UNITY COLLEGE SOCCER PLACES FIFTH IN NATIONAL’S

The Unity College men’s soccer team captured fifth place in the USCAA National Soccer Tournament recently held in Dallas, TX. The Rams were defeated by the University of Dallas in the tourney opener, but came back to knock off Vermont Technical College in a consolation game.

In their opening game, Unity ran into a tough opening opponent with the University of Dallas Crusaders.  The Crusaders came into the game with a ten-game winning streak and a number three seed in the tourney.  Unity held the Crusaders scoreless for the first twenty minutes before Edgar Tavares scored the game’s opening goal.  The Rams came close to knotting the score as Unity’s Travis Bedard pushed a shot past the diving Crusader goalie.  The ball struck the far post and rolled back onto the goal line before it rested in the mud halfway across the line.  The Crusader offense came to life in the last eight minutes of the first half, as they struck with three more goals.  UDallas added to their lead in the second half with three more goals to push the final to 7-0.  “They were the strongest team we have faced in years,” said Ram mentor Gary Zane.  “Our team played hard, but Dallas is at another level of soccer,” he added.

The University of Dallas went on to capture the USCAA National Championship.  The Crusaders defeated Southern Virginia University in the semi-final, and then edged the University of Texas Tyler by a score of 3-2 in the championship game.

The Rams second day opponent was Yankee Conference champion, Vermont Technical College.  Unity rebounded with a strong effort in defeating the Green Knights by a score of 2-0.  The black and gold opened up the scoring quickly as Jeremy McCormick, a Mt. View High School graduate, found the back of the net at the eight minute mark.  The Rams outshot Vermont 9-0 in the first half but could only score once in the period.  Unity’s Tim Howland and Arlin Landa both had shots bounce off the post in the opening stanza.  Unity put the game away midway through the second half as Travis Bedard received a through ball from Sean Edwards.  The freshman’s breakaway shot beat the VTC goalie to the near post.  “Winning a game at the national tournament was a great way to finish our season,” said Unity captain Andy Brower.  “We probably played our best game of the year,” added the Petoskey, MI native.  The game marked the last Unity appearance for four seniors.  This included fullbacks Jay Demers and Travis Reardon, midfielder Kieran Kelly and goalie, Dave Clark, another Mt. View graduate. 

The Rams also garnered some individual awards during their trip to Dallas.  Brower was named both USCAA All-American and Academic All-American.  Darrell Pardoe and Grant Harter were also named Academic All-American which requires a 3.5 GPA or higher.  Travis Bedard was named to the all-tournament team for his play.  The University of Dallas also hosted the women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s cross-country championships during the week.  “We met athletes and coaches from throughout the United States, Mexico, and Kenya during our trip,” said Zane.   

The team did manage to capture some of the sights around Dallas during their stay.  This included a tour of the JFK museum in Dealey Plaza (the sight of JFK’s assassination), and a visit to the Fort Worth Stockyard Rodeo.  “Winning a game was memorable, but the trip was more than just soccer,” added Zane.  “I am certain our students will remember this trip for the rest of their lives.”

Unity finished their season with an overall 11-7 record.  The Rams finished as runner-up of the Yankee Small College Conference.  The winning record marked the tenth consecutive winning season for Unity.

Unity College, America’s Environmental College, is a small, independent institution that specializes in baccalaureate programs in environmental sciences, natural resource management, and wilderness-based outdoor recreation. Unity College educates its students for professions that are dedicated to sustaining the earth’s natural resources and for citizenship in a world of global human and environmental concerns.

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