Category Archives: soccer

Weekend Preview

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The last busy fall Saturday of the fall sports season at Muhlenberg is a big one for several teams. Of the five teams at home, four are playing Gettysburg in contests that have playoff implications for the Mules. It’s hard to single out just one as the Marquee Matchup, but we’ll try …

Women’s Soccer vs. Gettysburg (4:00)

This game pits two teams that are in great position for making the Centennial Conference playoffs. Gettysburg (10-4, 6-1) is tied for first place with Johns Hopkins, and Muhlenberg (7-6-2, 5-2-1) is right behind in third place.

The Bullets clinch a playoff berth with a win or a tie, and the Mules secure a postseason spot with a win.

Gettysburg leads the Conference with 21 goals scored in league matches, while Muhlenberg has allowed only two goals to CC opponents – none in the last 470 minutes.

The Bullets are ranked fourth in the region by the NSCAA and seventh in the region by the NCAA. When the final horn blows, the Mules will have played seven of the 10 teams in this week’s NSCAA Mid-Atlantic rankings: Messiah (1), Johns Hopkins (3), Gettysburg (4), Swarthmore (5), Haverford (6), Dickinson (8) and Wilkes (10). Muhlenberg is 3-3 against these ranked opponents, with two of the losses coming by one goal.

Gettysburg won at home the last two years to extend its series lead to 14-7-2, although since 2001 Muhlenberg has the upper hand, 7-5-1. The Bullets have not won at Varsity Field since 2005.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Volleyball vs. Gettysburg (12:00); vs. York (4:00)

Muhlenberg’s last home appearance of the season features an important match against Gettysburg, which the Mules (15-9, 3-5) must win if they are to have a shot at making the playoffs. The Bullets (14-10, 5-2), who lost to Washington in five sets, still have to play CC co-leaders Franklin & Marshall and Johns Hopkins.

Gettysburg has won 25 of 27 all-time meetings against Muhlenberg. The Mules’ lone wins came in their playoff seasons of 2001 and 2009.

Muhlenberg is 2-6 all-time against York (6-23). The teams last met in 2009.

Live stats (Gettysburg match only): http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/vblive/topview.htm

Football vs. Juniata (1:00)

The Mules (4-2, 3-2) are playing CC home games in back-to-back weeks for the first time ever, and following last week’s dramatic win against previously undefeated Gettysburg, they will try to avoid a letdown against an improving Juniata (1-5, 0-5) squad.

Muhlenberg is 7-0 all-time against Juniata and has not allowed an offensive touchdown to the Eagles since they joined the CC in 2007.

Senior Terrence Dandridge needs 121 yards to become the 11th player in CC history to rush for 3,000.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Field Hockey vs. Gettysburg (6:00)

Gettysburg and Muhlenberg are two of the eight teams still mathematically alive for the four remaining CC playoff berths. (First-place Franklin & Marshall has clinched.) Gettysburg (10-3, 5-2), Washington and Haverford have two losses apiece, and then there are four teams with four losses, including Muhlenberg (9-5, 4-4).

The Mules have four shutouts in their last seven games, including one Wednesday against Swarthmore (a team to which the Bullets lost), and have allowed more than one goal in a half just twice this season. They are second in the CC in goals-against average (1.27).

Gettysburg has won four straight meetings to extend its series lead to 16-6. Last year, the Mules came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game, but the Bullets scored a disputed goal with 6:22 remaining for a 3-2 win.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Men’s Soccer vs. Gettysburg (7:00)

The final contest of the day features a Muhlenberg team that is in a dogfight for a playoff berth. With three games left to play, the Mules (9-4, 3-3) are currently tied for the fifth and final spot with Franklin & Marshall and Washington.

After beginning its CC season with a loss to Ursinus (the Bears’ lone CC win to date), Gettysburg (6-7-1, 1-4-1) has shown better of late, taking first-place Swarthmore to double overtime two weeks ago and snapping Haverford’s five-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory last Saturday.

