Hope College Men's Soccer

Great League Start

2005-10-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

My apologies for not updating the blog sooner. Two weeks into MIAA play, Hope stands at the top of the league with a sterling 4-0 record. In the league opener, Hope traveled to Albion to take on the nationally ranked Britons. Hope prevailed 2-0 in a hard-fought victory.

In its next match, the Dutchmen threaded Adrian College at home by a 6-0 margin. It was a decisive victory as evidenced by the 5-0 lead at halftime. In the following match, Hope defeated Tri-state by a count of 5-0.

In its most recent match, Hope traveled to Olivet to face a much improved Comet team. After leading 1-0 at halftime, Hope took a 2-0 lead shortly into the second half and appeared to be cruising to the lead. Midway through the half, a decided momentum shift happened in the game, and when Hope's goalkeeper was taken out by his own player, the margin was cut in half. Shortly thereafter, Olivet had a deep throw-in and capitalized to equal the score. Mike Amerman came up with a huge save to force the overtime. In overtime, Hope had chances to ice the game. The game winner occured just 44 seconds into the second overtime.

For some highlights, Geoff Meyer and Karter Klingenberg are near the league leaders in scoring, Dan Tresslar is near the league leaders in assists, and Kevin Butterfield has yet to allow a goal in league play, and only given up one goal in the past seven matches.

Hope, ranked #24 in the nation this week, returns to action later today against Kalamazoo College (also 4-0 in the league). Hope will travel to rival Calvin on Saturday for a 2:00 pm showdown.

Champions

2005-09-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

The Flying Dutchmen captured the championship of the Wilmington Kiwanis Classic in exciting fashion Saturday evening, defeating the host Quakers 3-1.

Just five minutes into the match, Karter Klingenberg slid behind the Quaker defense and served a ball to Geoff Meyer. Meyer's heel flick went past the outstretched arm of the keeper, off the post, and into the back of the net. The goal silenced a rowdy crowd and staked Hope to an early 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

The rest of the first half belonged to Wilmington in flow of play and statistically, yet the score remained 1-0. To begin the second half, Hope was able to get some more pressure on the Quaker goal by getting in behind the defense. Hope was delivered a blow in the 66th minute as Klingenberg challenged the keeper on a 50/50 ball. As the two players collided, the referee delieved a red card to Klingenberg, leaving Hope a man down for the final 34 minutes.

Not to be outdone by the referee's call, it took Hope only two minutes to respond with another tally. This time, Dan Tresslar had dribble penetration out on the flank, sent a driven ball in the box to be headed home by Meyer for his second tally of the match. Hope continued to battle and claw to secure the win. Goalkeeper Kevin Butterfield saved a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. A little more than a minute later, Wilmington scored on a direct kick from the top of the box.

A 2-1 score and certain momentum for Wilmington ended just 50 seconds later as Dan Tresslar picked off a Wilmington pass, dribble through three defenders and set up Devin McNeil with a perfect pass 12 yards out. McNeil put home the insurance goal ripping a left footed shot past the keeper. The final 17 minutes, Wilmington continued to press hard into the attack, but time and again, Hope's defense stood tall. A great team effort led to the victory and a successful weekend.

In addition to winning the tournament, Devin McNeil was named the most valuable defensive player for the tournament, and Geoff Meyer was named the most valuable offensive player, tallying three goals and an assist for the weekend. Hope returns to action in a tough MIAA opener at Albion College on Wednesday at 4:00 pm.

Convincing Win

2005-09-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

In the first match of the Wilmington Kiwanis Classic Friday evening, Hope dismantled Wittengerg College by a score of 3-0. The cloudy, rainy weather was certainly not enough to slow down the Dutchmen as they were dominant in every facet of the match.

Early in the first half, Hope carried the flow of play in the midfield. The dribble penetration up front caused problems for the Tiger backs, and Hope had repeated scoring chances. Karter Klingenberg got Hope on the board in the 27th minute as Geoff Meyer was able to slip by a defender and slot a cross on the floor to a wide open Klingenberg who put it home. Despine outshooting Wittenberg 13-4 in the first half, the score remained 1-0.

In the second half, a more determined Tiger squad put some pressure on the Hope defense, until Ryan Robleske played a brilliant through-ball to forward Geoff Meyer. Meyer was able to get past the defense and was taken down in the box. Devin McNeil converted the ensuing penalty kick to give Hope a 2-0 advantage. In the 61st minute, Meyer closed out the scoring. He was on the receiving end of a long cross from Pat McMahon, and his header into the side panel gave Hope the final margin of 3-0.

