Bryan College Triangle

By Kat Frazier
Staff Reporter 

As the weather grows cooler and Christmas Break rounds the corner Bryan’s soccer field remains calm, void of crazy fans and game-winning goals.

The varsity men’s season ended after an upsetting 4-1 loss to Tennessee Wesleyan (Athens, Tenn.) in the AAC Tournament Semifinals. The Lions finished the season with an overall record of 12-4-2 and a 6-1-1 record in conference play. They ranked #2 in the AAC and #30 in the NAIA at season’s end.

Coach Joey Johnson was named Coach of the Year. Junior Rasheed Malcolm, Senior Johannes Müller, Freshman Josh Oldroyd, and Sophomore Gustavo Angel Tamayo were named to the All-Conference First Team. All-Conference Second Team honors went to Senior Nate Adams and Junior Jorge Gonzalez Giron. Scotland natives Senior Jordan Devlin and Senior Richard Kirk were named to the All-Conference Third Team, and Jordan Devlin, RasheedMalcolm, Sophomore Alan da Costa, Senior Tom Hemmings, Benedikt Müller, and Johannes Müller were named to the Academic All-Conference Team. At the end of the AAC Tournament Nate Adams and Johannes Müller were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Tom Hemmings was selected as a 2012 Daktronics-NAIA Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete. Hemmings, along with Jordan Devlin, Rasheed Malcolm, and Johannes Müller were selected for the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District® Men’s Soccer Team (District 4 College Division’s 1st Team).

The varsity women’s season ended after a 1-0 loss to St. Andrews (Laurinburg, N.C.) in the opening round of the AAC Tournament. The Lady Lions closed the season with an overall record of 3-14-1 and a conference record of 2-6-1. They ranked #9 in the AAC after the season ended 

The Lady Lions earned 12 AAC Awards. Junior Goalkeeper Stephanie Gagnon was named All-Conference First Team, while Senior Lauren Bowling and Freshman Kristin Bryant were named All-Conference Second Team and All-Conference Third Team respectfully. The honor of Academic All-Conference Team goes to Lauren Bowling, Senior Hannah Griggs, Junior Dorie Fleming, Junior Lauren Gocke, Sophomore Ashley Jordan, Junior Alex Lewis, Senior Yuri Lopez, Junior Faithe Stout, and Sophomore Morgan Thompson.

Hannah Griggs, Faithe Stout, and Junior Jenna Rajala were named 2012 Daktronics-NAIA Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athletes.

By Josiah Newport
Staff Reporter

This past week was a busy one for the Bryan Lion’s men and women’s soccer teams.

Last Tuesday, the Lady Lions traveled to Nashville, Tenn., to face the Lady Trojans of Trevecca Nazarene University. They lost 3-0, falling to 1-5 on the season. Junior keeper Stephanie Gagnon recorded eight saves for the Lady Lions.

That same day, the men’s team traveled up the road to Cleveland, Tenn., where they had their annual battle against the #18 ranked Flames of Lee University. Last year, the Flames downed the Lions 3-0 at Bryan, but the Lions had a different agenda for this season.

The game started slow, but in the 28th minute Senior Johannes Müller finished a through ball from fellow Senior Tom Hemmings to put the Lions in front. Goals from Seniors Tom Hemmings and Nate Adams, Junior Gustavo Angel Tamayo, and Freshman Miles Christian secured the Lions a 5-0 victory over the #18 Flames. The Lions recorded 13 shots, with 8 on goal, while the Flames also recorded 13 shots, 6 on goal. Sophomore keeper Josh Oldroyd was a force between the sticks for the Lions, recording 5 saves for his second shutout of the year.

On Saturday, Point University, from Atlanta, Ga., traveled to Bryan for match-ups between the men and women’s teams.

The men’s teams kicked off in the 5 p.m. game. The Lions started strong, with Junior Jorge Gonzalez finishing a loose ball in the box in the 6th minute.

However, they failed to put the game out of reach until midway through the second half. Adams and fellow Senior Andrew Knighten both scored to give the Lions a 3-0 victory. Oldroyd recorded his third shutout.

The Lions’ shot count was 36, with 21 on goal. The Skyhawks managed just 7 shots, with only 4 on goal.

In the night game, Lady Lions squared off against the Lady Skyhawks

Ashley Johnson found the net from the penalty spot just before halftime to give the Lady Lions the lead. However, the Skyhawks managed to tie the game midway through the second half. At full time, the game remained at 1-1. Towards the end of the game, a questionable no-call robbed the Lady Lions of a penalty to win the game. Two periods of overtime were played and still no score was reached, leaving the game tied.

Both the men and women’s teams played on the road at Union College this Wednesday.

