December 9, 2022 | by Taylor Pill

WATERTOWN, Wis. -- The 2022 season was a season of "almosts" for a young Sabercats team that filled the season with growth and disappointment alike in a challenging campaign.

Maranatha finished 4-11-1 with a disappointing loss in the first round of the NCCAA North Region Tournament - it was almost an identical storyline to the 2021 season, but the biggest difference appeared in the competitiveness of the team's results: in 2021, the Sabercats' opponents out-scored them 57-23. In 2022, the difference was 32-47.

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COMPETITIVENESS

It all started with a tight 2-1 loss to Martin Luther College in front of a "capacity" crowd on the MBU campus. That loss was one of five on the season in which the Sabercats fell by two goals or fewer - a stat that shows their competitiveness against NCCAA DII and NCAA DIII opponents alike.

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FROM COACH PILL

"What makes Maranatha soccer so special for me? These guys find satisfaction in trying to be better, and they showed substantial improvement this year without a doubt," said Head Coach Jeff Pill. "And the striving remains the key. It unlocks the potential that the Lord has for us. And, every once in a while, we are allowed to see the fruits of our labors, as the Lord graciously supplies what we need to transform our feeble efforts into actions that bring Him honor and glory.

"We are very excited about the potential that is in front of us. This team is very young. If they all stick together, they could be something special for the next couple of years."

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OVERVIEW

• Record: 4-11-1
• NCCAA Record: 4-1-1
• NCCAA Finish: 1st Round - NCCAA North Region
• Notable: 3 NCCAA All-Region selections
• Notable: 9 new faces on the roster

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AWARDS

At the semester-end Athletic Awards Assembly, the Sabercats announced their team awards, which are voted on by the team and are based on the team's CORE BELIEF DOCUMENT. In addition to these honors, the student-athletes earned awards from the National Christian College Athletic Association.

A complete breakdown of the awards is listed below:

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For more on the program, visit the team page HERE.