by Cody Baugh

Expectations were high for the veteran men’s soccer team this season as 10 players would be hanging up their black and gold jersey at the end of year.

It was an up and down season for Pat Nearing’s squad who managed to post a winning record of 6-4-3 and slide into the final AUS playoff spot. The Tigers started the season on a positive note with a 7-0 thumping of Mount Allison on home turf. The offence dried up in the Tigers next two matches as they fell 3-0 to both the Acadia Axemen and the UNB Varsity Reds.

Following a 1-2 start to the 2015 campaign, Dalhousie strung together a pair of wins, outscoring their opponents 7-0 in the span.

Dalhousie fought to a draw against the Memorial Sea-Hawks in the final game of September. Fifth-year midfielder, Bezick Evraire notched his eighth goal in just six matches to start the contest, but the Sea-Hawks scored late forcing the Tigers to settle for a tie.

The month of October treated the Tigers well as they posted a 3-1-2 record.  After beating two strong opponents in the UPEI Panthers and the StFX X-Men, the Tigers suffered their first loss in over a  month to the Cape Breton Capers at Wickwire Field on Sunday, October 25.

With just two games remaining in the Tigers schedule, they were in need of at least one win to secure a playoff spot. Dalhousie came up clutch beating the StFX X-Men who finished the season one spot back of the Tigers in the AUS standings. The two sides were deadlocked at 2-2 heading into the final minutes of the game until Evraire came through in the 88th minute, scoring the game-winning goal.

Dalhousie went on to drop their final matchup of the season 3-2 to the Cape Breton Capers.

Heading into their playoff matchup against the Axemen, the Tigers were banged up and without starter James Nearing and lost captains Jack Schembri and Mark Hagen part way through the game. After a scoreless first half, the Tigers fell 2-0 after Acadia notched two goals in the second half, ending the Tigers season.

Bezick Evraire had another MVP-worthy season to end his CIS soccer career finishing the year with 10 goals, second best in the AUS and was named an AUS first team all-star and a CIS second team all-Canadian. Jonny Doucett and Mark Hagen were named AUS second team all-stars, while Sangmuk Choi was selected as both the CIS and AUS student-athlete community service award winner.

While next season will be a transition year for Dalhousie who will be losing 10 players to graduation, injuries allowed the likes of newcomer Freddy Bekkers to prove their ability at the AUS level.

“Freddy Bekkers came in as rookie, took a starting spot and never gave it up,” says head coach Pat Nearing. “He was excellent, very consistent and effective. I see a great future for him in this league as a Tiger.”