Men’s Soccer Hosts Third Annual NIKE Classic – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/3/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
September 3, 1998
COLUMBUS – After opening the season with a 1-0 loss at home to Dayton, the Buckeyes (0-1-0) attempt to regroup as they host the third annual NIKE Soccer Classic this Friday and Sunday at the OSU Sports Field.
ABOUT THE OSU NIKE SOCCER CLASSIC
Bowling Green, Evansville and Furman travel to Columbus for the annul event this weekend. Game times are as follows: Friday, Sept. 4, Bowling Green vs. Furman at 3 p.m. and Ohio State vs. Evansville at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, Ohio State vs. Furman at Noon and Bowling Green vs. Evansville at 2:30 p.m. There is a team brunch at 10 a.m. and like the rest of the regular season contests, admission is free.
OSU vs. EVANSVILLE HISTORY
This is the first meeting between the Buckeyes and Purple Aces.
SCOUTING EVANSVILLE
If the Evansville can pull together its offense from 1996, and its defense from 1997, then the 1998 season could be a great one. Evansville reached the NCAA tournament in 1996 on the strength of its 61 goals, but in 1997 the offense produced only 25 and the result was a 9-10-1 record. Defensively, though, the Aces thrived last year. They gave up just 29 goals, the lowest total since 1992. Senior goalkeeper Chuck Browder, who earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award after allowing just 1.24 goals per game and shutting out five opponents, returns and was a third team all-Mideast Region selection last year.
OSU vs. FURMAN HISTORY
This is the first meeting between the Buckeyes and Paladins
SCOUTING FURMAN
In the past three years the Furman men’s soccer program has experienced team success and gained notable national recognition, but have failed to earn a much sought-after berth in the NCAA Tournament. In head coach Doug Allison’s three seasons at the helm of the men’s soccer program, The Paladins have claimed two Southern Conference regular season and tournament crowns, tallied a record of 41-15-4, earned two trips to an NCAA play-in game, and set a Furman record by winning 20 consecutive home matches. The Paladins are very experienced with seven starters and 15 lettermen returning from last year’s 19th ranked squad.
SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
The Bucks will not play the Falcons in the tournament, but we’ll scout them anyway. Bowling Green, coming off its second straight NCAA tournament second round appearance, will try to use a balanced scoring attack and strong goalkeeping in an effort to extend its NCAA tournament appearance streak to four. The Falcons are ranked 15th nationally in the preseason NSCAA college rankings. None of BG’s scheduled opponents this year were rated in the top 25 by NSCAA. The MAC preseason coaches poll was announced on Aug. 24 with the Falcons being selected second behind Akron. Third team All-American goalkeeper Scott Vallow heads the list of six returning starters. Vallow already owns the school record for career shutouts with 32 after tying the single-season team record with 12 whitewashes last year. His career goals-against average entering his senior season is 0.70.
OSU’S PROBABLE STARTERS
Keeper 1 Jon Lowery Left Back 3 Mark Rehklau Center Back 12 Matt Daniel Center Back 25 Chad Campbell Right Back 13 Greg Sadosky Left Flank 19 Casey Linkinhoker Center Mid 17 Tony Monroe Center Mid 16 Brooks Humphreys Right Flank 20 Roger Roush Striker 8 Brian Feldhaus Striker 10 Peterson Jerome
FELDHAUS HOLDS NIKE RECORDS
Brian Feldhaus recorded six shots against Northwestern last year which tied him for first for shots in a NIKE Classic match. He also holds the record for tournament shots with nine.
BUCKS ARE RECORD HOLDERS TOO
As a team, Ohio State holds every NIKE team game record (goals-5, assists-4, points-14, shots-22, saves-7) and the period records for goals (4, 1996) and points (10-1996).
HERMANN FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
The finalists for the 1998 Hermann Trophy Award have been announced. Three Big Ten (all from Indiana) players are up for the award which goes to the best player in college soccer. The finalists are as follows: Lazo Alavanja (Indiana), Keith Beach (Maryland), Adin Brown (William & Mary), Matt Chulis (Virginia), Nick Garcia (Indiana), Jay Heaps (Duke), Dema Kovalenko (Indiana), Wojtek Krakowiak (Clemson), Jason Moore (Virginia), Richard Mulrooney (Creighton), Antonio Otero (American), Maurizio Rocha (Connecticut), Steve Shak (UCLA), Sasha Victorine (UCLA), Evan Whitfield (Duke).
HEAD COACH JOHN BLUEM
The 1975 Hartwick College graduate is the ninth-winningest active coach in NCAA Division I soccer. He is 97-35-14 for his seven year career and 11-8-2 (second year) as the Buckeye mentor. He took the 1997 Buckeye squad to the Big Ten Championship game for the first time in school history and also boasts the school’s only first team all-conference selection. Bluem was named conference coach of the year three times during his six-year stint at Fresno State and guided the Bulldogs to four conference championships and four NCAA tournament appearances.
NEW FIELD FOR PRACTICE AND GAMES
Due to construction of the Jerome Schottenstein Center, North Field is no longer available for use by the soccer teams. Practices will be held at the Jesse Owens Recreation Center on West campus until the new practice fields at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center become available. Games will be held at the OSU Sports Field which is located south of Ohio Stadium near Larkins Hall. Dimensions of the natural grass field are 75 x 115 yards with a capacity of 800.
BUCKEYES TO WATCH
Goalkeeper Jon Lowery was the No. 1 keeper in the Big Ten last year and has only improved. Central defender Matt Daniel is a proven leader and newcomer Peterson Jerome is simply dangerous. Brian Feldhaus can take control of the attack, especially if provoked and Brooks Humphreys will hold together the midfield.
