Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, 6 p.m. — Zuidema Field, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, 6 p.m. — Van Andel Soccer Stadium, Holland, Mich.
| 2021 Season Preview story |
Preview: The Ohio Northern men's soccer team begins its 2021 season this weekend as it travels to Michigan for a pair of road games … The Polar Bears will face Calvin (Mich.) on Friday at 6 p.m. and Hope (Mich.) on Saturday at 6 p.m. … Northern is coming off a 2020 season that was delayed to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic during which it finished 6-4-1 … ONU closed last season with a 2-1 loss to John Carroll in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals … The Polar Bears return 25 lettermen this season and are led by the 2020 OAC Goalkeeper of the Year in senior John Lombardo and four other All-Conference selections from the spring in seniors Levi King, Caiman Moore, Seth Gundlach and Matt Studenic … King led the team in points last season with 14 coming off of a team-high seven goals … Kern finished last season with 10 points courtesy of four goals and two assists … Calvin (Mich.) enters the game at 1-0 following its 10-0 win at Grace Christian (Mich.) on Wednesday … The Knights got three goals from senior Sam Twigg, who posted his second collegiate hat trick in the victory … Twigg was one of eight goal-scorers for the Knights in the win … Head coach Ryan Souders has an overall record of 169-21-8 in 10 seasons with the Knights … Hope (Mich.) opens its 2021 season on Friday against Ohio Wesleyan before facing Ohio Northern … The Flying Dutchmen return 21 players from last season and have been picked as the favorite in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association after going 5-1-1 in the spring … The team is led by fifth-year seniors Ty Dalton and Dominick Byrne, senior Ryan Flynn, junior Jackson Strabel and sophomore Brandon Fles … Head coach Dave Brandt has an overall record of 33-10-3 in three seasons at Hope.
Returning ONU Statistical Leaders (2020 Stats):
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Goals |
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Assists |
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Points |
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Saves |
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GAA |
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| 1. |
King |
7 |
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1. |
Kern |
2 |
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1. |
King |
14 |
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1. |
Lombardo |
25 |
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1. |
Lombardo |
0.97 |
| 2. |
Kern |
4 |
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Gundlach |
2 |
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2. |
Kern |
10 |
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| 3. |
Gundlach |
3 |
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3. |
4 tied |
1 |
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3. |
Gundlach |
8 |
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Series Record: All-time, the Polar Bears are 2-9-1 against Calvin (Mich.) and 4-2-1 against Hope (Mich.). The most recent meetings came in 2019 when Northern defeated Hope 2-0 and lost 3-0 to Calvin.
Head Coach Chris Matejka: Matejka is in his third season with the ONU men's soccer program … He has an overall coaching record of 19-10-4, a .616 win percentage.
