2003 Concordia Men's Soccer, Concordia Moorhead

2003 Concordia-Moorhead Men's Soccer Preview

Concordia Men's Soccer Home Page for 2003
See Also: 2002 Season Stats | 2002 Box Scores

College Information
School: Concordia-Moorhead
Founded : 1891
Location: Moorhead, MN
Enrollment : 2850
President : Dr. Paul Dovre - Interim
Athletic Director: Bob Nick - Interim
Team Nickname: Cobbers
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Logo: The Chicago "C"
Faculty Athletic Rep: Jim Forde
Stadium: Jake Christiansen 7,000
Press Box Phone: 218-299-4465

Concordia Men's Soccer History
First year of men's soccer: 1986
All-time play-off record: 1-1
Years in post-season play: 1
Last postseason appearance/result: 1996/Loss to Luther College in NCAA Region Final
All-time men's soccer record: 126-125-18

Men's Soccer Staff

Jim Cella joined the 100-career-win club last season.

Head Coach:
Jim Cella, Starting 12th Season
Record/current school: 100-78-11
All-Time Record/Yrs: 100-78-11
MIAC Record: 54-49-6
Coach Phone: 218-299-3149
Best time to call: Noon-2:30
E-Mail Adress: cella@cord.edu

Assistant Coaches:
Cordell Sinding, 9th Season

Sports Information
S.I.D: Jim Cella
Office Ph.: 218-299-3194
Home Ph: 218-233-3698
Fax: 218-299-4189
E-Mail Address: cella@cord.edu
WWW Address: www.gocobbers.com

2002 MIAC Standings
(Click here for complete game-by-game results)

           MIAC       O'ALL   MIAC O'ALL
TEAM      RECORDPTSRECORDGFGAGF GA
Macalester 9-0-1 19 14-5-1 17 0 30 11*
Gustavus   8-2-0 16 12-4-1 21 6 36 13
St. Thomas 6-2-2 14 10-4-3 16 7 30 11
St. John's 6-2-2 14 12-4-2 18 9 35 19
St. Mary's 5-4-1 11   8-8-2 14 13 28 29
St. Olaf   4-5-1   9   8-8-2 13 16 23 29
Bethel     4-6-0   8   8-8-1 17 13 34 28
Hamline    4-6-0   8   8-8-0   6 19 18 24
Carleton   3-5-2   8   8-7-3 18 18 31 24
Augsburg   1-7-1   3   4-10-2 5 26 23 51
Concordia 0-10-0 0   3-14-1 4 16 16 27
* Clinched MIAC Title & Automatic NCAA Bid