Muhlenberg holds a 34-18-6 series lead, including a 13-4-2 mark in CC contests. The Mules are undefeated (7-0-1) in their last eight meetings with the Bullets, a streak that began in the 2005 CC championship game.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Weekend Preview

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With the College on Fall Break, most of the Muhlenberg student body will be scattered around the Mid-Atlantic region and New England this weekend. So will Mule athletes.

Men’s Soccer at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 3:00)

This is a critical matchup for two teams who were ranked 1-2 in the first regional poll of the season but now find themselves fifth and sixth in the Centennial Conference standings. F&M (9-4, 2-3) is still tied for fifth in the regional rankings, while Muhlenberg (8-3, 3-2) is coming off a win against regionally ranked Drew.

Both teams lost 2-1 to Swarthmore and 1-0 to Haverford. The Diplomats also fell to Johns Hopkins, a team the Mules beat.

Expect a close game: Of F&M’s 13 games, 10 were decided by one goal, and Muhlenberg has played five straight one-goal games, winning the last three.

F&M leads the all-time series, 29-27-5, but the Mules are 4-0-1 in the last five meetings, including a 4-0 win in the 2010 CC semifinals.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/fandm.portal#

Football vs. Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg returns from its bye week looking to snap a two-game losing streak. It won’t be easy against a potent Gettysburg squad that is 5-0 for the first time since 1987 and is outscoring opponents by an average of 35 points per game.

The Bullets are ranked in the top 15 in Division III in five statistical categories. They are third in rushing offense (326.8 ypg), fourth in scoring defense (8.2 ppg), 10th in scoring offense (43.2 ppg), 13th in total offense (489.2 ypg) and 14th in total defense (247.6 ypg). The Mules (3-2) are 11th in scoring defense (11.4 ppg) and net punting (37.1 yards per punt).

Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 43-32-1, but has not won in Allentown since 1996. The last time the teams played at Scotty Wood Stadium, Muhlenberg needed a last-second saving tackle on a fumble return to win in overtime, 33-27. 

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Field Hockey at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 12:00)

Muhlenberg (8-4, 3-3) is one of eight teams with two or three losses in the congested Centennial Conference standings. All of them are chasing Franklin & Marshall (11-1, 6-0), which is ranked fifth in Division III and has won 11 straight since dropping its opener to Elizabethtown.

The Diplomats come in with a streak of six straight shutouts and have allowed only seven goals all season. The only other CC team to allow fewer than 20 is Muhlenberg (15).

F&M leads the all-time series, 13-6-1, and has won the last three. After 4-0 games in 2009 and 2010, last year’s meeting was closer, with the Diplomats leading 2-1 at halftime and going on to win 3-1.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/fandm.portal#

Women’s Soccer at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 6:00)

One aspect of this matchup would seem to favor the visiting team: Muhlenberg (6-6-1, 4-2) has shut out its last four CC opponents, while F&M (2-4-4, 1-3-2) is the most offensively challenged team in the CC, with only six goals scored in 10 games.

The Mules enter the weekend in a four-way tie for first in the CC with 12 points, although Johns Hopkins and Gettysburg have played one fewer game. The Diplomats made the CC playoffs last season, and although they have struggled this year, they have not allowed more than two goals in a game, and they beat McDaniel, a team to which Muhlenberg lost.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 16-4-1. F&M won last year’s meeting, 1-0.

Live stats/video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/fandm.portal#

Cross Country at Connecticut College Invitational (Saturday); at Lafayette Invitational (Saturday)

The Mules will split up and run in two different meets. The top runners will head to Connecticut for a rare out-of-region meet. In fact, it’s the Mules’ first meet not in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York or Maryland since they ran at Connecticut College in 1996. For the third straight week, the Muhlenberg women are ranked seventh in the Mideast Region.