In the most recent (September 18) NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, the men’s team is ranked 23rd in the nation, with a record of 4-1-0.

Bryan women’s soccer player Kaitlyn Bryant signed by Charlotte Lady Eagles

Junior Kaitlyn Bryant in action for the Lady Lions. Over the summer she will play for USL W-League team Charlotte Lady Eagles / Triangle photo by Maddie Doucet

Sebastian Fischer
Sports Editor

If you ask collegiate athletes about their dream, you are likely to hear them answer in chorus that they want to be a professional in their sport. At a small college like Bryan, which only steps foot on the national scene occasionally, it is rare that this dream becomes reality.

Junior midfielder Kaitlyn Bryant is an exception to that rule. Bryant is the first ever female Bryan soccer player to compete on a semi-professional level, as she earned a spot on the roster of the 2012 Charlotte Lady Eagles (N.C.) of the USL W-League.

“I want to be a professional player after college and I am excited to play at that level,” Bryant said. “It’s a dream come true.”

Charlotte is a strong contender in the W-League, North America’s second tier of Women’s soccer. The Lady Eagles have made the playoffs four consecutive seasons and finished their last season 6-2-2.

Eagles use soccer as platform for ministry

However, for the Eagles, there are more important things than results and titles. Operated and owned by Missionary Athletes International, they use the platform of soccer to perform sports ministry.

Players perform not only on the field, but also work in the community and go on overseas mission trips. In 2012, the Lady Eagles will travel to Medellin, Colombia for ten days.

I’m looking forward to being in a competitive but also Christian environment, and to learn from the older players and staff,” said Bryant. “I have heard so many great things about them. This is the kind of team I want to play for.”

Bryant has been a cornerstone for the Lady Lions the past three seasons. As a freshman she played in 18 games, scored three goals and had two assists. As a sophomore she was named to the All-Conference 3^rd Team, and made the All-Conference 2^nd Team her junior year.

Creative and skilled on the ball, Bryan predominantly played as playmaker and winger for the Lady Lions. During her junior year, where she played in 20 of 21 games, Head Coach Mark Suave also tested her in defense, where she provided strength and stability for Bryan’s back four.

Bryant convinced athletically and spiritually

In an open tryout in January, Bryant also played as center back and outside back. She convinced the coaching staff around Head Coach Lee Horton of her potential and was signed right before spring break.

“[Bryant] has shown us not only that her level of soccer is at a high standard, but that her character and walk with the Lord is an even higher priority,” said Jeremy Auyer, general manager for the Eagles, explaining what tipped the scales for the decision to sign Bryant.

“She will fit in extremely well with the rest of the girls on the team and we are hoping that she will bring leadership and add to the environment that we try and create here in Charlotte,” he said.

According to Auyer, the team is made up of players recruited from all over the nation. Bryant said that she was one of the very few players from an NAIA college at the tryout, while most players came from NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 institutions.

She will head to Charlotte right after the spring semester and live with a host family for the summer. The first game for the Lady Eagles will be Friday, May 11, facing the VSI Tampa Flames at Charlotte Christian Stadium.

The goals for the season are ambitious. Auyer said they “want to compete well, win all of their games and win a national championship.”

All that however is secondary behind a more important goal – “to train the ladies on what it means to be a sports ministry and to equip them to be prepared to share their faith through their gifts on the field,” he said.

Cat Rogers
Editor-In-Chief

Women’s varsity soccer traveled to Walesk, Ga. yesterday to compete against Columbia College in the semifinal  game of the AAC Conference Tournament and lost, 1-0, ending their season with a record of 4-14-2

[Photos courtesy of Dave Houghton]

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After upsetting No.2 Tennessee Wesleyan in the first round, the ladies soccer team bursts with confidence

The Lady Lions celebrate their 2-1 shoot out victory against the Bulldogs this past Saturday, Nov. 5./Photo courtesy of Dave Houghton

Sebastian Fischer
Sports Reporter

What’s exciting about post-season play is that it presents opportunities for Cinderella stories. By just winning a few games in a row, the underdog can come up big and have a shot at the title.

One of those stories is unfolding for the Bryan College women’s soccer team (4-13-2). The seventh seeded Lions eliminated second seeded Tennessee Wesleyan College (9-8-2) last Saturday in the first round of the AAC tournament and advanced to the final four, where they will face sixth seeded Columbia College (8-6-5) in the semifinal game Thursday afternoon.

The Lions went into Saturday’s match as the designated underdogs and performed accordingly. Tennessee Wesleyan dominated the game while Bryan sat deep, and it took the Lady Bulldogs no longer than 12 minutes to take the lead. Forward Jordan Hendrix beat sophomore Bryan keeper Stephanie Gagnon with a shot from inside the box. Read full story »