2003 Men's Soccer Match Recaps

November 14, vs. Geneva (PA) College
After a 13-day layoff, MVNU saw its season come to an end as the Cougars fell 1-0 to Geneva in the National Christian College Athletic Association East Region Tournament that was held at Roberts Wesleyan (NY) College.  MVNU held the Golden Tornadoes without a shot in the second half, but the damage had been as Geneva scored the only goal of the match in the 25th minute.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight posted one save to keep the Cougars close.  MVNU out-shot the Golden Tornadoes 10-7 with a 7-2 edge in shots on goal.

November 1, WALSH UNIVERSITY
The Cougars closed out the regular season with a 3-0 American Mideast Conference South Division win over Walsh as MVNU went unbeaten at home for the first time ever with a 10-0-1 mark at Cougar Field.  Stephen Reynard had a hand in all three goals as he recorded one goal and two assists.  Matt Packard added one goal and one assist, while Nate Sommers scored one goal for the Cougars.  Jeremy Hilen was also credited with one assist.  Meanwhile, goalkeepers Josh Schlenker and Jordan Knight combined to stop five shots in posting the team's sixth shutout of the year.

October 28, at Shawnee State University
MVNU posted a 5-2 win at Shawnee State in American Mideast Conference South Division action.  Stephen Reynard led the way with one goal and three assists, while Nate Sommers scored two goals and added an assist.  Jeffery Hinds added a goal and an assist, and Steven Lesmes scored one goal.  Ricky Warren also registered an assist.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Josh Schlenker stopped three shots to post the win.

October 25, GRACE (IN) COLLEGE
The Cougars pulled out a hard-fought 1-0 non-conference victory over Grace, who received a vote in the latest NAIA national poll, as Matt Packard's penalty kick goal with 26:40 remaining in the match proved to be the only scoring.  MVNU held a 16-14 edge in total shots, while the Lancers had a 7-6 advantage in shots on goal.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight recorded six saves as he posted his third shutout of the season.

October 21, at Cedarville University
MVNU fell 4-1 at Cedarville in an American Mideast Conference South Division match as the host Yellow Jackets scored four goals in an 18-minute span in the first half.  Steven Lesmes kept the Cougars from being shut out with a goal in the 77th minute off an assist from Matt Packard.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight stopped three shots.

October 14, MALONE COLLEGE
The Cougars pulled out a hard-fought 3-2 win over Malone in a wet American Mideast Conference South Division match.  Matt Packard led the way for MVNU with one goal and one assist, while Daniel Seiffert and Marc Stasiowski added a goal apiece.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jordan Knight stopped three shots to preserve the victory.

October 11, at University of Rio Grande
MVNU put forth a valiant effort before falling 2-0 at unbeaten Rio Grande, the top-ranked team in the latest NAIA national poll.  The Cougars held the Redmen scoreless until a penalty kick in the 66th minute and another goal in the final three minutes of the match.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight posted five saves to keep MVNU close.

October 7, TIFFIN UNIVERSITY
The Cougars battled Tiffin to a 1-1 draw in double overtime in American Mideast Conference South Division play.  Daniel Seiffert scored for MVNU with Shawn Morrison and Ricky Warren each recording an assist on the play as the Cougars held a 22-8 advantage in total shots and an 11-6 edge in shots on goal.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight stopped five shots in a stellar effort as the Dragons' lone goal came on a penalty kick in the final three minutes.

October 4, TAYLOR (IN) UNIVERSITY
MVNU returned to its winning ways as the Cougars downed Taylor 4-1 in non-conference action.  Nate Sommers led the way with two goals and an assist, while Steven Lesmes finished with one goal and two assists.  Josh Van Pelt scored the team's other goal, and Daniel Seiffert and Jeremy Hilen were also each credited with an assist.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jordan Knight posted four saves.

