On Saturday, Sept. 10, the Elizabethtown College men’s soccer team lost the Smith-Herr Boot match against Franklin & Marshall (F&M).

The game got off to a slow start, with both teams struggling to make any headway. Etown was outshot by F&M with four missed shots to Etown’s zero shots in the first half, but still couldn’t find the back of the net.

F&M forward Nathan Schlessinger made the first and only goal of the game in the 24th minute of the first half.

Tensions ran high during the second half, with back and forth action between both teams’ defenses. The stands were on fire, as students and spectators watched for any quick turnaround.

The Blue Jays made multiple efforts to even the scoreboard, with Etown senior  Ryan Hepler and graduate student Ed Rainey making solid attempts at the goal but were ultimately unsuccessful.

The final score was 0-1, with F&M taking home the win.

“It was a really high energy game with a lot riding on it,” Etown sophomore forward Hayden Oldham said. “I think we started out really slow, but definitely brought the game to them in the second half.”

“F&M is a top 20 ranked team in the country and has been for all five of my years here at Etown,” Etown defender Rainey said. “With that said, I could not have been prouder of my team and how we fought and competed. We showed character and got to see how we compare to a team of that caliber.”

When asked about the upcoming season, both players were excited for what’s to come.

“I am hopeful and looking forward to another NCAA run this season,” Rainey said. “I believe that my team is more than capable of making it, if we play how we know we can.”

“Winning more games and making memories, on and off the field,” Oldham said. “Also, I just look forward to building our family even more as the season goes on.”