First Pre-Season Scrimmage - ONU Men's Soccer

     On August 15th, ONU Men's Soccer launched their 2023-2024 season campaign. Everyone was excited to be back in the action with each other after a long few months of summer. Every player was expected to come in fit and be ready to go when their name was called upon to perform. Like the past pre-seasons, coaches made sure the players were up to speed by conducting three a day practices and multiple fitness tests. None of the players really looked forward to the fitness tests but they knew if they wanted to earn a spot on the team they would have to put themselves through it. After the fitness tests were over, the teams were split into varsity and reserve pools. Each team began training to build chemistry and work on tactics. 

    Tonight on August 23rd, ONU Men's Soccer was able to put the new and improved team to their first test of the season against a strong Denison squad. It was a very hot and humid evening under the lights at Kerscher Stadium and the turnout from the fans was spectacular. The Men's Soccer team always schedules Denison as the first scrimmage because they perform well in their own conference, and they also bring out the flaws in our tactics so we can make them better for the next game. From the starting whistle, players were running hard, getting stuck into tackles, and playing for one another. The Polar Bears were energetic and lively which created plenty of scoring chances for our forwards to put in the back of the net. The Polar Bears were knocking on the door during the first half and were finally able to break the deadlock late in the first half. The energy around the field soared as we saw the first goal of the season hit the back of the net. However, that didn't stop the Polar Bears from taking their foot off the gas. The players were constantly pressuring the Denison players with high aggression. As the solid Denison squad grew more and more tired, the Polar Bears didn't let up and were able to bury another goal late in the second half to put the game out of reach. As the final whistle blew, the fans and players were ecstatic to see the Polar Bears take home a solid win. 

Although, there were many positives to take away from the game tonight, there are still many places that we still have to correct. All in all, the win tonight was one foot in the right direction and we can build off of this momentum heading into the season. 

Go Bears!