In the final 20 minutes of the match, Hope would continue to challenge the Tiger goal, with many young players getting an opportunity for some playing time. Hope will play Wilmington College for the championship of the Kiwanis Classic at 8:00 pm Saturday night. Wilmington was a 2-1 winner over Transylvania in the other match, scoring twice in the final 1:34 of the match to come from behind and win.

Mixed Bag

2005-09-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

After four matches, the Hope College Dutchmen stand at an even .500 with a 2-2 record. There have been many bright spots and some excellent individual play despite the .500 record.

In the season opener at DePauw, Hope came out strong in the first 10 minutes. The Dutchmen moved the ball around the field nicely and held possession quite well. DePauw struck first, getting a through ball slotted through the Hope defense to go ahead 1-0. Nearly five minutes later, Hope had a superb chance from Karter Klingenberg, who's header from 8 yards out went just wide. The Tigers would open up a 2-0 lead a few minutes later, getting another ball through the Hope defense, leaving goalkeeper Kevin Butterfield helpless.

In the second half, Hope had a revamped line-up after injuries to starters Devin McNeil and Pat McMahon, and missing key reserves Kevin McMahon and Joey Orr. With all of the that said, Hope persisted to control the flow and attack aggressively, notching their first goal with nearly 20 minutes remaining when Jordan Goorhouse sent in a beautiful corner kick to Geoff Meyer, who headed it home. While Hope continued to press the goal, DePauw was able to sneak in a counter attack goal with eight seconds left to make the final margin 3-1.

The following day, Hope was again short-handed, and added to the difficulties with Geoff Meyer receiving a red card 15 minutes into play. Even a man down, Hope dominated the flow of play against the host Little Giants. Dan Tresslar was dominate in the midfield, and his penetration led to a slotted ball to Karter Klingenberg, whose low-post blast put the Dutchmen up 1-0. Wabash would counter from a defensive miscue ten minutes later, picking off a Hope pass at midfield, and dribbling in to score. In the second half, Hope continued to dominate, and were again rewarded with another goal by Karter Klingenberg, again assisted by Dan Tresslar. Hope appeared to be in command of the match and on to victory when another turnover led to the shot of a lifetime for a Wabash player, who struck a half-volley from 30 yards out that dipped over goalkeeper Kevin Butterfield's head. Regulation would end at 2-2, and in overtime, it would only be fitting that Dan Tresslar, who had dominated the center of the field all day, would receive a cross from Dan Chesney, who penetrated to the endline. The driven ball found Tresslar's head in front of the goal with two minutes left in the first overtime, and he put it in the back of the net.

Hope's third match was a home match against Wheaton. In the much anticipated match between two great rivals, it fizzled as Hope dropped a 3-0 decision. With Meyer out of the match (red card), Hope seemed to be a bit flat and lacking the emotion needed to carry them. In the actual flow of play, Hope was strong early on, and then a miscue in the back led to the first Wheaton goal. Hope rebounded and nearly knotted the score at one off a great chance from Jordan Goorhouse. A midfield struggle ensued, but again, another Hope miscue gave Wheaton another chance, and they capitalized to make it 2-0 at the half.

During the second half, a much inspired Hope came out and pressure the Thunder goal immediately. Two great chances by freshman Jack Abe were turned away by the Wheaton keeper, and Karter Klingenberg had another chance slide just wide of the post. In their only quality chance of the half, Wheaton put away their third opportunity to make the final 3-0. Hope actually outshot Wheaton 13-11 on the day, but did little to put away their opportunities.

Hope bounced back the next day against John Carroll University, netting a 2-0 win against an NCAA Tournament team. It was the first match where the entire Hope squad was available, and it showed. From the start, Hope dominated the flow of play, generating many quality scoring chances. Despite all the pressure, Hope was unable to capitalize until nearly halftime, when Dan Chesney sent a long ball to Dan Tresslar, who one-timed the ball across the box to a streaking Geoff Meyer, who put Hope on top 1-0.

In the second half, Hope continued to control the pace and flow of play. Generating more chances, Hope still struggled to get that second goal, until Devin McNeil took a corner kick, finding Meyer once more on the back post, who put Hope up 2-0. That would be the final margin of the game.

The next two matches sees Hope playing in the Kiwanis Classic at Wilmington College. The Dutchmen square off against Wittenberg on Friday at 5:30 pm, and then play the host Quakers of Wilmington on Saturday at 8:00 pm. These two matches are the final tune-ups before a heated MIAA campaign begins on the road at Albion.

2005 SEASON PREVIEW

2005-08-31T05:39:00.000-07:00

An exciting and unforgettable soccer tour of the UK has springboarded the Dutchmen into the 2005 season. After a week of two and three a day practices, the roster has been set and Hope has set their eyes on Depauw University, the first opponent on the 2005 fixture.

