Oct. 7, 2004
By Tim Musachio
Staff Writer

The Fighting Bees men’s soccer team has rallied since losing two straight early in September. The Bees have ripped off four wins in a row including a big conference win against Iowa Wesleyan, 5-1.

The win improved the Bees overall record to 9-3 and 2-0 in conference play. Freshman Greg Lehman guided the team with two goals. Clint Mattingly, Ryan Davis and Adam Trent also scored.

This year senior forward Robbie Mayfield has led the charge with the most goals and points in conference.

The silent hero during the Bee’s success has been junior goalkeeper Nick Rojas. The junior from Morton Grove, Ill. leads the conference in lowest goals per game.

A meeting with seventh ranked Judson College in Elgin, Ill. was next on the agenda. Despite a 3-1 loss, the Bees were very much in the game. Missed opportunities plagued the Bees as well as two deflected goals at their own end. Lehman scored the lone goal for the Bees.

“Playing Judson was a great opportunity for us. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain,” head coach Bud Grant said. “I am very confident the team is where they should be.”

The Bees would then take on another conference opponent in Viterbo, and would come out on the winning end, giving them a 10-4 overall record and an untarnished 3-0 record in the Midwest Classic Conference.

With just four games left in conference and six games left overall the Bees look to continue their early season success and have it carry over into the post-season.

This year the Bees will be the last team standing win or lose. Coach Grant feels the team’s conditioning has played a major role in their success.

“Our number one strength is our fitness. That’s something we just dominate other teams with,” Grant said.

The Bees next test will come against NAIA no. 22 Grandview in a big conference game at 3:00 game on Oct. 16 at the Davenport Soccer Complex.

The Righting Bees will also face the Augustana Vikings in a rivalry game on Thursday, Oct. 21 in Rock Island under the lights of Augustana College with game time set for 8:00.

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