Five members of the Hobart College soccer team were honored by the Statesmen Athletic Association and the Hobart Athletics Department at the Block H Awards Dinner on May 3. The Stephen R. Murphy ’77 Memorial Award was presented to sophomore forward
Tommy Hayes as the team’s most valuable player.
Senior defender
Matt Geswell was honored with the Ray Demuth Award, while sophomore midfielder
Michael Moulton took home the Geoffrey S. Pearselay ’75 Award. Additionally, first-year midfielders
Will Abbott and
Alex Kittelberger shared the Rookie Award for Soccer.
A National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region pick, Hayes finished the season with a team-high 14 points. He led the Statesmen with six assists and netted four goals. Hayes recorded the game-winner in a 3-0 win at Ithaca, and assisted on two game-winning goals; in a 2-1 win at Union and a 2-1 win vs. Hamilton. In a victory at Nazareth, Hayes registered a six-point performance with two goals and two helpers, tying the program record for points in a game. He completed the season ranked third in the Liberty League in assists and 10th in points. Also a first-team All-Liberty League selection, Hayes was named the league’s Offensive Performer of the Week once.
Geswell, who was also a co-recipient of the
William C. Stiles ’43 Memorial Award, earned the Ray Demuth Award for the second time in his career. The honor is given to the member of the soccer squad that has demonstrated significant improvement, untiring perseverance, and the will to win. Geswell anchored a Statesmen defense that finished the year ranked third in the Liberty League in points allowed per game (2.57) and second in shutouts (9). He also contributed to the offense with two assists; both were on long throw-ins from the sideline. He was named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team, and is a three-time Liberty League All-Academic honoree. Geswell wrapped his career with seven assists and a game-winning goal in 81 matches.
An All-Liberty League honorable mention and Liberty League All-Tournament Team selection, Moulton started all 20 games he played in this fall. He ranked second on the team with 13 points, totaling five goals, including three game-winners, and three assists. Moulton scored the game-winning goals vs. RIT, Medaille, and Hamilton, and assisted on the game-winner against Vassar. Moulton finished the season ranked second in the Liberty League in game-winning goals. He also earned a spot on the Liberty League All-Academic squad.
Kittelberger played in 18 games for the Statesmen, starting four. He tallied a team-high six goals on the season, including the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Vassar, to earn All-Liberty League honorable mention. Kittelberger also scored vs. Brockport, Fredonia, Ithaca, and Oneonta. He was tabbed the league’s Rookie of the Week three times.
Abbott tied Moulton for second on the team in scoring, tallying five goals and three assists for 13 points. He scored twice, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 win at St. Lawrence. All three of his assists this season set up game-winning goals, topping RIT, Utica, and St. John Fisher. Abbott played in all 21 matches, starting 15. He earned Liberty League Rookie of the Week honors twice.
The Statesmen finished the season with a 15-4-2 overall record and won the program’s first Liberty League Championship. Hobart earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year, advancing to the second round.