Sophomore Chris Walker passes the ball to his teammate on Sept. 10. Walker assisted on the one goal scored by the Bisons in the game against Lyon College. Grant Schol The team comes together in a huddle before its Sept. 5 game versus Dallas Baptist University. Senior Ryan Wilhelm and freshman Jackson Buchanan scored one goal each for the Bisons during the game. Jeff Montgomery Senior Jacob Stevens kicks the ball away from his opponent on Sept. 10. Stevens scored four goals and had one assist during the season. Grant Schol IMPACTED BY THE BACKLINE D uring his first year playing for the men's soccer team, freshman Seth Peterson earned a spot as starting goalkeeper, a rare feat for someone so young. This was a huge personal accomplishment for Peterson and, according to his teammates, he made a tremendous impact on the team. In high school, Peterson did not consider the possibility of goalkeeping for a college team during his freshman year. However, when the soccer team's head coach Odie Guzman told Peterson that it could happen, Peterson began working hard to make it a reality. Peterson went through extensive training to prepare himself for the position. During the summer, he followed the fitness schedule that Guzman had given the team. "I knew that it was going to take a lot of hard work," Peterson said. "And so that's what I did. I put in every ounce of effort I had to pass the fitness test. I put all I had into all the practices, and it came out well for me." According to Peterson, there were many differences between training at the high school level and training at the collegiate level. "There's a lot more competition for the starting spot in college than there was in high school because you don't have to work for it," Peterson said. "In college, it doesn't just take skill. It takes leadership; it takes effort. You have to deserve that spot, and in college it's very unpredictable, and it's a job. What you put into it in college is what you get out of it." Throughout his time playing soccer, Peterson came to realize that the goalkeeper could have a deep influence on the confidence of the team. A trustworthy goalkeeper allowed his teammates to play at their best. "The team plays differently [depending on] how confident they are in their backline and their keeper," Peterson said. "If they are confident in their defense and their goalkeeper, they will be more aggressive, whereas a team who is not confident in their keeper, it holds them back offensively." Peterson was described by his teammates as a high-energy guy who always pushed his team to be the best they could be. Senior Ryan Wilhelm, a striker on the team, enjoyed playing alongside Peterson. "Seth brings a lot of energy to the team,'' Wilhelm said. "I think that's a good contribution. Every day at practice, he always brings it, and he pushes the rest of the team to be better." Guzman praised Peterson for his effort and the example he set for the rest of the team. Since the goalkeeper was the last line of defense, it was especially important to have a consistent player in the position. "He's made a huge contribution to the soccer team with his skillset and his work ethic,'' Guzman said. "He's been working with a private instructor and sharpening his weaknesses ... Our team as a whole has been really confident in having him back there as a goal keeper and being that last defender for us ... It's been really neat for him to be out there, and he's just a really good guy." Peterson took his role as goalkeeper seriously, knowing that each position on the soccer team was crucial to its success. He was honored to be a freshman starter and did his best to be a leader in his position. Kelsey Pierce
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