Hope looks to be led by a veteran core of six seniors. Geoff Meyer, Devin McNeil, Karter Klingenberg, Bryan Johnson, and Phil Lepper all look likely to retain starting spots and hope to propel the Dutchmen to their third MIAA title in the past four years. Anchoring the Dutchmen in goal will be senior Kevin Butterfield.

In addition to a strong core of 2nd and 3rd year players, seven freshman secured roster spots on the team of 26. While playing time may be hard to come by for these new players, there is no doubt that they are talented. With proper growth, development, and commitment, these freshman will be looking to take over the key roles vacated by the six seniors for next year.

Hope's pre-league fixture is one of the toughest in school history. After opening at traditional powerhouse Depauw University, the Dutchmen will travel to Wabash College for an afternoon tilt versus the Little Giants of the NCAC. The following week, Hope will play host to two perennial national tournament teams, the Thunder of Wheaton College on Friday, and the Blue Streak of John Carroll University on Saturday. These matches are held in conjunction with Calvin College in honoring the late Dr. Calvin J. Bergsma, a loyal supporter and fan of both Calvin and Hope athletics. Hope will close out the pre-league portion of their fixture by playing in the Wilmington Kiwanis Classic. Hope will open against OAC foe Wittengerg on Friday evening and then take on the host Wilmington Quakers on Saturday night under the lights.

Hope will begin league play with a mid-week match at Albion College. Be sure to log in to the blog and the Hope College website for post-game match reports and comments as the season progresses.

2005 Roster

2005-08-31T05:34:00.000-07:00

Jack Abe FR
Mike Amerman SO
John Bradford FR
Kevin Butterfield SR
Jeff Carlson JR
Danny Chesney FR
Jordan Cooper FR
Mitch Currie FR
Mark Dishnow SO
Jordan Goorhouse JR
Brady Jensen SO
Bryan Johnson SR
Karter Klingenberg SR
Phil Lepper SR
Gunnar Martin SO
Kevin McMahon FR
Pat McMahon JR
Devin McNeil SR
Geoff Meyer SR
Joey Orr JR
Ryan Robleske SO
Craig Root JR
Bain Rumohr JR
James Trebilcock FR
Dan Tresslar SO
Nate VanHorn JR

A Poet's Tale of the UK

2005-08-13T16:17:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a tour - Scotland, England, even Wales
We leave with reluctance, but have many great tales.

Cheers to the Erskine, where the guys teambuilt with ropes,
Loved the food and the pool, but could we get some more soap?

In Scotland we learned that "changeable" meant rain,
Layering clothes, taking them on and off was kind of a pain.

We promoted antisectarianism with the bands that we sold,
A service project that raised $4,000 we're told.

We loved the Best Western with it's beautiful decor,
Great food, location, service with free toiletries galore.

We were thankful for McDonald's, but you better watch your pence,
4 pounds 79 for a burger meal just doesn't make sense.

And to the Bayswater Inn, "YIKES!" What can we say?
But the city of London just blew us away.

It rained from the ceiling, we were fearing a flood,
Here's a tip for you Macall - don't sleep in the tub.

The soccer was competitive - four losses, one win and a tie,
But with hard work and practice, for the NCAA championship we will vie.

"Wear your kits and boots on the pitch," "cheers to you mate,"
The way they talk in the UK is really first rate.

10 stitches, pulled muscles, broken nose and collar bone,
Ear infection, strep throat - it's time to go home.

Thank goodness for Dr. Butters, or more affectionately Big Jack,
Without his medical help there may have been an early departure back.

We're headed back to the states to get some good sleep,
Brennar's given us all souvenir rocks we can keep.

Some have a special souvenir, a bit of Man. U's grass,
If we had been caught, we'd been kicked in the .......;

Huge castles, amazing soccer - the sights we did see,
For organizing this trip - a huge thank you to Lee.

To Alan, our driver, thanks for all the safe rides,
Nothing was more beautiful than your Scottish countryside.

And we can't forget Murray - coach, tour guide, and friend,
Thanks for putting up with us from beginning to end.

So here's to Hope Soccer, both old and new friends,
Let's have a great season, may the fun never end.

