The Case Western Reserve University men’s soccer team started the season off strong with a 3-0 shutout win against the University of Mount Union. The Spartans were in command the entire game, with Mount Union only getting one shot on goal throughout. In the second game of the weekend, the team fell 1-0 to Thomas More College, dropping their record to 1-1-0.

Against the Mount Union Purple Raiders, second-year midfielder Paul Darmstadter started scoring. He beat the keeper with a header from a cross by third-year student Jack Rademacher  26 minutes into the game. The Spartans did have six more shots in that half of the game, however none of them were on goal.

In the second half, the Spartans took full control of the game. Fourth-year forward Joshua Prosser started the scoring just three minutes and 18 seconds into the half off of a pass from fellow fourth-year student Jacob Grindel.

The Spartans did not let up pressure, outshooting the Purple Raiders 7-3 in the half. In addition, the team had four corner kicks in the second half compared to only one for Mount Union. Prosser found the back of the net again, this time in the 80th minute to put the Spartans up 3-0. First-year student Taylor Hosley assisted Prosser in the play. Overall, the Spartans set the tone for the season with a convincing win.

In the Spartans’ second game, the team played a much tighter match. Despite the huge disparity in shots on goal—none for the Spartans and seven for the Saints—Thomas More only scored one time. The goal came in the 83rd minute thanks to a goal from fourth-year forward Brian Runyon.

The team split up goaltending duties during the game, with fourth-year student Thomas Nolan playing in the first half and third-year student Calvin Boyle playing the second. Nolan had four saves during a half in which neither team scored and Boyle had one save.

Despite showing strong offensive capabilities in the first game, the Spartans sputtered in their second match when the team amassed only four total shots against Thomas More. That offensive performance must improve if the team wants to build off of their strong season last year, when they finished second in the University Athletic Association.

The Spartans will take on DePauw University at DiSanto Field this Sunday, Sept. 11 at 2 p.m.