2005 Season in Review

Eduardo Missura

Setting the Scene: The Wittenberg University men's soccer team put together one of the finest seasons in recent history in 2005.

The Tigers played one of the most challenging schedules in all of NCAA Division III, including nine teams ranked in the final Great Lakes Region poll. In spite of the schedule, a spate of injuries and a youthful roster, Wittenberg posted its first winning season since 2001. The Tigers also qualified for North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament for the first time in school history.

The Tigers bowed out in the first round after a loss to eventual conference champion, nationally ranked Ohio Wesleyan University. Wittenberg finished the season with an overall mark of 7-6-6 overall, including a 4-2-3 record in the tough NCAC. With the six ties on the season, the team, ironically, tied the NCAA mark for ties in a season, matching the total posted by Ithaca during the 1995 campaign.

Freshman defender Justin Jenkins (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) earned NCAC Newcomer of the Year honors en route to a spot on the conference's first team.

Jenkins followed that up with first-team All-Great Lakes Region honors. He is the first Wittenberg player to break through for all-region honors since Chris McLaren was so recognized in 1999. Jenkins was one of just three freshman chosen for the all-region team, with the other two earning spots on the third team.

Jenkins spearheaded a defensive unit that allowed 27 goals on the season and recorded four shutouts. With four freshman in a six-man rotation (and no seniors), the Tiger defense became more and more stingy as the season progressed, allowing 11 goals in their final 11 regular season games as Wittenberg lost just twice down the stretch.

Jenkins was not the only freshman to receive postseason honors, however. Matt Borland (Kettering, Ohio/Alter), the team leader in goals and assists, was named second-team All-NCAC. In addition, two Tiger players earned honorable mention All-NCAC: Sebastian Missura (Quito, Ecuador/American School), who missed nearly half of the season after earning second-team honors in each of his first two seasons in the Red & White, and junior goaltender Adam Horrocks (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes), who made his first appearance on an All-NCAC team after allowing 1.34 goals per game against conference competition. 

Brian Mutton

The 2005 Wittenberg men's soccer team was just that - a team. The Tigers were an ensemble cast, complete with solid defensive players, an array of offensive weapons and an outstanding goalkeeper. The team attitude was best exemplified by its two seniors,Levi Van Reeth (Norwich, Ohio/John Glenn) and Brian Mutton (Fort Wayne, Indiana/Canterbury).

Van Reeth finished his career with three goals and six points in four years of service in the Red and White. As a senior, Van Reeth had one of the most important goals of Wittenberg's season as he netted the game-tying goal, and only goal of the game, against the College of Wooster. That tie allowed the Tigers to get into the postseason conference tournament for the first time in school history.

Mutton finished his career with three goals and 10 points in three years for the Tigers after transferring to Wittenberg as a sophomore. As a senior Mutton had an explosive start as he had two goals and an assist in his first two games of the season.

In addition, Sebastian Missura and his twin brother Eduardo Missura (Quito, Ecuador/American School) played their final season at Wittenberg before earning their diplomas in just three years. Sebastian was a three-time all-conference honoree after leading the Tigers in scoring in 2003 and 2004, while Eduardo was a three-year letterwinner and key performer in the midfield. 

While the Tigers are going to miss their departed leaders of 2005, the future is clearly now as the remaining players look toward a promising 2006 season. Eight starters are slated to return to the lineup, after 10 freshmen appeared in at least 12 games over the course of the 2005 season.

Price and Conley tied for second place on the team in both points, with nine each, and goals, with four each. Cain and Hosket also had three assists each, which tied for second on the team. Price ranked among the team leaders in several offensive categories before going down with an injury early in the season.

Steve Dawson (Loughborough, U.K.) completed his 23rd season as the Tigers' head coach. He holds the distinction as being the only coach to serve the program for more than five years. Dawson sports an overall record of 229-167-20 during his time in the Red & White. His career winning percentage of .574 is the highest of any coach with more than one year of experience.