New recruits add international presence

Diversity proves to be no adversity for men’s soccer team

A less known fact about Palm Beach Atlantic University’s men’s soccer team is that more than 10 different countries are represented, including Scotland, Italy, France and Brazil.

“The team chemistry has been great so far this season,” said head soccer coach Brian McMahon. “The game of soccer is a global game, so there is a basic understanding and respect of all diversities among the team.”

Twenty-two new players were added to the men’s soccer team this year, which McMahon said created much excitement for the program. Seventeen of these players are from countries outside of the United States.

“The team has developed a strong bond since the beginning of the fall semester,” said junior fullback Branden Langenberg. “With 11 different nationalities on the team, our team has bonded quite well through what we call ‘FFF’.”

FFF stands for Forced Family Fun. This event is where the team gathers to grow closer through a variety of activities.

Langenberg added that the new players have coped well with the school and the team.

“We as a team plan on continuing to grow closer to one another off the field in order to increase our play on the field and maintain that cohesiveness,” Langenberg said.

Brazil native freshman forward Gabriel Saroli said he heard about PBA from one of McMahon’s former players.

Saroli said he trained during the summer and dedicated himself during the preseason.

“I have been playing soccer for about 16 years, since I was 2 years old,” said Saroli. “My individual goal is to able to start a game as soon as I become eligible.”

However, McMahon believes that these goals and training are a learning process.

“Coach McMahon has done a great job bringing the team together with such a high number of new players,” Langenberg said. “His methods of getting the team together off the field have really impacted the team’s cohesiveness positively.”

The ethic diversities have not affected the team as it has started the season 6-2-3.

“It is a very good and united team,” said Saroli. “Soon people will know us for winning the first NCAA national championship.”

New offerings added to spring intramural season

Ultimate Frisbee, ‘Monday Madness’ and indoor volleyball join line-up

In addition to the usual fare of intramural sports such as men’s and women’s basketball and co-ed soccer, Monday Madness is now added to the spring semester line-up, with Ultimate Frisbee and indoor volleyball to be added after Spring Break.

Monday Madness consists of four different sports that are played each Monday during the month of February. Monday Madness began with dodge ball on Feb. 3, followed by billiards on Feb. 10, badminton on Feb. 17, and battleship on Feb. 24.

All competitions are at 7 p.m. and usually occur in the Greene Complex. Badminton is tonight in the Oceanview lobby.

Jude Abeler of Team FLIGHT shoots over Chad Wagler of Le Pepe Le Pop in a game of 5-on-5 men’s basketball on Jan. 29. Team FLIGHT won the match 59-52. (Photo by Ryan Arnst)

Director of Intramurals Abigail Hews said she came up with the idea of Monday Madness as a way to offer more weekly one-time events at the Greene Complex.

“We know students don’t always have time to commit to a six-week intramural season, so we wanted to offer some competitive, one-day activities,” Hews said.

Hews came up with the idea of Ultimate Frisbee by seeing students play pick-up games each day on the intramural field.

“Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that anyone can play and is a great aerobic workout,” Hews said. “It is more of a recreational sport as opposed to a main athletic sport, which may draw new participants into the intramural program. The fact that it’s co-ed helps as well.”

In the future, Coordinator for Campus Recreation Chris Deitrick hopes the starting of Monday Madness events and hopefully with the future availability of the

Rinker Athletic fields will allow the Department of Campus Recreation to hold more events.

“We are trying hard to make this a recognizable product among the students,” Deitrick said. “We want to create an opportunity for some real bragging rights, and we want this to be something that the students talk about and look forward to each week.”

With a large incoming freshman class, Hews said that they have had more participants this year than usual.

“This class also seems to be really involved in campus activities, which helps boost up our numbers,” she said.

Students may sign up as an individual by going to imleagues. com, and they will be placed on a team in need of players.

Just short of regionals

Tie score in final game ends season for men’s soccer.

After suffering back-to-back shutouts to rival Rollins College and the University of Montevallo on Oct. 23 and Oct. 26, Palm Beach Atlantic University’s men’s soccer team knew it had to bounce back in order to qualify for regionals.

“The game against Rollins was a tale of two halves,” junior defenseman Branden Langenberg said. “The teams were pretty even going into half-time with Rollins leading 1-0.”

From a few mistakes on the Sailfish’s side, Rollins increased their lead, ultimately winning 5-0.

After the game, the Sailfish were not satisfied, knowing that they were a much better team than the one that showed up.

“It was simply a lapse in concentration of the game,” junior midfielder Mpumelelo Matutu said. “They finished their chances and we didn’t.”

Langenberg and the team were able to push the defeat past them at their next home game, where they defeated the University of Tampa 3-1 on Oct. 28.

“We knew that those games were behind us, and we had to go out and compete the way we know how to,” Langenberg said.

Seniors are honored on Nov. 9 during half-time against Lee University, the Sailfish’s final home game of the season. The game ended in a 2-2 tie.

The Sailfish followed the win against Tampa with wins in Tennessee against Christian Brothers University (5-2) and Union University (5-0).

The Sailfish headed to their home finale on Nov. 9 against Lee University, needing to win in order to qualify for regionals.

Although the game ended in a 2-2 tie, which ended the season, Head Coach Jose Gomez was proud of the way the team competed.

“We had more players compete at a high level than we ever had,” Gomez said. “We had a tremendous season with some big wins against Tampa and Barry. I am thrilled with what the team accomplished on the field.”

Already planning for next season, Gomez has started to heavily recruit and identify several quality players that would fit well at PBA.

Anticipating a very solid, well- balanced team in 2014, Gomez expects the upperclassmen to develop a culture that strives for excellence.

One of the tasks will include having to replace nine graduating seniors from this season.

Gomez says the standard will require all returning players to pour into the new students and invest in the lives of their team- mates.

“Overall, I am happy to see us achieve some team goals as well as some players accomplishing individual milestones,” Gomez said. “I look forward to revamping our roster for 2014 and continue to watch the Lord work in young men’s hearts.”