2002 Game-by-Game Results
(Click here for links to box scores)

Date Opponent Site Time/Result

Aug. 31 - Sept. 1 St. John's Tournament Collegeville, MN

Aug. 31 Northland College Collegeville, MN W 7-0

Sept. 1 Concordia (WI) Collegeville, MN L 0-1

Sept. 7-8 Luther College Tournament Decorah, IA

Sept. 7 Nebraska Wesleyan Decorah, IA T 0-0

Sept. 8 Rockford College Decorah, IA W 2-1

Sept. 14 Concordia (NE) Bismarck, ND W 1-0

Sept. 15 Univ. of Mary (ND) Bismarck, ND L 0-3

Sept. 21 Gustavus * Home L 0-1

Sept. 28 St. Olaf * Away L 0-1 OT

Oct. 1 Augsburg * Home L 2-3

Oct. 5 St. Mary's * Away L 0-1

Oct. 12 Hamline * (Homecoming) Home L 0-1

Oct. 16 Bethel * Away L 1-2

Oct. 20 California Lutheran Away L 1-2

Oct. 21 Chapman Univ. (CA) Away L 1-2

Oct. 26 Carleton * Away L 0-1

Oct. 30 Macalester * Home L 0-3

Nov. 2 St. Thomas * Away L 0-1 OT

Nov. 9 St. John's * Home L 1-2 2OT

* MIAC GAME

2002 Final Record: Overall 3-14, MIAC 0-10 - 11th Place

2003 Schedule

Date Opponent Site Time/Result

Aug. 30 - 31 St. John's Tournament Collegeville, MN

Aug. 30 Northland Baptist (WI) Collegeville, MN 1:00pm

Aug. 31 Northland College (WI) Collegeville, MN 1:00pm

Sept. 6-7 Gustavus Tournament St. Peter, MN

Sept. 6 Puget Sound (WA) St. Peter, MN 1:00pm

Sept. 7 Central (IA) St. Peter, MN 1:00pm

Sept. 10 Univ. of Mary (ND) Home 4:00pm

Sept. 17 Bethel * Home 4:00pm

Sept. 20 Gustavus * Away 1:00pm

Sept. 24 Augsburg * Away 4:30pm

Sept. 27 Carleton * Home 1:00pm

Sept. 30 Macalester * Away 4:00pm

Oct. 4 St. Mary's *(Homecoming) Home 2:00pm

Oct. 5 Alumni Game Home 1:00pm

Oct. 15 St. Thomas * Home 4:00pm

Oct. 18 Colorado College Away 1:00pm

Oct. 20 UC-Colorado Springs Away 3:00pm

Oct. 25 St. Olaf * Home 2:00pm

Oct. 28 Hamline * Away 2:30pm

Nov. 1 St. John's * Away 1:00pm

Nov. 4-5 MIAC Semifinals TBD TBD

Nov. 7-8 MIAC Final TBD TBD

* MIAC GAME

Concordia Series Records Against Opponents:
Opponent           W L T Series Started
Northland          7 1 3    1989
Northland Baptist 1 0 0    2001
Puget Sound (WA)   0 0 0    2003
Central (IA)       0 0 0    2003
Univ. of Mary      2 1 0    1997
Bethel             7 7 2    1987
Gustavus           3 12 1    1987
Augsburg           14 2 0    1987
Carleton           10 4 2    1987
Macalester         3 12 2    1987
St. Mary's         7 8 1    1987
St. Thomas         5 10 1    1987
Colorado College   1 2 0    1994
UC-Colo. Springs   0 2 0    1994
St. Olaf           4 12 0    1987
Hamline            11 4 1    1987
St. John's         6 8 2    1987

Player & Team Information
2002 Overall Record: 3-14
2002 MIAC Conference Record/Place: 0-10/11th Place
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Letter Winners Returning/Lost: 18/4

Returning Starters
Name                  Yr Pos Hometown
Zach Eidenschink      Jr   M Detroit Lakes, MN
Jamie Hager           Jr M/F Fargo, ND
Judd Mann             So   D Hastings, MN
Kris Overby           Sr GK Fargo, ND (2001 MIAC All-Conference)
Jerry Nathan          Sr   M Fargo, ND
Nick Peterson         So   F Fargo, ND
Dan Ravenhorst        Sr   D Hollandale, MN
Jason VanValkenburg   Sr   M Fargo, ND (2002 MIAC All-Conference)

Key Losses (Grad/Transfer/Injury/Misc.)
Name                  Pos    Hometown
Cyle Cavett             D    Fargo, ND
Eric Dunn            GK/F    Great Falls, MT
Andy Purdy              M    Mahtomedi, MN
Brandon Topp            M    Fargo, ND

2003 Season Outlook and Notes:

Jerry Nathan (Sr., Fargo, N.Dak.) will be counted on to solidify the middle of the field for the Cobers in 2003.

"No where to go but up." That cliché can be used to sum up the Concordia men's soccer aspirations in 2003. After setting an NCAA record for most losses in a single season by one goal (12), the Cobbers are hoping to turn around their fortunes and get back into the thick of the MIAC race. The inconceivable season of 2002 has been replaced by a renewed optimism in 2003. Concordia returns 23 players from last year's team that lost nine of their ten MIAC games by a single goal. Head Coach Jim Cella is hoping that the year of "lessons learned", and the addition of several newcomers to the squad will provide the right mix to turn last year's sorrow into this season's joy.

Defensively, the Cobbers will be led by 2001 MIAC All-Conference goaltender Kris Overby (Fargo, N.Dak./Fargo South HS). Overby, who ranked 20th among NCAA Division III goaltenders in 2001, was unable to put up similar numbers in 2002 due to an inconsistent and inexperienced defense directly in front of him. Overby, and the Cobbers, will benefit from having three of the team's four starting defenders back in 2003. The one spot that Cella will have to fill is the sweepers position which was held by four-year starter, and all-conference performer Cyle Cavett - who was lost to graduation. Three-year starter Dan Ravenhorst (Sr., Hollandale, Minn./Albert Lea HS) will be the rock of the Cobber defense and will be counted on to shut down the best forwards in the MIAC. Joining Ravenhorst will be a pair of sophomores. Tony Eggiman (Moorhead, Minn./Moorhead HS) and Judd Mann (Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) have a year of experience and will help the Cobbers try and improve on their team goals against average of 1.34 that they posted in 2002.

