2011 Game Recaps:

10/8/2011
MANHATTAN, KS - On an overcast day with rain threatening, the Manhattan Christian College men's soccer team faced inter-regional opponent Central Bible College. Central came into the weekend undefeated but lost to Barclay College the day before. The Crusaders were focused and ready, obtaining a convincing 7-0 home victory. MCC hosted parents weekend, and the Crusaders displayed some entertaining play in front of their families.

Senior midfielder Nathan Love unleashed a shot from 25 yards in the 8th minute to open the crusaders scoring. Eleven minutes later freshman defender Cameron Dunn crossed the ball to an unmarked Alex Turner who coolly headed the ball in the back of the net to give the Crusaders a 2-0 lead. Two minutes later Love doubled his tally from the penalty spot after Taylor Boyle was fouled in the box. In the 25th minute Boyle pounce on a rebound to get his name on the scoring sheet after David Barraza's shot was mishandled by the keeper to take the Crusaders to a 4-0 halftime lead.

Turner scored his second of the game in the 52nd minute after he dribbled the ball across the box to eventually take a left foot shot which sneaked over the goal line for a 5-0 score line. It soon became 6-0 in the 56th minute after Zack Watkins headed in a Jordan Murphy's corner kick. Jason Trussell rounded off the crusaders scoring in the 69th minute assisted by Taylor Boyle for a 7-0 victory. The Crusaders now hold a 7-4-0 record for the season.

The Crusaders will travel to McPherson to play Central Christian College (KS) on Tuesday, October 11th. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

10/4/2011
BELTON, MO - Kick-off for the game was at 4:00pm. The Crusaders rolled into a hot, low 90's, very dry match. Conference opponents, the Calvary Warriors, were eager to play the game. In the 14th minute Zach Watkins served a nice thru ball to Lonnie Penner who put the ball in the back of the net. This was followed by an own goal off of a cross in the 28th minute. This brought the score at half to 2-0 with the ball rarely coming into the Crusaders defensive half.

In the 50th minute Zach Watkins scored an unassisted goal as he dribbled thru the box. In the 73rd minute, Lonnie Penner tapped a ball in that was in the box to make the score 4-0. The final goal came in the 84th minute when Lonnie Penner passed to Zach Watkins who scored to bring the final tally to 5-0.

The Crusaders next match is Saturday, October 8th at Anneberg Park, at 2:00pm. The men in blue face undefeated regional opponent Central Bible College.

10/1/2011
FLORISSANT, MO - The sun was shining and the temperature was a cool 63 degrees at the 2:00pm kickoff. The boys in blue were in the city of the Arch eager to play the game they so richly enjoy. The Soldiers from St. Louis Christian College hosted this match. The Crusaders opened the scoring in 5th minute on a corner kick from Jordon Murphy to Lonnie Penner. Followed 25 seconds later by a header from Kris Morrison served up by Zach Watkins. In the 8th minute Lonnie Penner assisted a thru ball to Zach Watkins. In the 25th minute the Crusaders continued to score, Alex Turner crossed to Lonnie Penner. One minute later Zach Watkins shot, and the bobbled ball off a defender, was scored by Taylor Boyle. The score at half was 5-0.

In the second the Crusaders resumed scoring. In the 46th minute Alex Turner chipped the ball to Zach Watkins for a header to bring the score to 6-0. Zach Watkins followed up with goals in the 50th and 52th minute. Kris Morrison scored the ninth goal in the 60th off a defender's deflection. In the 65th minute Nathan Love scored on a Penalty kick to bring the tally to ten. In the 68th newcomer Garret "The Kid" Holmes heel kicks the ball into the goal and into the record books (first goal ever scored by a heel kick in the history of the college) to finish the Crusaders scoring at 11.

The Crusaders travel to Belton, Missouri on Tuesday October 4th to face conference opponent, Calvary Bible College.

09/27/2011
WINFIELD, KS - The Manhattan Christian College men's soccer team secured a 3-1-road victory over Southwestern College (NAIA) this evening. After a 0-0 first half, MCC Junior forward Zack Watkins open the game's scoring in the 51st minute from 20 yards out, with a wonderfully placed shot over goalkeeper Edward Valadez. Southwestern leveled the scoring in the 76th minute from a deflected shot, which sailed over sophomore goalkeeper Ricky Wiseman.

MCC regained the lead in the 78th minute, when Watkins scored his second of the night after he was nicely assisted by senior midfielder Kris Morrison. MCC's captain Nathan Love placed the icing on the cake for the Crusaders after he headed in a Jordan Murphy free kick in the 82nd minute to seal the road victory for the crusaders.

MCC finished the nights encounter with 17 shots to Southwestern's 10. MCC and Southwestern had 2 corners. The Crusaders now hold a 4-4-0 overall record for the season.

The Crusaders will travel to St. Louis, Missouri to play St. Louis Christian College on Saturday, October 1st. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

9/21/2011
MANHATTAN, KS - The Manhattan Christian College men's soccer team fell to a disappointing 1-0 overtime loss against Tabor College in the first overtime. In a game that had very few clear-cut chances on goal, the Crusaders played well. Coach Wright expressed several positives from his team's performance. "For the first time this season we put together a complete game, it is unfortunate the way we lost tonight. Our young team is starting to work together. I am very proud of the progress this team is making. These games are preparing us for the teams we will meet in the national tournament."

