CANTON, Ga. – All seven Southern Athletic Association men’s soccer teams were in action during opening weekend with Centre going 2-0 to lead the way. Oglethorpe earned a pair of draws while Hendrix and Berry each tallied one tie during nonconference action.
Around the SAA:
Athletes of the Week:
OFFENSIVE:
Dylan Bloch | Berry | Senior | Naples, Fla. - The senior from Naples, Florida, showed out in the opening weekend in back-to-back game days. Bloch, the Vikings team captain found the teams only assist against Maryville, after starting late from a lighting delay and tough field conditions. The senior then followed his performance with two home goals in the team's home opener at Pearson Field, where they tied with Hardin-Simmons University. Most notably, the forward scored the tying goal in the 85th minute to show his determination and save the Vikings from a home field defeat.
DEFENSIVE:
Daniel Amah | Oglethorpe | Senior | Kennesaw, Ga. - led Oglethorpe's defense to a clean sheet in the season opener before adding a little help to the offense with a late game-tying goal in the final minute against No. 20 Emory. Amah's effort in the first game of the week helped limit Belhaven to 12 shots, only four of which were on goal.
Notable Performances:
- Drew Davidson (Centre) notched a goal in both games the Colonels played in the JR Hoe Classic over the weekend. Both goals were headers and contributed to 3-1 wins for Centre. The senior is on pace to reach a new season-high in goals with seven (2023) being the mark to beat.
- Finnegan Deem-Razetta (Centre) the junior defender had a big impact on both sides of the ball on opening weekend. He was part of a strong defense that allowed just two goals over as many games. On offense, he tallied three goals which set his season-high for goals scored just two games into the season. The Colonels won 3-1 over both Franklin and Hanover.
- Nathan Vanhoeve (Sewanee) had an impressive opening weekend on the road, tallying 10 saves for the Tigers. On Friday, Vanhoeve posted six saves on 10 shots, earning a .75 save percentage against Gettysburg. Facing the #25 ranked team on Sunday, Vanhoeve kept the Blue Jays off the scoreboard until the second half, recording four saves amidst heavy pressure, as the Blue Jays fired 17 shots while dominating possession.
2024 Men’s Soccer Report Archive:
Week 1 – Sept. 3