Men's Soccer News Releases
Young Rams finish season 4-13 overall
Ram rewind - Cornell wrapped up the 2009 season with a 4-0 Iowa Conference loss to Dubuque Saturday on Senior Day in Mount Vernon.
The Rams finished the campaign 4-13 overall and 1-7 in IIAC play under first-year head coach Derek Bell. The four wins were the most in a season since 2005, when the Rams finished 5-9-3.
"We made strides in our overall play the last couple weeks and were able to compete with teams in the conference," Bell said. "Our team definitely took a step forward, competing at a higher level than in years past. We have a lot of things going to support us moving forward."
After allowing a couple quick goals Saturday, Cornell hung with a tough Spartan squad (14-3-2, 7-1) that finished second in the IIAC regular-season race. Dubuque built a 2-0 lead only 14 minutes into the match and stretched the margin to 3-0 just before halftime. The Spartans tallied their final goal at the 66-minute mark.
Freshman goalkeeper Ben Alleva (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) recorded 10 saves for the Rams, marking the fifth match this season he's reached double figures in saves. He finished the year with 117 saves, the fifth-best single-season total since 1999.
The Rams were outshot 28-3. Freshman Ben Folan (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy) worked 10 scoreless minutes in relief of Alleva and picked up three saves.
Rams in the rankings - Cornell finished second in the IIAC in saves with 7.41 per match. Alleva was second among league goalkeepers with 7.31 saves per contest. Junior Sungeun Kim (Kathmandu, Nepal/Lincoln) and freshman Alex Beehler (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Cental) tied for eighth in goals scored with 0.38 per match.
A look ahead - Cornell graduates four players from this year's squad in Kyle Roberts (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly), Ryan Walden (Edina, Minn./Edina), Joey Vandermause (Madison, Wis./Northland Pines) and Andrew Rasmussen (Cedar Rapids/Conserve). Roberts and Vandermause are both four-year letterwinners.
The Rams bring back eight starters next fall, including their top three scorers in Beehler (14 points), Kim (13) and junior Kobina Essandoh (8). Cornell also returns both keepers in Alleva and Folan. The Rams started four freshmen through most of the season.
"I'm excited about the youth on our team and prospective players that will be part of the growth of this program," Bell said. "With the core group of players back, we are looking to add impact players."
