Heidelberg prepares for OAC with top-tier competition

To be successful in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference, the Heidelberg College men’s soccer team, under the guidance of head coach Brian Haley, has scheduled some non-conference outings against some of the top-tier teams in Division III. Included on the list was a weekend trip to Greensboro, N.C. for the second annual Doug Hamilton Memorial Soccer Tournament.
 
Included in the four-team tournament field was Marymount University, along with preseason nationally-ranked foes Greensboro College and North Carolina Wesleyan College. The tournament was hosted by Greensboro and took place at Macpherson Stadium in Greensboro, N.C.
 
Heidelberg has faced adversity in its early portion of its schedule, as injuries have forced last minute changes to its rotation. Injuries have cut into Heidelberg’s depth, but has allowed for newcomers to gain valuable experience early before league competition begins.
 
The Berg suffered a 3-0 setback to Greensboro in the opening round on Saturday before falling 5-0 to North Carolina Wesleyan on Sunday. Despite the outcome Haley was positive on the experiences that his team gained. “Although the results were not in our favor, it was good preparation for the OAC. We played well to open both games, but our lack of depth due to injuries played a vital role in the second half. “
 
Playing against top-tier competition over the weekend has made an immediate impression on the Berg, especially the newcomers. “At any given time we had six or seven freshman on the field,” stated Haley. “They have gained a lot of experience and once we are healthy we will be prepared to compete in the OAC because everyone on the team knows what its take to compete at a high level.”