-Bridget Schopp

last one

2005-08-12T14:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday |August 11, 2005
Craig McNeil, Pat Root, and Devin McMahon

Despite another breakfast of champions consisting of stale rolls and jam, we
made our way into the heart of London. Upon arrival we split up and went our
separate ways and experienced important historical venues, such as the Tower
of London, the London Dungeons, and the London Bridge. Miraculously on this
encounter the bridge refrained from falling down. After a quick lunch, we
hopped on the double-decker tour bus. (AKA- Big Blue, Lightning Stripes, Alan
Mobile, Slick Racer, or more commonly known as the Firth) Big Blues wheels
rumbled into a lush and well maintained futbol facility of Watford FC. The
professional atmosphere and hospitality prepared our team for our final game.
With butterflies in our stomachs, we stepped onto the pitch and quickly found
ourselves down 2-0 partly do to some hometown officiating. We went into
halftime down 3-0 and looking to regroup. We finally started to put some
things together and ended the game and our trip on a positive note scoring two
goals in the last twenty minutes to finalize the score at 4-2. The remainder
of the night was free for all parents and players to enjoy our final night out
on the town in London.

Friday August 12, 2005
Craig McNeil, Pat Root, and Devin McMahon

We arose from our slumber bright eyed and bushy tailed anticipating the days
festivities. Slick Racer escorted us to Parliament Square where we had the
day to peruse all the London truly has to offer. We cruised the underground,
went back into time at Westminster Abbey, crossed the river Thames, went into
the sky via the London eye, while never loosing track time with Big Ben
standing high. We boosted Englands economy and really enjoyed ourselves upon
hopping on the Alan-mobile and heading back to the hotel for one last
delicious meal.
We concluded our two week adventure through Europe with a nice evening
filled with shared memories, highlights, poems, tears, and laughs. We said our
thanks and good-byes to the friends and guides weve met here and now
look forward to our safe arrival back to the states.
Thanks for the interest in our experience as a team and we all look forward
to seeing you down at 11th and Fairbanks in a couple weeks.
This is Hope mens soccer 2005 signing off

2005-08-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hope Football Fans-

Twas a very eventful day here in Manchester, England. After getting up, the
team walked a few blocks to the local practice field to work on new formations
and new tactics. Coaches continue to learn more and more about the game from
our awesome tour coach/guide/representative, Murray. Following the training
session, the team and parents loaded up on the Firth, our luxury
double-decker bus and departed to Old Trafford Stadium, home of Manchester
United Red Devils. Man U is internationally known for their football success
and former club of supermodel/super-stud David Beckham. The stadium is the
biggest stadium in the UK and is under construction to enlarge its capacity to
above 67,000. Season ticket holders spend anywhere from £500 ($1000 US
dollars) to £5,000 ($10,000 US dollars) for seats around the stadium. Sky
boxes around the stadium, which hold 8 people go for about £47,000 (do the
math) for a season. These have a 10 year waiting list on them. Seating
sections for visually impaired, which have earphone jacks to enable spectators
to listen to the game, and sections for the physically handicapped are
available as well. The tour around the stadium took us through the players
tunnel, players lounge, players locker room, etc, etc Highlights from the
tour also included using the same restrooms as the Man U superstars. The team
really came away from the tour in awe of what a big business the soccer world
is over here, but more importantly how beautiful the game can be.

After leaving the stadium, the bus headed back to the hotel where the player
and parents loaded up with a great dinner and took off for the game field just
over the border in Wales. The match was against Team Airbus, a U-19 Academy
team. With a new formation and great intensity, Hope went up 1-0 ten minutes
with a goal from THE Karter Keith Klingenberg from a pass from Bain Rumohr.
Hope continued to control the play but gave up a goal 35 minutes in to the
half that tied the game 1-1. That was how the half ended. Second half was
completely dominated by Hopes play. Lee Schopp showed that he still had the
golden boot when he put one away two minutes into the second half off an
assist from Gunnar Martin. Nate VanHorn added to the score off another assist
from Martin, putting the Dutchmen up 3-1. Hope went up 4-1 when Bryan Mulder
put a penalty kick in the back of the net after he got tripped in the box
while cutting up multiple defenders on his way to the goal. Dan Tresslar bent
a free kick around a wall of 5 Airbus opponents to wrap up the scoring.
Hopes first victory on the trip proved to raise spirits and confidence and
now look to finish strong in the next two games.

Cheers for now from Manchester. We leave tomorrow morning for London where we
will finish the trip.

Written by: Bryan I love the beach Mulder and Bain The red-headed Luke
Rumohr

2005-08-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Today we ventured off to the beautiful city of Chester. After departing at 9
a.m. we travelled 35 Kilometres before reaching our destination. Chester is a
city which is rich in culture with buildings fully intact dating back to as
early as 1100. We took the city bus tour which included many insightful
details of the citys history. One interesting thing about Chester is that
the city is fully inclosed within a large brick wall. Chester also withholds
a breathtaking cathedral that contained a an immaculate garden. After our
visit we returned home to watch Chelsea vs. Arsenal soccer game which was the
season opener for the English Premier League. The result ended in a Chelsea
victory 2-1. At night we had a team jog off to a local park. Exercise wise
it was a light day much needed for many of the players.
Karter Klingenberg and Ryan Robleske

Saturday August 6th, 2005.

