Posted: Dec 01, 2015

2015 Men's Soccer Season Review

Summary

The Sabercats' young team grew during a 2015 season that yielded plenty of excitement. A total of 11 games on the year were decided by one goal, as the Sabercats were able to come away with key results on the year. A dramatic overtime win on the road to Beloit opened the winning on the season for the Sabercats, whose home wins were highlighted with good results against IIT, Grace Bible College, and Lakeland College.

The Sabercats' season ultimately came to a premature ending, as the revitalized Tigers of Grace Bible College reversed the scoreline from the regular season to steal a 2-1 win against the Sabercats in the NCCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal in Watertown (Recap). The loss for the Sabercats saw them finish the season with a record of 8-8-1.

Points of Emphasis

  • Record: 8-8-1
  • NCCAA Record: 3-2
  • Leading Scorer: Timothy Rogers (10)
  • Top/Final NCCAA DII Ranking: 1st/9th
  • AD3I Rank: 5th

Team Awards (Based on MBU Soccer Core Beliefs [insert at end])

Regional/National Awards

  • NCCAA Midwest All-Regional Selections
    • Joshua Knoedler, Timothy Rogers, Wira Wama
  • NSCAA/NCCAA DII 1st Team All-American Selections
    • Wira Wama
  • AD3I 1st Team All-Independent Selections
    • Joshua Knoedler, Wira Wama
  • AD3I 2nd Team All-Independent Selections
    • Charles Leeds, Timothy Rogers
  • AD3I Honorable Mention
  • NCCAA Scholar-Athletes

Featured Player

  • Wira Wama, the junior midfielder from Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, once again was a primary component of the Sabercat attack. The All-American midfielder's panache kept defenses on their heels, and Wama was able to find the back of the net on seven different occasions throughout the season. Wama notched the game-winning goals against NCCAA opponents Providence and Great Lakes Christian College, and his seven goals and four assists helped him on to the NSCAA/NCCAA 1stTeam All-America, and to the AD3I 1st Team All-Independents. In September, Wama was also named as an NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week.

From the Coach

  • In reflecting on the year, Head Coach Jeff Pill had this to say: "Of course, we wanted to repeat as national champions, or at least put ourselves in a position where we were playing at nationals. Towards that end, you may say that the season was a bit of a disappointment. But, since we are process-oriented, we claim encouragement by the fact that we showed improvement in our play during the year. In many ways I think our last game of the season was our best game, although it goes without saying we did not get the result that we wanted or intended to get. I think this season could be summarized by saying that we had a continued commitment to our core beliefs, and were intent on playing the best that we could. There were a lot of young guys on the team this year, players that had very little collegiate playing experience. But, they were able to step into many of the gaps that were vacated last year, and we in many ways seemed to pick up right where we left off. We continue to play a brand of soccer that is committed to positive play, with the intent of trying to bring the game to the opponent. Also, we made significant strides in developing as human beings. Many of the guys showed significant development in these areas. These things will last a lifetime."

Scouting Report

  • Wama was not alone up front for the Sabercats this year, as he was joined by Timothy Rogers, who brought a dynamic spark to the Sabercat attack. Rogers' 10 goals on the season brings his career tally to 33, which lands him at 4th all-time in goals scored for Maranatha. Rogers was joined by fellow senior Jeremy Knudsen, who added 6 goals of his own and 3 assists. Knudsen and Rogers both brought bursts of speed on the sides of the field for the Sabercats, and kept oppositions "on their heels" on numerous occasions.
  • Charles Leeds was once again a stalwart presence in goal for the Sabercats. Leeds' back line was anchored by seniors Joshua Knoedler and Kyler Mowry, whose experienced presence helped the Sabercats keep opponents at bay throughout the season. Mowry played as a defensive midfielder and as a center back, and scored the opening goal of the season against Marian University (Recap) while adding 2 more goals and 2 assists.

Soccer Core Beliefs