Volleyball at Kean Invitational (Friday-Saturday)

Muhlenberg (12-7) takes a break from CC action and plays in its third and final tournament of the regular season. The Mules’ opponents are Kean (16-6) and Alvernia (9-11) on Friday and Manhattanville (8-16) and NYU-Poly (6-19) on Saturday.

Weekend Preview

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Football is off this weekend, and so is cross country, but all the rest of the fall teams are home for a big weekend of Centennial Conference competition.

Field Hockey vs. Washington College (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg (7-3, 3-2), which has matched its combined win total from the last two years, has five CC games remaining – all but one against teams that qualified for the CC playoffs in 2010 and/or 2011. Washington (5-5, 2-2), the first of those opponents, made the playoffs both years.

Last year, the Shorewomen handed the Mules one of their worst losses, scoring four first-half goals en route to a 5-1 win. Washington leads the all-time series, 11-9.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Live video (to start after volleyball match): http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Volleyball vs. Washington College (Saturday, 12:00); vs. Cedar Crest (Saturday, 4:00)

After falling to 1-3 in the CC with a loss at Dickinson last weekend, Muhlenberg (10-6) rebounded to sweep Bryn Mawr on Wednesday. This is a critical match for the Mules if they are to make a run at the CC playoffs, as their next three league matches are against 2011 playoff qualifiers. Washington (7-10, 2-2) owns a win against one of them, Gettysburg.

Muhlenberg has won 17 of 19 all-time meetings with the Shorewomen, losing only in 1994 and 2010. The Mules are 20-4 all-time against Cedar Crest (8-9), although the two Allentown schools haven’t faced each other since 2001.

Live stats (both matches): http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/vblive/topview.htm

Live video (Washington match only): http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Women’s Soccer vs. Washington College (Saturday, 4:00)

Just two weeks ago, Muhlenberg was on the verge of being virtually out of the playoff picture, with an 0-2 CC record and games against nationally ranked Johns Hopkins and regionally ranked Dickinson looimng. But the Mules (5-6-1, 3-2) won both of those games and are right in the thick of things – and their next two games are against teams below them in the standings, including Washington (4-5, 1-3).

Muhlenberg is a perfect 14-0 against the Shorewomen and has outscored them 46-3. Washington’s last goal against the Mules came in 2003.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Men’s Soccer vs. Washington College (Saturday, 7:00)

In a span of 44 hours last week, Muhlenberg went from sole possession of first place in the CC to the middle of the pack. Coming off Wednesday’s non-conference win at TCNJ, the Mules (6-3, 2-2) will try to re-establish themselves as one of the teams to beat in the CC. Washington is 3-5 overall, 2-2 in the CC.

Muhlenberg holds a commanding 22-1-2 series lead, with Washington’s lone win coming in 2008. Since then, the Mules have posted three straight shutout wins against the Shoremen.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Men’s Golf at Mason-Dixon Classic (Saturday-Sunday)

Muhlenberg competes at a two-day event hosted by McDaniel.

Live results: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/sports/mgolf/live-stats

Athletes of the Month

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Muhlenberg’s top athletes for September 2012:

Female Athlete of the Month – Samantha Mayden, Cross Country

Mayden took the starting line three times last month and finished third, first and second. Only one Division III runner beat her; she finished behind two runners from Delaware at the Lehigh Invitational and won the Mule/Falcon Classic by a considerable margin. She came in second at the Dickinson Long/Short Invitational last Saturday. Mayden’s performances helped the Mules to a No. 7 ranking in the Mideast Region.

Male Athlete of the Month – Cody Antonini, Men’s Soccer

After a year off, Antonini returned to the Mules and returned to the form that made him an All-American in 2009 and 2010. He scored seven goals in the first eight games of the season to become the 16th player in Centennial Conference history with 40 career goals. Antonini scored at least one goal in six of the eight games, helping the Mules to a 5-3 record and a regional ranking.