2005-08-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday August 6th, 2005.
Saturday morning came early. At 7:00 in the morning we got up and enjoyed a
tasty breakfast. Around 8:00 we headed off to Whales where we played our third
match against Chester city. A hard first half resulted in a 3 0 deficit. In
the second half we bounced back and managed to outscore out opponents 2-1. The
game ended with a 2-4 finish. After the match we boarded our bus and headed to
Blackburn to watch an international club friendly between the Blackburn Rovers
(English premiere) and Espanyol (Spanish premiere). A very exciting game ended
with a 4-0 in favor of the Brits. The game was well played by both sides.
After the professional match we headed back to the hotel for a delicious
dinner and a relaxing evening.
Phil Lepper and Nate VanHorn

Blog for Aug. 5th !!!

2005-08-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Hope College soccer fans:

To further enlighten all of you delightful folk on the details of yesterdays
match, it had been a rainy before the match and the pitch was quite
saturated. To further complicate the condition of the field, it began raining
halfway through the match. The Dutchmen came out flying and created 2 prime
scoring chances with the 25 minutes. One came of a 65-yard cannon fired from
the arm of sophomore keeper Mike Amerman to the feet of senior Geoff Meyer,
who was fouled just outside the Scots box. The other came after senior Devon
McNeil toasted some Scot down the sideline and hit a low, powerful cross into
Meyer, who deflected the ball into the unprepared keepers side. The Scots
scored their goal just past midway through the first half, when a Scot forward
skilfully volleyed a well-struck cross into the back of the net. The second
half ended with an brilliant excitement as Amerman made a fantastic save on a
Scot penalty kick. The second half of the game was filled with more hard work
by the Dutch and more unfortunate results. The last quarter of the game was
filled with exciting opportunities for the Dutchmen, including a laser beam
fired from the 18 by sophomore Dan Tresslar that whistled inches wide of the
post. Though the game ended in defeat for the Dutchmen, spirits remained high,
as the team learned a great deal from the game and also showed fantastic
heart, even during the waning minutes of the match. The evening then found us
tiredly drifting off to sleep in our less than supporting mattress for our
last night in Scotland.

We awoke rather late, this well deserved extra sleep was much appreciated,
this morning to breakfast and prepare for the ride south to Manchester. During
this ride the parents and players partook in plethora of different activities.
The activity of choice was definitely napping on the bus while others such as
Joey Orr took time to play a spirited game of Trouble with the very young
members of our tour, namely Brenner and Tanner Schopp. I think they soundly
defeated their elderly opponent. The scenery on the southbound venture was
absolutely breathtaking. The lush, mountainous, green hills rolled forth from
the land with a elegance and vigor that embodied the true spirit of the
Scottish Highlands. Dotting these geographic pinnacles were many woolly sheep
and milk-laden cows. We then stopped over for a lunch break at a bonnie wee
village that resembled a Scottish version of the little Dutch village tourist
trap that one could find just north of Holland on US 31. The air surrounding
this quaint settlement was saturated with the pungent odor of fresh manure
(Swiss Perfume) manufactured earlier that day by Scotlands finest. For
lunch the majority of the team was fiscally taken advantage of by the local
food merchants. Other more frugal members of the squad had packed either Cliff
Bars and/or sandwiches assembled during the mornings breakfast. After a wee
bit of shopping the entourage resumed the journey southward into England,
specifically Manchester.

Here in Manchester we found our accommodations to be exquisitely elegant. The
decorative lobby is scattered with extravagant statues, well appointed
woodwork, and quality upholstered leather thrones, not to mention an unlimited
supply of delicious white mints garnishing the front counter. The training
session tonight was directed by our Excel Sports Coach, Murray. His new
approach to the game is refreshing and is a great help to the team. The field
we played on was a short Astro-turf filed covered in fine sand. This lead to
some fun and interesting complications. Though the practice session went well,
as planned, members of the team still found it all to easy to slip around on
the sand as if they were walking on ice for the first time as toddlers.

The team then headed back to the Hotel for showers and some well deserved
rest and preparation for our match tomorrow morning, and to follow, another
exciting day of the European Tour.

P.S. The food at this new hotel is out of this world, especially the
desserts.

By. The handsome and well groomed sophomores Gunnar (Guntar) Martin and
Timothy (Phantom) Nelson.