The game-winning goal came off Tabor's David Simmet (unassisted) in the second minute of the first overtime after he touched the ball in the back of the net from eight yards out. Ricky Wiseman's, MCC's goalie, played an excellent game with ten saves. Manhattan finished the encounter with (8) shots to Tabor's (10). The Crusaders fall to a 2-4-0 overall record for the season.

The Crusaders will play Central Christian College of the Bible on Friday, September 23rd. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Frank Anneburg Park.

09/17/2011
MOORE, OK - Manhattan Christian College men’s soccer team traveled to Moore, OK to face Hillsdale Freewill Baptist College. MCC finished with a 5-0 victory on the days contest. The Crusaders took the lead (1-0) in the sixth minute with a twenty-yard strike by Zack Watkins. The lead was soon doubled (2-0) in the sixteenth minute, by hometown hero Jordan Murphy assisted by Lonnie Penner.

In the twenty-eight minute Zack Watkins doubled his tally for the game to put the Crusaders 3-0 up after Lonnie Penner assisted him. Lonnie Penner extended the crusaders lead to 4-0 with an unassisted goal in the twenty-night minute. Freshman defender David Krigbaum closed the scoring for the Crusaders for the game in the seventy-third minute finishing a close range shot from a Jordan Murphy corner kick. MCC now has a 2-3-0 record for the season.

The Crusaders return to action on September 21st against Tabor College. The game is schedule to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. at Frank Anneburg Park.

09/06/2011
MANHATTAN, KS - Manhattan Christian College men's soccer team fell 3-2 in overtime to Bethel College. MCC took the lead in the 4th minute when junior forward Zack Watkins intercepted a pass from Bethel's defense and slotted the ball to Lonnie Penner to take a 1-0 lead. It took the Thresher three minutes to equalize with a goal by Joe Fitch assisted by Jean-Yves Komayombi. MCC took the lead for the second time in the game in the 41st minute, when freshman defender Cameron Dunn placed the ball in the lower right corner of the goal assisted by senior captain Nathan Love, after it was failed to be cleared by Bethel for the 2-1 lead.

Despite the hot conditions the game never lacked pace from both teams. In the second half Dunn was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box, which resulted in a PK for the Threshers. Mario Reyes stepped up to the spot only to see his shot saved by MCC's English-born goalkeeper Ricky Wiseman. With eight minutes left in regulation time Bethel managed to equalize for the second time in the game, getting some help from MCC's defender Caleb Veer who while trying to make a desperation clearance accidentally put the ball in the back of his own net to send the game into overtime. In the 7th minute of the first overtime Bethel's Joe Fitch took a shot first time to beat Wiseman after senior midfielder Jordan Murphy mishandled the ball in his box.

The Crusaders return to action on the 14th September against McPherson College. The game is schedule to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. at Frank Anneburg Park.

09/06/2011
OTTAWA, KS - In the second game of the regular season the Manhattan Christian College men's soccer team went under to Ottawa University 3-1. MCC was put on their heels in the 13th minute when Matt Abbott broke the dead lock with a goal assisted by Paul Oswald. Ottawa then doubled their lead in the 26th minute with Matt getting his second of the night assisted by Ryan Wohlgemuth. Thirteen minutes later Ottawa had their third and final goal of the game after Erich Kevari slotting the ball past MCC's goalkeeper assisted by Hutton Sharp, to take his team to a 3-0 Half time lead.

In the second half, MCC appeared to be a different team and created several chances. In the 55th minute sophomore forward Lonnie Penner slotted the ball in the back of the net after senior midfielder Kris Morrison's 20 yard shot was fumbled by Ottawa's keeper Derick Allen. MCC applied relentless pressure but could not find the back of the net at the final whistle. Ottawa University out-shot MCC 12-5 in the game.

The Crusaders return to action at home on 10th September against Bethel College (KS). The game is schedule to kickoff at 3:00 p.m. at Frank Anneburg Park.

08/30/2011
MANHATTAN, KS - The Manhattan Christian College men's soccer team opened its 2011 regular season with a 1-0 win against Bethany College at Frank Anneburg Park, 6:00p.m. start.

Manhattan (1-0-0) out shot Bethany College (0-0-1) 12-5 during the contest. Both the Crusaders and Bethany had eight corner kicks.

The crusaders entering the 2011 season with several new faces in their line-up looked like they mean business this year. Lead by senior captain Nathan Love, the Crusaders applied relentless pressure on their opponents from the first whistle, with the defense being marshaled by English born goalkeeper Ricky Wiseman.

After several chances on goal it took 2010 All-American forward Zack Watkins to fire a shot past the Swedes goalkeeper Jackson McClure in the 80th minute after a nifty run across three defensive players to score an unassisted goal. Watkins should have doubled his tally with about 6 seconds left in the game but somehow put the ball wide, with the goal gaping at his mercy.

The Crusaders return to action away from home on September 6th against Ottawa University. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.