Athlete's Journal -- Life of a college athlete
With three days to go before the first game of the regular season, the Franklin and Marshall Diplomats men's soccer team is set for a championship run.
The battle for supremacy in the Centennial Conference Championship started last November.
Johns Hopkins ended a surprising run by the Franklin and Marshall Diplomats in penalty kicks in the conference championship game.
The trip to Baltimore was long, and the taste left in the mouths of the Diplomats was one that they never want to have again.
The next battle of this war begins now, as preseason is winding down and the regular season is just about ready to begin.
Head coach Dan Wagner finished his first year as a college coach with an 8-9-2 record.
He is ready to bring his record above .500 for the first time since he beat his brother from Eastern University in the opening game last season.
The Diplomats then went on to play four of the next five games on the road against teams that had won national championships in recent history.
A 1-5 record left the Diplomats angry and ready all at once, as the conference schedule was upon them, and at that point there was only one thing that truly mattered.
At present, the Diplomats open their season on Friday against Pitt-Greensburg at home.
This game is a true test to show that last season's 7-2 conference record was no fluke.
Pitt-Greensburg made the NCAA tournament last year, as they won their conference and finished with one of the best records in Division III soccer.
The following weekend is a trip to Virginia where the Diplomats will play in the Roanoke Tournament. In the opener, they will face Ferrum on Saturday Sept. 6, followed by a game against the hosts the following day.
Roanoke also was an NCAA Tournament participant last season and a 3-0 record for the Diplomats could prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.
The conference schedule will be just as tough as last year with the end coming on November 1 in a return to Baltimore against the defending champion Blue Jays.
Hopefully, this final regular season game will have the same ramifications as last year with the winner possibly hosting the conference tournament.
The battle begins on Friday and the Diplomats are ready.
Johns Hopkins ended a surprising run by the Franklin and Marshall Diplomats in penalty kicks in the conference championship game.
The trip to Baltimore was long, and the taste left in the mouths of the Diplomats was one that they never want to have again.
The next battle of this war begins now, as preseason is winding down and the regular season is just about ready to begin.
Head coach Dan Wagner finished his first year as a college coach with an 8-9-2 record.
He is ready to bring his record above .500 for the first time since he beat his brother from Eastern University in the opening game last season.
The Diplomats then went on to play four of the next five games on the road against teams that had won national championships in recent history.
A 1-5 record left the Diplomats angry and ready all at once, as the conference schedule was upon them, and at that point there was only one thing that truly mattered.
At present, the Diplomats open their season on Friday against Pitt-Greensburg at home.
This game is a true test to show that last season's 7-2 conference record was no fluke.
Pitt-Greensburg made the NCAA tournament last year, as they won their conference and finished with one of the best records in Division III soccer.
The following weekend is a trip to Virginia where the Diplomats will play in the Roanoke Tournament. In the opener, they will face Ferrum on Saturday Sept. 6, followed by a game against the hosts the following day.
Roanoke also was an NCAA Tournament participant last season and a 3-0 record for the Diplomats could prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.
The conference schedule will be just as tough as last year with the end coming on November 1 in a return to Baltimore against the defending champion Blue Jays.
Hopefully, this final regular season game will have the same ramifications as last year with the winner possibly hosting the conference tournament.
The battle begins on Friday and the Diplomats are ready.
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