Sports

Soccer clan plan for growth

The Ottawa University Men’s Soccer team comes into the 2009 season being chosen for fourth place in the Kansas College Ath­letic Conference.

Last season the Braves finished with a 9-9-1 re­cord, and a 6-3-0 record in conference play. It was the team’s best record in three years.

Senior Matt Walton be­lieves that the team is de­veloping well.

“We have good players coming into this,” Walton said. “There’s definitely a good team chemistry on and off the field. We just need to step it up in prac­tice.”

Six seniors return to this year’s squad, as well as 2008 All-KCAC selections Colin Wylie, Marvin Gra­ham and Phillip Nguy­en. Hopefully, that will ac­count for an abundance of leadership on the team.

Sophomore midfielder Jeff Savage, a communica­tions major, believes the Braves’ leaders have them primed for a big season.

“I believe leadership-wise we have arguably two of the best captains and players in the KCAC with Marvin Graham and Colin Wylie,” said Savage. “They both are excellent leaders on and off the field, and it definitely shows in our play.”

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