Weekend Preview

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The last time every Muhlenberg team was on the road, two weekends ago, it turned out to be a very successful day, with the Mules going 5-1 at McDaniel. How will the road trips go tomorrow? Here’s a short preview:

Men’s Soccer at Haverford (Saturday, 1:00)

The Mules (5-2, 2-1) look to bounce back from last night’s home loss to Swarthmore with a game against defending Centennial Conference runner-up Haverford (5-4, 2-1). The teams are currently tied for second place in the CC, just a point behind Swarthmore and Dickinson. Haverford’s lone CC loss was to Johns Hopkins, a team Muhlenberg beat.

The series has been one-sided since the start of CC play, with the Mules winning 17 of 19 meetings. The Fords’ lone series win during that span came in 2001 (the 1998 game ended in a tie). Muhlenberg won 2-0 last year.

Live stats: http://www.haverford.edu/athletics_stats/soccerm/statslive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/haverford.portal

Cross Country at Dickinson Long/Short Invitational

It will be the biggest meet of the season to date for both Mule teams, who took first place at Cedar Crest last week. The women, ranked seventh in the region, will compete against two of the teams ranked ahead of them – Dickinson (2) and Elizabethtown (6).

Results: http://www.motiontiming.com/node/85

Field Hockey at Dickinson (Saturday, 11:00)

Both of these teams were 5-12 last year. The Mules (5-3, 1-2) have already matched their 2011 win total, and the Red Devils (4-5, 0-3) are just one away. All five of Muhlenberg’s wins are by one goal, two in overtime, and Dickinson has played a pair of overtime games. Last year the teams played a wild game that came down to the final seconds, with the Mules holding on for a 4-3 win.

Volleyball at Dickinson (Saturday, 11:30)

Muhlenberg (8-5, 1-2) is looking to get back on the winning track after dropping back-to-back CC matches to Haverford and Johns Hopkins last week. Dickinson (1-11, 0-3) has lost seven straight. The Mules have not won in Carlisle since 2001 but took last year’s meeting at home, 3-1. 

Football at Susquehanna (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg (3-1, 2-1) looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season, last week to Johns Hopkins, against a Susquehanna team that, although winless in the Centennial Conference, is still dangerous. The Crusaders (1-3, 0-3) led undefeated Gettysburg in the fourth quarter last week and lead the CC with a plus-8 turnover margin. The Mules are plus-5 themselves and have not turned the ball over in their last 10 quarters.

Muhlenberg leads the series, 11-9, and has won both meetings since Susquehanna joined the CC for football. The Mules travel well, especially on defense – they’ve allowed one touchdown or fewer in five of their last eight road games.

Live stats: http://www.susqu.edu/athletics/livestats/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.americaonesports.com/partner_members.asp?id=297

Live audio: http://www.susqu.edu/wqsu-fm/88.9_wqsu-fm_the_pulse/wqsu_home.html

Women’s Soccer at Dickinson, 5:00

This will be Muhlenberg’s fifth game against an opponent ranked in the top 10 in the region. The Mules (3-6-1, 1-2) beat Johns Hopkins (3t), lost to Messiah (1) by three and suffered one-goal losses to Haverford (3t) and Wilkes (9t). Dickinson (6-2, 1-1), ranked sixth in the region, also lost 1-0 to Haverford and is coming off a 2-0 loss to Messiah. The Red Devils have won the last five series meetings, the last two by a final of 1-0.

Men’s Tennis at ITA Southeast Regional (Saturday-Sunday); Women’s Golf at Gettysburg Fall Invitational (Saturday)

Men’s tennis concludes its fall season; women’s golf plays the second of its three scheduled fall matches. 

Tennis tournament page: http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=131284

 

Weekend Preview

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Muhlenberg welcomes five Johns Hopkins teams for some key games on Homecoming Weekend. Plus, the cross country teams have a race just a few blocks from campus.

Football vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 2:00)

Johns Hopkins vs. Muhlenberg is always one of the big games in Centennial Conference football, and this year is no exception. Both teams have dominated their first three opponents, the Blue Jays outscoring them 119-35 and the Mules 81-7.

