By Jarimyah Cook
ATHENS, Tenn. – The Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs Mens Soccer team has been off to a very chaotic start to their season with the top 10 teams they have faced along with the harsh results and cancellation of games they’ve had. This kind of preseason shouldn’t be put onto anybody but no other way to strengthen the team by overcoming some adversity.
Most teams want a slow start to the preseason to get the chemistry right between the players because some people have just met each other and need to get used to the play style. So, the Bulldogs opened with two U19 club teams in Chattanooga Red Wolves Academy and FC Alliance which the boys handled and dominated in those games. This gave the team some confidence and stability as the trainings were getting better because they were starting to gel.
Less than a week after the team played the Red Wolves it was their first real test to see what they were made of. Coming to Athens was Tennessee Southern which were a team like the Bulldogs as they were both receiving votes (RV) and were ranked decently in their conference via the coach’s poll. This game was a dogfight for the first half as Tennessee Southern would go into the half leading 1-0. But the boys were never in fear as they knew they were going to score and then came a late penalty for the Bulldogs and its now 1-1 with a minute left. Then comes the first bit of adversity for the Bulldogs as with just 20 seconds left, they concede a goal with just 20 seconds left to win 2-1.
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Now just coming off the devastating late game winner the boys must unite as they host number nine ranked team William Carey just 5 days later. Coming into the game defending was the focal point of training as they never want to lose that way again and it seemed to pay off as the Bulldogs got a decent result at 0-0 even though some felt still disappointed that no win was available as they are still hungry for the first win now sitting at 0-1-1.
Next comes the second bit of real mental adversity the team has to overcome as they have to travel to number 23 ranked Bethel University which is 5.5 hours away and is a long journey, but the boys are pumped to go get a result. Just as they were about to arrive to Bethel, they had cancelled the game due to heat temperatures and their Athletic Director didn’t discuss it with anyone just cancelled the game which devastated the boys and made the journey pointless.
Next was another test for the boys and maybe a little revenge on Covenant University as they tied 2-2 in the spring semester. After the Bethel game being cancelled the team is wired for this game because it has been over a week since they played. This has the team flying in the first 10 minutes going up 2-0 and the team is amped up to score more. But then another tragedy hits as lightning is in the area and the game gets cancelled just 15 minutes into the game and the team is in shock. This makes people question why us or why is everything going against us? This would have been the first win of the season as well, so everyone is hurt.
That win would have been an extra boost as the team has to travel to Rio Grande University in Ohio which are the number 3 ranked team in the nation. This game is a real test to see how we will do come national tournament time. First 20 minutes go by, and the game is even but then they strike first and then right after with another goal making it 2-0 at halftime. While the boys were down, they are a comeback team its like when they go down, they play better somehow. But then Rio scored again late in the second half which put the icing on the cake as the game finished 4-0. So, from having two games in a row cancelled to then getting demolished 4-0 mentally the team wasn’t together, and a lot of fighting is going on. A great thing about having one of the toughest schedules in the country is you are always playing top teams and can bounce back.
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Just four days later the team can bounce back from that loss and go get a decent result against the number 2 ranked team Dalton State which every year when we play is always a sloppy game just about who wants it more. This night the boys weren’t letting Daltons high ranking bother them as the first half was 0-0. The second half comes around and Dalton score a rebound goal that could’ve easily been avoided. This makes the Bulldogs step it into high gear with the team press and with just six minutes to go the boys tied it up 1-1. Finishing the game in a tie with a great team put some confidence back into the team as they realize they are good enough to compete with anyone in the country on the right night.
This was the final preseason game before conference play starts which is basically a whole different season within the same season. Even if you haven’t played well in preseason, you can erase it as conference starts which is what the team is excited for. The team has had some high expectations within the conference as the AAC preseason rankings have them at number 3. The team wants more though after finishing second in the regular season back-to-back years while also losing on penalty kicks in the tournament also in back-to-back seasons. This year is there chance to rewrite the script and the team is trying to find that ring everyone so desires.
The team has gone onto win their first two conference games against Johnson University 5-3 and Montreat University 3-0. The boys are rolling right now in conference play and hope to continue the run of winning as they have Truett McConnell University on Saturday, September 16th. The boys are hungry to not even put it into question of making the national tournament but want to win the regular season and the conference tournament to get the automatic bid.
Photos courtesy of Danielle Lynne Proulx
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