Men's Soccer to open 2012 season Sept. 1-2 at Penn State-Behrend Tournament

By Tim Glon

ADA — The Ohio Northern men's soccer team will kick-off its 2012 season Sept. 1-2 at the Penn State-Behrend Tournament in Erie, Pa.

Under 15th-year head coach Brent Ridenour, the Polar Bears will open the home portion of their 20-match regular season schedule Sept. 7-8 when they play host to the annual ONU Invitational at the ONU Soccer Field.

ONU will also travel to non-conference foes Anderson (Ind.) on Sept. 4, Wittenberg on Sept. 11 and will have a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 battle at Ohio Wesleyan on Sept. 19.

Non-conference opponents that will come to Ada include Franklin (Ind.) on Sept. 14, Transylvania (Ky.) on Sept. 15, Thomas More (Ky.) on Sept. 22 and Manchester (Ind.) on Sept. 25.

The Polar Bears will begin the defense of their OAC Regular Season title with a home match against Mount Union on Sept. 29.

The OAC Tournament is slated for Oct. 20-Nov. 3 with the NCAA Tournament following the next week.

In 2011, Ohio Northern posted a school record 20 wins with a 20-3-2 record.

ONU also won the OAC Regular Season crown with an 8-0-1 record, swept through the OAC Tournament with 6-0 and 5-0 victories to claim the title and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA III Tournament, defeating Rose-Hulman (Ind.) and Case Western Reserve in the first two rounds last year.