Blog Post

2005-08-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Hope Soccer Fans,

Today we woke up bright and early for a departure to Saint Margaret’s Hospice. When we arrived we divided into groups of three and four mixing up with the girls team. The Hospice representatives gave each group a donation bucket along with a bucket of wrist bands similar to the “livestrong” bands. Each one of our bands said, “Say No To Sectarianism” to address the disputes between the Catholic and Protestant communities. Both groups are associated with the top two Scottish professional teams. The communities surrounding the hospice were very generous and our efforts were successful.

After a successful morning all the players came back to the hotel for a quick change of clothes and soon headed out to Loch Lohman where we witnessed some of the beautiful land Scotland has to offer the world. After a quick peak at the lake we soon headed out to do a little more shopping in the town mall. Many opportunities arose for families to go out and explore the nature scene of Scotland. After all the scenic views were witnessed the team and family members soon piled back into the double decker bus where we headed back to the hotel for dinner.

After a quick bite to eat and a short nap we were headed to our team building activity. Our coming together as a team took place in the lawn outside of our hotel. In all the activities that we accomplished we learned a little more about our team as a whole. In the sense that we had to work together to accomplish each goal, Butters actually felt as if he was accepted in the team. At the end of the session each player gave one word to represent his feelings about the activity. Some of the words used were; patience, teamwork, focus, and of course… dynamite.

Thanks for keeping up with our trip.

Composed by:
Indiana’s finest young men,
Dan Tresslar and Mike Amerman

August 4

2005-08-04T15:31:00.000-07:00

Early this morning we had breakfast then loaded up the bus to go sightseeing
in Edinburgh. There we were able to visit the oldest castle in Scotland, the
Edinburgh Castle. The castle was full of Scottish history including the crown
jewels, a highly decorated armory abounding in period weaponry, and of course
the castle itself. Atop the castle we enjoyed a breathtaking view of the city
in all its glory. Then we spent the rest of the time enjoying the shops and
restaurants around the city. Eventually we got back on the bus to return to
Erskine Bridge Hotel for another fine dinner.
Many players decided to spend the bus ride preparing for the match in the
evening by napping before dinner. Then we were off to play our evening match
against the Knightswood Juveniles. Unfortunatly we fell 1-0 to the Scots.
After the game we were invited to a local pub to enjoy sandwiches and chips.
It was great to chat with the players and just get to learn more about their
culture and share some of ours with them. Today was a day full of culture,
both ancient and current, which lead to another informative and eye opening
experiance for us Dutchmen.

Sophmores, Mark Dishnow and Brady Jensen

Day 2 Men's Soccer

2005-08-02T14:53:00.001-07:00

Written by Jeff Carlson and Kevin Butterfield

8-2-05

Dear Hope Soccer fans,

After waking up bright and early at 7:30 for a tasty breakfast, we left for
our second training session of the trip. It was fantastic way to start the
morning, for it was run by Murray, one of our trip tour guides who coached and
played at the professional level in England. We accomplished quite a bit and
were exposed to a different style and attitude towards training.
Upon returning to the hotel and grabbing quick showers, we departed for
downtown Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. Riding in the lap of luxury,
we took a double-decker bus, with the following specs: 71 seats, full air
conditioning, an emergency-only toilet (#1 only), 6 CD changer, 4 exits on
top, 2 on bottom, and a great view. We walked around the city, shopped some
and tried to stay dry as it rained for a while.
In the evening, following our early dinner, we left for our very first match
overseas. Our opponents, Hamilton ACCIES, a youth professional club, gave us
a great game, resulting in a 1-1 tie. We saw dramatic improvement from the
first half to the second, learning a lot from their intensity and creative
style of play. Our game-tying goal was scored by Geoff Meyer, resulting from
an excellent tackle by Nate Van Horn in the second half. Overall, it was a
great first game in many ways, leaving us with some things to work on, as
well.
We are looking forward to a good nights sleep and an exciting afternoon with
the Hope womens soccer team, doing some mission work in a nearby town.
Thanks for checking up on how we are doing over here, we appreciate your
interest. Check out our pictures from the trip on the Hope men's soccer
journal page. Go Hope!

