Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 1, Stevens 0

by Michaela Alfano '25

Junior forward Aiden Wightman (Beavercreek/Beavercreek) scored the game-winning goal with less than 3 minutes left in the game to give Ohio Wesleyan a win over Stevens on Sunday at the Jay Martin Soccer Complex.

Wightman's goal came off of a play started by junior back Tristan Ruiz de Somocurcio (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory), who slid a ball to the feet of senior midfielder Drew Doza (Lexington, Ky. /Dunbar).  Doza played the ball to the center of the box, where Wightman was able to slide it past Ducks keeper Guillermo Castaneda-Chang for a 1-0 advantage in the 88th minute.

Leading up to the goal, the Bishops had 11 other chances to score.  An early free kick in the 15th minute was called after Castaneda-Chang was called for a hand ball. Senior forward Jaggar Brooker (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) took the shot, but the ball was collected.

In the 40th minute, junior back Gabe O'Reilly (Westerville/Columbus St. Charles) had a close call header which Stevens was able to clear from the box.

The Bishops held strong going into the second half where Stevens continued to press, but were able to keep them scoreless.  Stevens outshot the Bishops, 10-7, in the second half after an even 5-5 first half of play.

Ohio Wesleyan had another close scoring opportunity off a free kick from Brooker in the 60th minute that sailed right past the left post of the goal.  Brooker and senior forward Franklin Rodriguez (Santiago, Dominican Republic/Berkshire (Mass.)) both finished with 3 shot attempts, leading the count for the Bishops. 

"I think it was a good college soccer game between two pretty good teams," said Bishop head coach Jay Martin.  "It was as even as could be, but we had one moment of brilliance that won the game for us.  They were a tough team to play against -- they were physical and pushed us around, and our execution was not good during the first half, but we responded better in the second half.  Sam (Whitman) did well in the goal, Mathias Koo played well, Franklin (Rodriguez) played well, and Alex Bucher played well."

Junior Sam Whitman (Baltimore, Md./Friends School of Baltimore) finished with 5 saves in the Bishop goal.

The Fred Myers Invitational has been one of the featured events on the Battling Bishops' schedule for more than 40 seasons.  It honors the memory of Fred Myers, the self-styled "grandfather" of Ohio soccer coaches who died of a heart attack in 1977, two weeks shy of his 51st birthday.  Myers took over the 2-year-old Ohio Wesleyan soccer program in 1957.  His 20 teams went on to fashion a .608 winning percentage and earn 8 trips to the NCAA playoffs.  Two squads stood out:  the 1963 team, which won the Mideast Region College Division championship, then the highest level of NCAA play; and the 1975 team, which finished third nationally, then Ohio Wesleyan's best finish ever.  In 8 years of Ohio Athletic Conference competition, Myers' squads won 4 championships and twice finished in second place.  Myers was named Ohio Coach of the Year in 1971 and 1973.

Box Score