The men of Muhlenberg soccer have begun their season in a striking fashion, opening up with an impressive 4-0-1 record to show for it. The feats that have been achieved during this streak include a 10-goal showing on Saturday night versus Centenary.

The Mules thrashed the Centenary Cyclones for a 10-0 victory, where nine different players took part in the scoring affair. Chris Richards ‘23 stole the show, however, contributing to five of the goals, scoring two and assisting on another three, giving him the team lead in points.

The astounding 10 goals were shockingly not enough for the school record, which still belongs to the 1990 team that put up 11 on Lebanon Valley College.

“This streak has raised our team’s confidence immensely,” said goaltender Lance Lysiak ‘21. It is reassuring, as the group has admitted to a lack of self-assurance in years past. 

“Looking ahead to continue this streak, we need to continue bringing the same focus to practice and prepare for each game individually without looking past an opponent,” said Lysiak. 

Through the first stretch of the year, the team has not only set the tone for the remainder of the season, but they also seem to be focused on putting their best foot forward as the year wears on. 

The presence of Coach Topping, his staff and the mindset they have instilled with Lysiak and the players has been crucial.

“Along with taking each game day by day, Coach Topping and our coaching staff have been persistent on us playing to the level we are capable of for a full 90 minutes. On top of that, our coaching staff has been putting a lot of emphasis on playing quickly and trusting our offensive and defensive tactics for that match.” Lysiak added.

On paper, the team’s seemingly invulnerable offense looks like the key cog in their recent success, and their defense has arguably been even more impressive, having only allowed a total of two goals this season.

Ironically, the soccer team felt the most inspired by the only game they did not win. Because of Messiah’s high ranking, the group surprised itself in many ways by coming together and earning a 1-1 tie. “Our result against No. 5-ranked Messiah had the most impact on our team, since we proved to ourselves we can play with the best and overcome adversity when being down a goal,” Lysiak said.

Indeed, the team showcased their ability to give it their all through the entirety of the match and put their resilience on display. The team showed themselves that they are able to compete against any school, regardless of reputation. “Playing to a 1-1 tie against Messiah showed the level of play we are capable of and has been the standard we hold ourselves to each game,” Lysiak stated.  

The men’s soccer team will continue its season on Wednesday Sept. 18, when the group travels to take on the 3-3 DeSales Bulldogs.

All records are accurate as of the production date.

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