September 30, at Ohio Dominican University
The Cougars saw their seven-match winning streak come to an end as MVNU fell 3-0 at Ohio Dominican in an American Mideast Conference South Division match.  Both of the Cougars' losses this season have been shutouts.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight stopped five shots for MVNU.

September 27, INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
MVNU won its seventh straight match as the Cougars blanked Indiana Wesleyan 2-0 in non-conference action.  Steven Lesmes scored both goals for MVNU, while Nate Sommers and Seth Taylor each registered an assist.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jordan Knight posted his second shutout of the year with three saves.

September 23, URBANA UNIVERSITY
After a 10-day layoff, the Cougars returned to action and extended their winning streak to six straight matches with a 3-1 American Mideast Conference South Division win over Urbana.  Nate Sommers scored two goals, while Steven Lesmes added a goal.  Josh Van Pelt and Jeremy Hilen each tallied one assist, and goalkeeper Jordan Knight posted one save to help MVNU secure the victory.

September 20, CONCORDIA (MI) UNIVERSITY
MVNU was awarded a 1-0 forfeit victory over Concordia when the Cardinals did not make the trip for the non-conference match due to having an insufficient number of players.

September 13, at Wittenberg University
The Cougars pulled out a hard-fought 3-2 non-conference win at Wittenberg as all the scoring took place in the final 14 minutes of the match.  Matt Packard scored two goals, while Jeffery Hinds scored the game-winning goal in the final minute to go along with one assist.  Goalkeeper Jordan Knight stopped one shot to help preserve the win.

September 9, KENYON COLLEGE
MVNU won its third straight match as the Cougars blanked Kenyon 3-0 in a non-conference meeting between the two Knox County rivals.  Steven Lesmes had a hand in all three scores as he registered two goals and an assist.  Nate Sommers scored MVNU's other goal, while Matt Packard recorded an assist.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jordan Knight stopped one shot in posting the team's third shutout of the year.

September 6, NYACK (NY) COLLEGE
The Cougars notched a hard-fought 3-1 victory over previously unbeaten Nyack in the championship match of the First-Knox Cougar Invitational.  Nate Sommers scored two goals, and MVNU also scored on an own goal by a Nyack defender on a free kick by Jeffery Hinds.  Meanwhile, Josh Schlenker stopped three shots in goal to preserve the win.  Hinds was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, while Sommers was selected as the Most Valuable Offensive Player.  Schlenker, Steven Lesmes, and Les Claxon were also named to the All-Tournament Team.

September 5, MOODY BIBLE (IL) INSTITUTE
MVNU scored four goals in the final minutes of the first half to break a scoreless tie on the way to a 6-0 victory over Moody Bible in the first round of the First-Knox Cougar Invitational.  Jeffery Hinds led the way with two goals and an assist, while Steven Lesmes also scored two goals.  Nate Sommers and Josh Van Pelt added one goal each, and Shawn Morrison and Jeremy Hilen registered one assist apiece.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Josh Schlenker posted a shutout in goal - the team's second of the year.

August 30, at Judson (IL) College
The Cougars dropped a hard-fought 2-0 decision to host Judson, the defending National Christian College Athletic Association national champion who was ranked 24th in the NAIA preseason poll, in the second round of the Judson College Tournament.  MVNU managed just three shots on goal in the match, and goalkeeper Jordan Knight registered six saves to keep the Cougars within striking distance.

August 29, vs. University of Saint Francis (IL)
MVNU successfully kicked off the 2003 season with a 6-0 victory over Saint Francis at the Judson (IL) College Tournament.  Freshman Josh Van Pelt made his collegiate debut a memorable one as he scored two goals and added an assist.  Scott Poole also scored two goals, while Nate Sommers added one goal and one assist.  Jeffery Hinds finished with one goal, and Jeremy Hilen tallied two assists.  Meanwhile, goalkeepers Josh Schlenker and Jordan Knight combined to post a shutout in goal with Knight registering two saves.