Hopkins, ranked 16th in one Division III poll and 24th in another, brings in a regular-season winning streak of 17 games. Muhlenberg has won six straight at home, the last three by shutout.

The Mules are the only Division III team to have played three games this season and allowed no more than one touchdown. (In all NCAA divisions, the only other schools to do that are Division II Indiana (Pa.) and FBS Florida State.) They’ll be challenged to keep that streak alive against a Blue Jay offense that averages nearly 500 yards per game.

The winner of this game has gone on to play in the NCAA Tournament every year but one since 2001.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Live television: Service Electric TV2

Field Hockey vs. Johns Hopkins (Friday, 7:00)

Two teams coming off losses to nationally ranked opponents look to get back on the winning track. The Mules (4-2, 1-1) fell to No. 12 Haverford, 2-0, on Wednesday, while the Blue Jays (3-3, 0-1) lost to No. 1 New Jersey, 5-1, on Sunday. Hopkins also dropped its CC opener to Washington, 2-1 in overtime.

The Blue Jays lead the all-time series, 16-5, but Muhlenberg’s last two wins came in 2008 and 2009 when Hopkins was ranked in the top 10 in Division.III.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Volleyball vs. Johns Hopkins (Friday, 7:00)

The young Muhlenberg (8-4, 1-1) team will face a challenge in a Hopkins squad that has won 26 consecutive regular-season matches and is receiving votes in the national Division III poll. 

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/vblive/topview.htm

Cross Country at Falcon Classic (Saturday, 10:00)

The Muhlenberg teams compete for the first time in three weeks at a meet in which they have had success. One or both Mule squads took first place the last three times they’ve run in this meet, including the men last year.

Women’s Soccer vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 3:00)

Muhlenberg looks to avoid going to 0-3 in the CC against a Johns Hopkins team that is ranked sixth in Division III and has won 14 straight CC games. The last loss before that streak started was in the last meeting in Allentown; the Mules beat Blue Jay teams ranked in the top 10 in both 2009 and 2010.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

Men’s Soccer vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 7:00)

The Homecoming Weekend athletic slate concludes with what is always an entertaining matchup. The Mules (4-1, 1-0) and Blue Jays (3-3, 1-0) have combined for 13 championships in the CC’s 19-year history. Muhlenberg, ranked seventh in the Mid-Atlantic Region, is winless (0-5-2) against Hopkins since 2005, although only one of those games was decided by more than one goal.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Women’s Tennis at ITA Southeast Regional (Saturday-Sunday)

The Mules travel to Mary Washington University in Virginia for the annual regional competition.

Weekend Preview

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Not all of Muhlenberg’s campus will be packing up and heading to McDaniel tomorrow – just most of the fall athletes. Except for football, the teams will be playing their Centennial Conference openers, so it’s a big day. Here’s a look at the matchups, in order of game time:

Volleyball at McDaniel (Saturday, 12:00); vs. Goucher (Saturday, 2:00)

Two teams on the rise will try to get a leg up on the CC season. McDaniel (3-6) has already surpassed its win total from all last season, when it went 0-25, and Muhlenberg (6-3) is closing in on its 2011 total of 10 wins. McDaniel leads the all-time series, 15-5, but the teams have split the last four years, with all of those matches ending in 3-0 sweeps.

live video: http://www.mcdanielathletics.tv/

Men’s Soccer at McDaniel (Saturday, 1:00)

The regionally ranked Mules (3-1) rebounded from their first loss of the season to knock off Moravian, 5-0, on Wednesday. McDaniel is 2-3. Muhlenberg’s 31-7-1 all-time series lead includes a 16-2-1 mark in CC contests. The Mules are undefeated (9-0-1) in the last 10 meetings with the Green Terror, but from 2005 to 2009 the games were all decided by one goal, and the score was 2-0 the last two years.

live stats: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/livestats/landing

Football at McDaniel (Saturday, 2:00)

Muhlenberg opened CC play with a 21-0 win against Franklin & Marshall last week; McDaniel, the only winless school in the league, lost to Moravian, 21-7. Bair Stadium used to be a house of horrors for the Mules, who went from 1990 to 2006 without winning there, but they’ve captured their last two games in Westminster. The Green Terror leads the all-time series, 22-17-3.

