Allegheny Gets Job Done on Soccer Pitch

Dec 5, 2006

The Allegheny College men’s soccer team put together another successful season, marching all the way to the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament finals for the third consecutive year en route to an overall record of 11-5-3, including 5-4-0 in conference play. The Gators received national and regional recognition throughout the 2006 season before ending with a No. 9 ranking in the Great Lakes Region.

Allegheny began the year on a tear, marching through its non-league slate with a 6-0-2 record and moving as high as No. 16 in the NSCAA/adidas® national rankings. Included in that run was a pair of one-goal wins over Olivet College (2-1) and Wis.-Oshkosh (1-0) as part of the Fred Myers Tournament hosted by Ohio Wesleyan University and a 1-1 tie with then No. 12 Baldwin-Wallace College.

The Gators suffered their first setback of the year to perennial national power Ohio Wesleyan in their conference opener, falling 2-1 despite out-shooting the hosts. Allegheny bounced back to win four of its next five NCAC contests, outscoring its opponents 14-2 in the victories. The Blue and Gold put their season on the brink, however, by losing a pair of league games to Denison University (0-1) and Hiram College (1-3), setting up a final regular season showdown with Wittenberg University. After netting goals in the opening four minutes, the Gators and Tigers battled for over 100 minutes until junior Eric Sloan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) sent the visitors packing with the game-winning goal in the second overtime, securing the fourth and final playoff spot in the NCAC Tournament for Allegheny.

As the No. 4 seed, the Gators had the unenviable task of drawing top-seed and then No. 4 Ohio Wesleyan. Reminiscent of its 2004 title run, Allegheny knocked off the Battling Bishops in penalty kicks to set up a finale with Denison. Despite erasing a 2-0 deficit and sending the contest to overtime, the Gators fell short in their bid for their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, falling 3-2.

Allegheny was rewarded for their efforts this past season by having five members voted to the All-NCAC team and two more landing all-region accolades. Leading the charge was senior Mark Dobish (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington Area) and Sloan, who each copped first-team all-league and third-team All-Great Lakes Region honors. Dobish was the offensive leader with 13 points on five goals and three assists, while Sloan chipped in with three goals and one assist while anchoring the defensive unit.

Dobish and Sloan were far from alone in their efforts as the other three Gators to earn postseason honors were equally as important. Sophomore Nathaniel Yates (Cleveland Hts., Ohio/Cleveland Heights) earned his second postseason honor, moving up to the second team, after tallying three goals and two assists out of the midfield. Seniors Daniel Carik (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and Chris Fedele (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville) rounded out the all-league honors for Allegheny as honorable mention selections after posting three and four goals, respectively, as key members of the defense.

Offensively, senior Alan Carr (Blairstown, N.J./Blair Academy) finished second to Dobish with five goals and one assist, followed by Jimmy Beyer’s (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon) five scores. On the other end of the field, opponents were hard-pressed to find their way past Sloan, Carik, senior Ryan Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle), and junior Jeremy Garbutt (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs School), but when they did, Allegheny keeper Ryan Larkin (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) proved more than capable, posting a 0.81 goals against average, .787 save percentage, and tying a single-season school record with eight solo shutouts.

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