The midfield will feature one of Concordia's best players. Jerry Nathan (Sr./Fargo, N.Dak/Fargo South HS) will be the workhorse for the team in the middle of the field. He led Concordia in scoring last season with four goals. One of the keys for the Cobbers' midfield in 2003 will be the return to health of Jason VanValkenburg (Sr./Fargo N.Dak./Fargo South HS). Van Valkenburg was the team's lone representative on the league's all-conference team last year despite breaking his leg with three games left in the season. Junior Zach Eidenschink (Detroit Lakes, Minn./Detroit Lakes HS) is much-improved from last year and will add an offensive threat from the wing.

Up front the Cobbers are still searching for the right mix that will lead to timely goals and a sustained offensive attack. Nick Peterson (So., Fargo, N.Dak./Fargo South HS) tallied nine points in 2002 will be looking to have a breakout season in 2003. His physical strength and size will help him endure the ups and downs of the trying MIAC season. Cella will have to find a partner for Peterson in order for Concordia to climb to the middle of the MIAC and eventually fight for a spot in the inaugural MIAC playoffs.

Concordia will open with five non-conference games before hosting Bethel in the MIAC opener on Septemeber 17. The Cobbers will have to make their mark on the road in the MIAC if they want to climb the league standing chart. The Cobbers will play three of last year's top four league teams on the road. Concordia's first top-four clash will be at Gustavus on September 20. The Cobbers will also play at Macalester (September 30) and St. John's (November 1). The game against St. John's will mark the fifth straight season that the two teams have met on the final weekend of the season. Concordia's schedule also features a last October trip to Colorado to take on perennial region powerhouse Colorado College.

Concordia is hoping that the law of averages will catch up to the team in 2003 and that all the near misses from 2002 will turn into narrow wins.

Notes:
- This will be the 18th season that Concordia has fielded a men's soccer team. The Cobbers, who fielded a team for the first time in 1986, were the last team in the MIAC to add men's soccer.

- Concordia will open the season at the St. John's tournament on August 30-31. It will be the 11th straight season that the Cobbers have played in the SJU tourney. The Cobbers have an overall record of 17-1-2 during the first ten years of the tournament. The lone loss came last year when the were defeated 1-0 by Concordia University (WI).

- Kris Overby has started 47 games in his first three seasons at Concordia. He needs nine more starts to break the school record for career starts by a goaltender. That record is held by Chad Anderson who started 55 games from 1993 through 1996. Overby also needs nine shutouts to tie Anderson's career shutout record of 25.

- The MIAC will have a four-team playoff at the end of the regular season to determine the league's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The MIAC had a similar league playoff system in the late 1970's and early 1980's when all the teams in the conference belonged to the NAIA.

Date	Opponent	Site	Time/Result
Aug. 31 - Sept. 1	St. John's Tournament	Collegeville, MN
Aug. 31	Northland College	Collegeville, MN	W 7-0
Sept. 1	Concordia (WI)	Collegeville, MN	L 0-1
Sept. 7-8	Luther College Tournament	Decorah, IA
Sept. 7	Nebraska Wesleyan	Decorah, IA	T 0-0
Sept. 8	Rockford College	Decorah, IA	W 2-1
Sept. 14	Concordia (NE)	Bismarck, ND	W 1-0
Sept. 15	Univ. of Mary (ND)	Bismarck, ND	L 0-3
Sept. 21	Gustavus *	Home	L 0-1
Sept. 28	St. Olaf *	Away	L 0-1 OT
Oct. 1	Augsburg *	Home	L 2-3
Oct. 5	St. Mary's *	Away	L 0-1
Oct. 12	*Hamline (Homecoming)**	Home	L 0-1
Oct. 16	Bethel *	Away	L 1-2
Oct. 20	California Lutheran	Away	L 1-2
Oct. 21	Chapman Univ. (CA)	Away	L 1-2
Oct. 26	Carleton *	Away	L 0-1
Oct. 30	Macalester *	Home	L 0-3
Nov. 2	St. Thomas *	Away	L 0-1 OT
Nov. 9	St. John's *	Home	L 1-2 2OT