been great for me,” Gembala wrote in an email to the Review. “I don’t think my experience here would have been nearly as good without them. The last game of the season was pretty emotional, as soccer has been part of my entire life and even more important these past few years. I would say I am pretty lucky to have played this game and make the type of friends I have.”

A particular spotlight was cast on fourth-year Camille Franklin, the team’s only women’s soccer graduating member, during their matchup against Ohio Wesleyan University this past Saturday. Though the game ended in a tie, the Yeowomen put on a formidable performance against the Battling Bishops. As the night’s honoree, Franklin did not disappoint. The midfielder had a strong defensive performance and almost secured an Oberlin victory with a narrowly missed shot that bounced off the goal. Along with Franklin, third-year goalkeeper Benji Maddox put on a stellar showing, shutting the opposing offense out entirely in both halves. After Franklin’s final match, the team carried her above their heads with joy and celebrated the end of her collegiate career.

“I loved being a part of this team for four years,” she said. “There is something so special about Yeo Athletics. I have made so many amazing friendships while I was here, and I am so sad to leave. I have achieved so much at Oberlin College, and I am so thankful for everyone that has supported me along the way.”

Volleyball celebrated fourth-years Lucy Myers, Iyanna Lewis, Lindsey Felton and Zoe Kuzbari Friday prior to their game against Alma College. In a back-and-forth five-set rollercoaster, the Yeowomen were unfortunately unable to emerge victorious and lost with a final score of three sets to two. Myers put on a stellar showcase in her final game at Oberlin, producing a career-high 53-assists.

“Although it wasn’t the result we hoped for, it was a tough fought game,” Myers said. “We’re hopeful that it gave us the energy and momentum we need as we enter conference play this coming weekend! My favorite part of my volleyball career at Oberlin has been my teammates and the lifelong friendships I’ve formed. I wouldn’t be the player I am today without my team, and it’s been exciting to see how far we’ve come these past seasons.”

Before its Saturday match against The College of Wooster, field hockey honored four seniors — fourth-years Jackie Oh, Post, Vanessa Baker, and Meredith Warden — on Bailey Field. Like volleyball, the Yeowomen lost in close fashion to the Scots, with a stinging final score of 1–0. However, senior goalkeeper Post provided a great performance, making six key saves throughout the match.

“The arch of growth during my time at Oberlin is the best it possibly could’ve been,” Post wrote in an email to the Review. “Senior day was incredibly special: my teammates, coaches, and senior parents made a huge effort to honor us. Getting my 100th save in the season in that game also made it special. The mark the team has left on me is hard to describe: my teammates taught me how important the pursuit of passion is, how to assume grace in ourselves and one another, and most of all how to celebrate family. Really couldn’t have asked for a better experience this fall!”

Football will honor its seniors Saturday, Nov. 12 at a home game against Wooster, and cross country will honor its seniors at the end of outdoor track season in the spring. We at the Review wish the very best to our graduating athletic class!

Gallery • 3 Photos

Courtesy of Amanda Phillips

Ethan Long is a double-degree athlete, majoring in Technology In Music And Related Arts in the Conservatory, and undecided in the College.

At one practice, they’re stretching their legs, shooting goals, or running laps. At another, they’re tuning instruments, perfecting scales, or studying music theory. Oberlin has a unique population of Conservatory and double-degree students who also compete as varsity athletes, polishing both their sport and art while balancing the time commitments that come with both.

Double-degree second-year Ethan Long is currently a right-back defender for the men’s soccer team. He first started playing the sport when he was five years old, later playing for his high school in the fall as well as with a club team year-round. At the age of eight, he was introduced to the guitar and dabbled in upright bass and piano. However, it wasn’t until freshman year of high school that Long began producing music, starting with his own instrumental album.

After soccer practice, Long can be found producing songs in the TIMARA studios. Though undecided in the College, he is interested in Sociology or Africana Studies. Although Long has to be on top of time management, he enjoys what he studies and performs.

“I’m doing stuff that I like to do already … it just always feels like free time,” Long said. “I enjoy my major in the Conservatory, and I just enjoy what I like. This is the first semester where I have to deal with all three at the same time. Everything … is just more efficient. I’m studying when I’m supposed to, and it’s like I have everything mapped out. Because of the season, I was just so strict with what time I get everything done. There’s no procrastination; I try to get all my homework done before practice and stuff, so I’m not cramming up late at night.”

Lately, Long has been turning jazz samples into cinematic pieces and producing R&B music. He also regularly collaborates with fellow teammates, making beats with fourth-year midfielder AJ Gembala as well as jamming with second-year goalkeeper Colvin Iorio.

Conservatory second-year Emily Bergin has played the upright bass since second grade. In high school, Bergin played in the Metropolitan Youth and Long Island Orchestras, as well as All-State and All-Eastern Ensembles. Growing up in an Irish household, she played in an Irish music group for years and learned a variety of instruments including the accordion, harmonica, tin whistle, Irish flute, and mandolin. In congruence to her music education, Bergin has also been swimming since she was eight years old and currently competes the 50-, 100-, and 200-yard freestyle.

As both a swimmer and a double bassist taking part in the large ensemble on campus, Bergin has a lot of events that overlap, splitting most of her time in the Conservatory and Phillips Gym.

“It’s definitely really hard, and sometimes there’s a lot of things that the schedules overlap with for swim and all of the different music things I have,” Bergin said. “So on a Tuesday, it’s the worst day of that because I’ll usually have to go to swim at 12 right after my class. I can’t make the practice later because I have my studio class. If I’m in the rotation for orchestra, I would have to go to rehearsal right after swimming. But usually I manage to push it all together, and my coaches work with me to let me go in [to the pool] on my own time if I can’t make the team stuff.”

Sam Goetz is a double-degree fourth-year on the cross country and track team. He plays Jazz Percussion in the Conservatory and studies Environmental Studies in the College. Although he initially started playing violin, Goetz convinced his parents to let him switch to drums in fifth grade. In between practices and performances with the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band and the concert and pep bands offered at school, he played school and club soccer and ran track throughout high school. Initially recruited for the track team, Goetz first started running cross country in college, and currently runs the 8-kilometer event, a far cry from the 800-meter and mile track and field events he normally runs.

This adaptivity and flexibility has pushed him to pursue other musical endeavors — for one Winter Term, he learned and practiced marimba. Goetz has played everything from classical to rock, but he’s gravitated toward jazz.

“As I started listening to and playing more music, jazz became the most fun for me to learn,” Goetz said. “And as I got more serious with [drumming] in high school, I was like, [ jazz] is the music I want to study.”

There are also a number of other Conservatory students on the cross country team, including fourth-years Matthew Walton, and Kenny Schafer, third-year, and second-year Marisa Tayal. Goetz also plays in a New Orleans brass band with his fourth-year teammate Sam Russ, a double-degree Tuba Performance and Classics student.

Despite the challenges of balancing meets, performances, practices, and everything in between, Conservatory and double-degree musician-athletes have found ways to creatively blend both of their passions together. And for those like Goetz, the physical demand for his sport gives him confidence for his academic and musical studies.

“If I can run the 8K, then I can do anything else,” he said.