Through two games, Muhlenberg leads the CC in pass efficiency (146.3 rating), while McDaniel is last in pass efficiency defense (164.8).

http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/livestats/landing

Women’s Soccer at McDaniel (Saturday, 4:00)

McDaniel is off to a 3-0 start for the first time in 10 seasons. Muhlenberg is 2-3-1 following Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to No. 4 Messiah. The Mules are 7-0-1 in their last eight games against the Green Terror with six straight wins.

live stats: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/livestats/landing

Field Hockey at McDaniel (Saturday, 6:30)

The grand finale matches up two teams looking to return to the CC playoffs. Muhlenberg is 3-1 for the first time since 2007, when it last qualified for the playoffs, and received votes in the national poll. McDaniel is 3-2 and averaging 3.0 goals per game; the Mules have allowed only five goals in four games. Muhlenberg leads 10-9 in a series in which the road team has won the last three meetings.

live stats: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/livestats/landing

Men’s Tennis at Centennial Conference Invitational (Saturday and Sunday)

The Mules test themselves against the rest of the conference in an individual tournament.

Men’s Golf at Guy W. Kuhn Invitational (Sunday and Monday)

The Mules travel to Allegheny for their first two-day tournament of the season; when it’s done they’ll have played four official rounds in seven days.

 

 

 

 

Band of Brothers

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It was a soccer game that could have been an episode of Family Ties.

When the Muhlenberg men’s soccer team defeated Moravian, 5-0, last night, four of the players who contributed were two sets of brothers – junior midfielder Jacob Joseph, freshman forward Dan Joseph, junior forward Jeremy Katz and sophomore midfielder Oliver Katz.

Men’s soccer brothers 2012: Oliver Katz, Jeremy Katz, Jacob Joseph, Dan Joseph (left to right)

Their coach was Sean Topping ’98, the oldest of three Topping brothers to play for the Mules. And patrolling the Greyhound sideline was Todd Ervin ’98, the middle of three Ervin brothers to play for Muhlenberg.

Brothers wearing the Cardinal & Grey is a Mule tradition that dates back almost 20 years. The Josephs, Katzes, Toppings and Ervins are just four of nine sets of brothers to have played for Muhlenberg during that span: 

  • Cecconi        David (2003), Matt (2007-10)
  • Ervin            Eric (1991-94), Todd (1994-97), Dave (1996-99)
  • Hohman       Eric (1994-97), Johan (1996-99)
  • Joseph         Jacob (2010-12), Dan (2012)
  • Katz             Jeremy (2010-12), Oliver (2011-12)
  • Leischner     Greg (2005-08), Tim (2008-11)
  • Ryan            Pat (2000-02), Shannon (2000-02)
  • Smallwood   Evan (2000-03), Ryan (2002-05)
  • Topping       Sean (1994-97), Shane (1996-99), Peter (1998-2001)

The City of Brotherly Love may be about an hour south of Muhlenberg, but Varsity Field in Allentown is the “Pitch of Brotherly Love.” 

Men’s soccer brothers 1997: Eric Hohman, Todd Ervin, Sean Topping (standing left to right); Johan Hohman, Dave Ervin, Shane Topping (kneeling left to right)

 

“It was pretty neat back then – at one point we had three sets of brothers and everyone was starting or contributing,” said Topping, who also played with a son of a former Muhlenberg varsity player (Brian Krug ’97, son of Lee Krug ’68) and coached another (Justin Henning ’04, son of Jon Henning ’78).

