Lindenwood - Winter 2017 - Connecting to Alumni and Friends

Lindenwood University-Belleville SPORTS LYNX SOCCER SHOWS RESILIENCE AS SEASON PROGRESSES by CHARLIE MAGER The Lindenwood University– Belleville men’s and women’s soccer teams have shown a fierce sense of determination to succeed through the latter part of the 2017 season, as both teams managed to make the American Midwest Conference tournament thanks in large part to a late season surge by both teams. When the men’s soccer season began on Saturday, Aug. 26, Head Coach Dan Hogan entered his seventh year with the Lynx in hopes of coaching his team to the AMC tournament, but things got off to a rocky start. After dropping the opening game 1-0 to the Saint Xavier University Cougars, the Lynx went on to lose six of their first eight games and tied the other two. However, once October rolled around, the Lynx began playing more as a team unit. From Oct. 4 through Nov. 4, the Lynx recorded a 6-2 record, earning themselves a No. 5 seed in the AMC tournament. “I really don’t think we were playing any better than we have all year but now we were starting to get the rewards for the work that we have put in,” Head Coach Dan Hogan said. “The team spirit is still high despite our difficult start to the season.” Although the Lynx lost 2-1 in double overtime in the AMC quarterfinals to the Central Baptist College Mustangs, the turnaround they made this season leaves them with high hopes of starting off strong next season and making the AMC tournament again. The Lady Lynx had a season much like the men’s. They lost their first five games of the season but didn’t get discouraged; they pulled themselves together as a team unit and showed significant improvement during the second half of the season. On Wednesday, Sept. 20, the Lady Lynx edged the Bethel University Wildcats 1-0 for their first win of the season and then took off, winning three in a row and beginning their late-season surge. From Sept. 20 through the end of the season on Oct. 30, the Lady Lynx recorded a 10-3 record (9-3 in the conference) and earned themselves a No. 4 seed in the AMC tournament. In the opening game, the Lady Lynx defended their home turf by defeating the Freed-Hardeman University Lions for the second time this season in a hard-fought 2-1 victory to advance to the AMC semifinals, where they lost 4-1 to the Columbia College Cougars. “Beating the same team twice is a difficult task, especially back-to-back in the end of the season,” Head Coach Erika Baptist said. “Great competition at Freed-Hardeman, we are grateful to see another day. Learning while winning has fostered our success.” 20 I really don’t think we were playing any better than we have all year, but now we were starting to get the rewards for the work that we have put in.” Men’s Head Coach Dan Hogan “