Day 2 Men's Soccer

2005-08-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

8-2-05

Dear Hope Soccer fans,

2005-08-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well, our first day in Scotland was a gorgeous one. We arrived this morning at
8:30 after completing our 7 hour flight. Everything went very smoothly, with a
great deal of thanks owed to Lee and Coach Smiths careful planning. We were
welcomed by a very cool and refreshing climate, and felt no guilt leaving the
humidity and heat behind us. The first half of the morning was spent settling
in to the hotel, followed by a quick trip to the local shopping mall. After
nearly every player bought a pair of soccer socks to use for the morning
training session, the bus departed for the local high school soccer field.
After a short training session in the beautiful Scottish sun the team made its
way back to the hotel for a trip to the pool, showers, and finally the beds.
After several of us napped for awhile we were awakened by the dinner bell.
Dinner was served in the hotel dining room which overlooks a beautiful river
running through the rolling hills of Scotland. There are many tired eyes and I
assume it will be an early night for everyone. There is much anticipation for
tomorrow, as we have plans of sightseeing, training, and also participating in
our first international match. All has been very well, and we hope the trip
continues to go as well as it has thus far. Until the next update, we send our
best from the famous land of Gods Country.

Geoff Meyer

Lee Schopp
Hope Men's Soccer
Assistant Coach
schopp@hope.edu

2005 Hope College Soccer European Tour Itinerary

2005-07-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

HOPE COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER TOUR

ITINERARY 2005 – SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND

Day 1 – Sunday, July 31, 2005
2:46pm – 23 people depart Grand Rapids on flight to Chicago.
2:44pm – 23 people arrive in Chicago.
4:31pm – 26 people depart Grand Rapids on flight to Chicago.
4:26pm – 26 people arrive in Chicago and meet up with other team members.
7:35pm - 53 people depart Chicago on Boeing 767 overnight flight.

Day 2 – Monday, August 1st, 2005
8:55am – Arrive in Glasgow, Scotland, and meet your Excel representative and transfer by private bus to your Glasgow area hotel accommodations.
10:00am – Settle in, unpack, and get acquainted with the local surroundings this afternoon.
12:45 pm – Players depart on bus for afternoon practice session
3:30 pm – Players arrive back at hotel
5:30pm – Evening Dinner at hotel
7:00pm – Evening Free.

Day 3 – Tuesday, August 2nd, 2005
7:30am – Breakfast
8:45am - Morning practice session
11:00am – Depart hotel for free day of sightseeing day in Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. See George Square, Glasgow Cathedral, Sauchiehall Street and enjoy some great shopping opportunities!
4:30pm - Evening dinner at hotel
5:30 pm – Depart on bus for evening game at Garscube Sports Complex, Glasgow University
7:00 pm – First International Game vs. Hamilton Accies Professional Youth Academy
10:00 pm – Arrive back at hotel

Day 4 – Wednesday, August 3rd, 2005
7:45am – Breakfast
8:30am - Morning community service project (with Hope College Women’s team). We will be carrying out some work at St Margaret's Hospice. For more information on the facility, visit the website at http://www.smh.org.uk/
11:30am – Depart for a half day bus tour to see the wonderful “bonnie banks of Loch Lomond”, Scotland’s scenic 26 mile long lake. Enjoy lunch in the small village of Luss and visit the bagpipe store!
5:15pm – Evening Dinner at hotel
7:30pm – Evening team building session on front grounds at hotel (staff/equipment provided by Glasgow Climbing Center)

Day 5 – Thursday, August 4th, 2005
7:45am – Breakfast
8:30 am – Depart for full day visit to Edinburgh, Scotland’s capitol city. Visit the castle, Princess Street, and the Royal Mile.
3:00 pm – Depart Edinburgh for Glasgow
4:30pm - Evening Dinner at hotel
5:30pm – Depart on bus for evening match at Kelso Street Pitches, Yoker
7:00pm – Second international friendly game vs. Knightswood Juveniles (Under 21’s)
10:00 pm – Arrive back at hotel.

Day 6 – Friday, August 5th, 2005
7:30am – Breakfast
8:30am - Depart for Manchester, England.
2:00pm - Check in to rooms, orientation, and free time to get acquainted with local surroundings.
5:00pm - Evening Dinner
7:00pm - Evening practice session at Manchester University (Astroturf)

Day 7 – Saturday, August 6th, 2005
7:30am – Breakfast
8:00 am – Depart on bus for Chester
10:00am – Third international friendly game v Chester City Professional Youth Academy.
1:00pm – Depart for afternoon visit to watch Blackburn Rovers vs. Espanyol (Spain); (3:00 pm kick-off) Ticket prices range from 10-25 UK pounds ($20-50 US)
6:30pm - Evening Dinner at Hotel
7:30 pm – Evening Free.

Day 8 – Sunday, August 7th, 2005
8:00am – Breakfast
9:30am – Depart for a half day visit to the historic City of Chester. See the cathedral and walk the Roman wall around the city.
1:30 pm – Afternoon of shopping at Chester’s top quality shopping outlets.
5:30 pm – Arrival back at hotel.
6:45pm - Evening Dinner at Hotel.
7:30pm - Evening free.

