#6 Spartans Start 2025 Season Saturday
Cayuga Community College Men's Soccer returns to the pitch this week to follow-up a record-breaking 2024 campaign that saw them fall one match short of the NJCAA Nationals.
After finishing 2024 with a 15-1 record, the Spartans enter 2025 ranked #6 in the NJCAA preseason poll. They'll begin their defense of the Mid-State Athletic Conference title and regular season Region III championship on the road against Finger Lakes Community College. The match is 1 p.m. Saturday, August 30.
Coach Chris Davison knows the team will have to adjust to losing most of the starters from last year's team, but believes this year's squad has the talent to reach the same heights.
"It's hard losing some of the major players from the past two years, but we're stronger in some positions than we were last year. We stand a good chance of being where we were last year," he said.
In 2024, Cayuga posted a program best 14-0 regular season finish and set a slew of program records. After a home playoff win over Jamestown Community College to open the regionals, Cayuga lost 2-1 in the finals to eventual national champion Mohawk Valley Community College.
Cayuga graduated much of its starting roster from that team, including All-Americans Will Fearon and Jake Botterill, who twice led the NJCAA in goals scored and holds the program record for most goals scored in a career.
The roster turnover doesn't worry Davison, who said the team has a talented incoming class and strong returning players including Matthew Manton, Joseph Edet, Kai Reading and keeper Matthew Chitty.
"We have good roster size and good depth, and we've learned a lot in each of our four scrimmages leading into the season. We came away with good results and good team performances," said Davison. "We've adjusted from what we did last year and are playing in a different style that matches the talent we have on this year's team."
A challenging schedule awaits the Spartans. They open on the road against the Lakers, who enter the season unranked but are coming off a 2024 campaign in which they reached nationals. Cayuga's second match, also away, is against preseason #1 Mohawk Valley.
They also have away matches against Herkimer College (#5 in preseason polls) and perennial power Onondaga Community College, and host a strong Genesee Community College team.
"I think this is the best region in Division III, and only two teams make it to the nationals from our region. Making it to Nationals is always the goal for myself and our team," said Davison.
The Spartans' home opener is Wednesday, September 10, against SUNY Broome. They follow that with three more home contests: against Fulton-Montgomery CC (Sept. 13), Genesee (Sept. 17), and Tompkins Cortland CC (Sept. 24).