By the end of the day Saturday, Wabash soccer players could be celebrating their first ever berth in the North Coast Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament.
With the top four teams making the NCAC Tournament, Wabash currently is in fourth place in the league standings with a 4-4 mark.
Wabash, however, has a winnable game remaining. The Little Giants end their regular season Saturday at Oberlin, which is in fifth place in the league with a 3-3-1 mark.
For Wabash to make the conference tournament for the first time it joined the NCAC in 2000, the Little Giants first have to win their final game. If Wabash ties Oberlin, the Little Giants have to hope Hiram (2-3-2) loses or ties its final match.
Should Hiram win its final match (Saturday against Wittenberg) the Terriers would finish ahead of Wabash for the fourth spot.
“We are set up for a thrilling finish,” Wabash coach Roberto Giannini said. “I wish we could have had a little more ahead in the numbers, but we let some games get away. But they always say it’s not how you start the season, it’s how you finish. If we can win the game at Earlham, then we will go to Oberlin with a chance to play for our own destiny.”
Hiram still can finish ahead of the Little Giants despite Wabash beating the Terriers on the road 3-0 Oct. 17. Tonight, however, Hiram has to travel to second-place Denison, which has lost just one league game on the season.
The Little Giants are on pace to set more milestones than just advancing to the postseason tournament.
The eight wins are the most Wabash has had since 2003. With an 8-8-1 overall record, the Little Giants also can finish .500 or better for the first time since 1998.
Wabash has accomplished that feat with a young team featuring only two upperclassmen in the starting lineup. Out of the 11 starters, Giannini has six sophomores and three freshman on the field.
“Last year I started seven or eight freshmen, and those players gained that one year of experience and are now sophomores,” Giannini said. “And we have also brought in some good freshmen. We still have a very young team.”
Giannini also knows he team could have a better record. Five of Wabash’s losses have come by two goals or less, and the Little Giants have lost four one-goal games.
“We could be 13-4 very easily,” Giannini said. “Nobody has out played us this year, just in the losses we have made some mistakes just due to a lack of maturity. In a couple of the games, we have let teams come back on us when we have had a lead.”
Sophomore Dylan Andrew has led the Little Giants with five goals and eight assists.
“Dylan Andrew has just made a tremendous turnaround,” Giannini said. “Last year he was good at times, but he was sporadic. This year he came in much more physically fit and motivated. He has been focused every game and Dylan has made a big difference.”
Sophomore Femi Oluyedun is Wabash’s top goal scorer with seven and also has two assists.
“He just has tremendous potential and can be a force to be reckoned with,” Giannini said. “When he’s hot, he’s hot, and when it gets hot, it’s better for everybody.”