If one word had to be used to describe today's 3-1 win by the Truett McConnell Mens Soccer Team over Freed-Hardemen University it would have to be toughness.  Nothing came easy but the cheers after the game was over.  This match was a test of wills from the opening kick.

It was a great start for a team with a lot of new faces on the field and a new coach at the Helm.  Coach Damien Westfield, who took over after being an assistant last year, was very pleased with his teams' effort on the day.  "We struggled in the first half but responded well in the second.   One of our focuses has been on maintaining our toughness as the game progresses.  Our guys really went out there in the second half and gave it their all and it really paid off."

A welcome surprise today was the play of freshman James Surpas.   He led the team in goals with two on the day.  The first was to take the lead 2-1 and the second pushed the score to 3-1 and put the game away.  "James Surpas was a great surprise for us today.  We were short handed at the forward position and we had to move James up and he was brilliant today" commented Coach Westfield.   "It was special to have a freshman step and play the way he was able to."

James was helped out by Scott Conroy who shot a perfectly placed penalty kick into the goal to tie the game 1-1 early in the second half. 

Coach Westfield said about the start of the season, "I am just happy for the returners who made some sacrifices to come back.  It was great to start things off with a win like this and we hope to build on this foundation."

The Bears will be in action again on Saturday August 25 at Bryan College in Dayton Tn.