“In high school, you don’t think about it, but when you’re in college and afterwards when you look back you realize how neat it was – especially in our case, winning championships and going to NCAA Tournaments together.”

Jacob Joseph played in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman in 2010 and would welcome the opportunity to go back with his brother as a teammate, although it’s not something he pushed for.

“I told him that I really enjoyed my experience and that he would fit in well,” said Jacob. “But I didn’t want to influence his decision by encouraging him too much. I wanted it to be his decision.”

Jacob Joseph (15) and Dan Joseph (right) following the latter’s goal

Brotherly love turned into brotherly pride last night when Dan Joseph scored his first career goal seconds after entering the game late in the first half. Just four games into his career, Dan is only one behind Jacob for the family lead in goals scored for the Mules.

“I’m excited for him,” said Jacob, who was on the field at the time to help his brother celebrate. “He’s a good player and a hard worker, and he deserves it.”

The Katz brothers got into the act in the second half, with Jeremy assisting Oliver on the third goal of the game. It was the first career goal for Oliver and the first career point for Jeremy. It also was the first brother-to-brother pass resulting in a goal since 2003, when Ryan Smallwood assisted Evan against McDaniel in what became a Centennial Conference championship season for the Mules.

It’s no coincidence that the success of the program (an active streak of 26 consecutive non-losing seasons) has gone hand-in-hand with the steady stream of brothers that have come through the Red Doors of Muhlenberg.

“It says a lot about the program that an older sibling would come here and a younger sibling would follow,” said Topping. “It makes it a close-knit family when you have so many brothers come through, and others can see it.”

“Muhlenberg is a homey place,” says Jacob Joseph. “People who come here really enjoy being here. When [prospective students] get an inside view from a family member, they tend to like it.”

Weekend Preview

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The second weekend of the 2012-13 athletic year features a volleyball tournament, a throwback soccer rematch, two spring teams opening up competition … and the football home opener with a coach going for a major milestone.

Football vs. Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 1:00)

It’s the home opener for Muhlenberg and the Centennial Conference opener for both teams. The CC promises to be especially competitive this year after going 7-3 in non-conference games last week. Included in that record are the Mules’ 27-7 win at The Apprentice School and the Diplomats’ last-second 35-28 win against a Washington and Lee team that was 8-2 last year.

The defenses will be on alert to stop three hot quarterbacks. F&M’s E.J. Schneider was named CC player of the week after throwing for 270 yards and rushing for 110, while Muhlenberg QBs Dan Deighan and Joe Carlucci combined to pass for 337 yards.

F&M leads the all-time series, 52-42-1, although the Mules won last year’s matchup, 34-13.

Mule head coach Mike Donnelly enters the game with a career record of 99-61 and goes for his 100th win against John Troxell, who was his assistant at Muhlenberg for four years before taking the head reins at F&M.

live stats: www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/livestats/xlive.htm

live video: www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Volleyball hosts Buttermaker Tournament (Friday vs. Centenary, 3:00; vs. King’s, 7:00; Saturday opponents TBD, 10:00 and 2:00)

Coming off its rousing five-set win against DeSales on Wednesday, Muhlenberg hosts the 15th Buttermaker Tournament. The Mules (4-1) are seeking their first title since 2005. This year’s nine-team field includes defending champion Moravian as well as Salisbury, a team that went 32-4 last year and is currently receiving votes in the AVCA Division III poll.

live stats (first three Muhlenberg matches): www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/vblive/topview.htm

live video (first three Muhlenberg matches): www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

tournament page: www.muhlenberg.edu/main/athletics/buttermaker/index.html

Men’s Soccer at Ithaca (Saturday, 1:00)

One of the biggest wins in program history came in 1995, when the Mules beat Ithaca 4-0 in an NCAA quarterfinal game at Varsity Field to advance to the “Final Four.” Nothing of the sort is at stake here, although Muhlenberg (2-0) is ranked 11th in Division III. Ithaca is 1-1-1.

live stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/ithaca/msoc/scoreboard.aspx

Women’s Soccer at Delaware Valley (Saturday, 12:00); at Gwynedd-Mercy (Saturday, 12:00)

The Mules (1-1-1) play a pair of games in the Philadelphia area this weekend. They played the same two teams back-to-back last year, winning both games by three goals.

live stats (Gwynedd-Mercy game): http://dl.dropbox.com/u/52208023/WS/xlive.htm

live video (Gwynedd-Mercy game): http://gmcgriffins.nmtvsports.com

Field Hockey at Drew (Saturday, 5:00)

The Mules (2-1) try to keep the momentum from Wednesday’s 2-1 upset of No. 9 Montclair State in their first road game of the season. Drew is 3-0 with three one-goal wins.

live stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/drew/fhockey/scoreboard.aspx

Men’s Golf at Gettysburg Invitational (Saturday, 10:30)

Men’s Tennis hosts Mule Fall Classic (Sunday, 9:00)

The men’s golf and men’s tennis teams open their spring seasons. The four-team tennis tournament features Moravian, New York Tech and Wilkes.

 

 

Weekend Preview

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It’s opening weekend of the 2012-13 season, and all seven Muhlenberg fall sports teams are in action – three at home, three others close by and one in Virginia. Here’s a quick look:

Men’s Soccer vs. Elizabethtown (Friday, 5:00); vs. Cortland State (Saturday, 5:00)

The Mules (10-6-1 last year) renew an old rivalry with Elizabethtown (10-7) in their season opener. In the late 1980s and early-to-mid 1990s, Muhlenberg and Elizabethtown were two of the “Big Three” (along with Messiah) of the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Blue Jays were the visitors for the first night game at Varsity Field in 1997. The teams haven’t met since 2008. Muhlenberg did play Cortland State (3-8-5) last year, winning 3-2.

live stats: www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/msoclive/xlive.htm

live video: www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Women’s Soccer vs. Wilkes (Friday, 7:00); vs. Penn State Altoona (Saturday, 7:00)

The Mules open their season against two teams that were in the postseason last year. Wilkes (8-6-3) made the Freedom Conference playoffs, while Penn State Altoona (14-5-3) lost the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship game on penalty kicks and earned a bid to the ECAC South Tournament. After this weekend, Muhlenberg (6-10-2) has six straight road games over the next three weeks.

live stats: www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wsoclive/xlive.htm

live video: www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Field Hockey vs. Scranton (Friday, 7:00); vs. Elizabethtown (Saturday, 2:00)

Muhlenberg (5-12) played the same two opponents on opening weekend last year, losing to both on the road. Scranton was 12-6 last season, and Elizabethtown was 10-7, with both falling in the first round of their conference playoffs.

live stats: www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/fhlive/xlive.htm

live video (Elizabethtown game only): www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Volleyball at Greyhound Premiere Invitational (starts Friday at 4:00)

Muhlenberg (10-18 last year) starts the season with matches against Wilkes (3-22), King’s (3-20), Wesley (5-26) and host Moravian (23-13). The last time the Mules were in this tournament, 2008, they went 3-1 to finish in second place.

tournament web page: http://moraviansports.com/sports/wvball/2012-13/premiere2012

Cross Country at Lehigh Invitational (Friday, 5:30)

For the ninth straight year, the Mules open up at Lehigh’s Goodman Campus Course in a field that includes Division I opponents Lehigh, Lafayette and Mount St. Mary’s. Last year, Samantha Mayden was the top Division III runner in the women’s race, coming in seventh overall.

Football at The Apprentice School (Saturday, 1:00)

The last time the Mules were scheduled to play a regular-season game in Newport News (at Christopher Newport in 2003), the game was cancelled by Hurricane Isabel. No danger of that this year as Muhlenberg (7-3 last year) opens its 111th season with its first game ever against the Builders (2-8).

live stats: http://livestats.prestosports.com/apprentice/