Day 9 – Monday, August 8th, 2005
7:45am – Breakfast
9:00am - Morning practice session at Manchester University (Astroturf)
11:30am – Depart for afternoon visit and guided tour to Old Trafford Stadium, home of the world’s most famous ‘football club’, Manchester United. See the Museum, player’s lounge, and the superstore!
1:40 pm – Group 1 – (Half of group) will start guided tour of Old Trafford Stadium (Booking Ref. Number 166565) (arrive 10 minutes early)
1:50 pm – Group 2 (Half of group) will start guided tour of Old Trafford Stadium (Booking Ref. Number 166566) (arrive 10 minutes early)
2:30 pm – Free time to visit the Manchester United Superstore.
4:00 pm – Depart Old Trafford.
4:15 pm – Evening Dinner at Hotel.
5:00 pm – Depart for evening game at Airbus Stadium. (Welsh Premier League Team)
7:00pm – Fourth international friendly game vs. Airbus UK (U19 pro academy team)

Day 10 – Tuesday, August 9th, 2005
7:30am – Breakfast
8:30am - Depart Manchester for London, England’s capitol city, for a four-night stay.
1:30pm - Afternoon arrival, orientation, and free time to settle into local surroundings.
5:30pm - Evening Dinner at hotel.
7:15pm – Light jog/stretch.

Day 11 – Wednesday, August 10th, 2005
7:45am – Breakfast
9:00am – Depart for sightseeing day in London; see Trafalgar Square, Covent Gardens, Big Ben, House of Commons, Tower of London. Free time for shopping afterwards.
5:00pm - Evening Dinner
7:00pm – Fifth international friendly game vs. Reading FC (Time TBD)

Day 12 – Thursday, August 11th, 2005
8:00am – Breakfast
8:30am – Depart for free day for shopping and sightseeing in London.
12:30 pm – Depart on bus for afternoon game at Watford FC Training Ground
2:30 pm – Sixth international friendly game vs. Watford FC Professional Youth Academy at Watford Training Ground.
6:15 pm - Evening Dinner at hotel
7:30 pm – Evening Free.

Day 13 – Friday, August 12th, 2005
7:30am – Breakfast
8:45am – Depart for morning visit to professional club to view pro team practice session.
1:30pm - Afternoon free time in London for sightseeing and last minute shopping!
6:30pm - Evening farewell dinner at Hotel.

Day 14 – Saturday, August 13th, 2005
4:00am – Breakfast (to go)
4:15am – Depart on bus for airport
7:55am - 53 people depart London Heathrow
10:15am – Arrive at Chicago O’Hare’s international airport.

Hope College Europe Trip Team Roster

2005-07-07T15:17:00.000-07:00

Coaches: Steve Smith (16th year) and Lee Schopp (12th year)

SR. - Phil Lepper (back)
SR. - Geoffrey Meyer (back)
SR. - Devin McNeil (forward)
SR. - Bryan Johnson (midfield)
JR. - Bain Rumohr (midfield)
SO. - Gunnar Martin (forward)
JR. - Joseph Orr (midfield)
JR. - Nathaniel VanHorn (forward)
JR. - Patrick McMahon (back)
SO. - Mark Dishnow (goalkeeper)
SO. - Tim Nelson (midfield)
SR. - Kevin Butterfield (goalkeeper)
SR. - Karter Klingenberg (forward)
SO. - Ryan Robleske (back)
JR. - Jordan Goorhouse (midfield)
SO. - Bryan Mulder (back)
SO. - Dan Tresslar (midfield)
SO. - Brady Jensen (back)
SO. - Mike Amerman (goalkeeper)
JR. - Jeff Carlson (midfield)
JR. - Craig Root (back)

HOPE COLLEGE MEN'S SOCCER

2005-06-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the official blog for the Hope College Men's Soccer team. This blog was created to keep interested parties informed of the latest news and events of the Hope College Men's Soccer team.

Our first noteworthy event will be our third European soccer tour. The team will depart on July 31 and return August 13, 2005. During the tour, the team will visit Glasgow, Scotland, Manchester, England, and London, England. On the tour, the team will be playing in six matches as well as attending two professional matches and attending professional training sessions. Prior to the trip, the blog will be updated with a roster and more complete itinerary of the trip. While the trip is in progress, coaches and players will provide daily commentary of our trip, pictures, and detailed match reports.

Following the completion of the trip, the team will have just over a week before convening on campus for the start of the 2005 season. The blog will allow us to provide quick updates on a weekly basis (and after matches during the season), as well as highlight upcoming events, etc. Please continue to check the blog as we get closer to the date of our trip to Europe.