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GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Gettysburg College men's soccer team turned in a winning campaign despite taking part in one of the most competitive seasons in the history of the Centennial Conference.

The Bullets finished 8-7-2 overall with six setbacks by just one goal, including every loss in a 4-5 finish to the conference campaign. Gettysburg's chance at a postseason berth came right down to the final weeks of the regular season.

With the graduation of several key members, the Orange and Blue entered this fall with a crop of new and familiar faces, all looking to make an immediate impact. Several did just that as Gettysburg opened the year at home with shutouts of SUNY Fredonia (2-0) and Gordon College (3-0). Three Bullets notched their first career goals in the victories, while freshman goalkeeper Mike Walmer (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) made an impressive debut with a combined eight saves.

A pair of ties followed before a match up with top-ranked Messiah College on Sept. 16. Gettysburg maintained a tie with the Falcons for 70 minutes on the strength of goals by freshman Ben Tabor (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon) and sophomore Kyle DeBlois (Princeton, N.J./Cranbury), but the hosts reeled off the match's final three scores to prevail 5-2.

The Bullets bounced back with their first conference win over Ursinus College (3-1) and a non-conference decision at Eastern University (2-0) as DeBlois lit the lamp three more times.

Gettysburg's next four opponents came away with one-goal decisions. Each of the first three came in conference action as Muhlenberg College and Franklin & Marshall College each won 1-0 with goals in the final 10 minutes of play and No. 18 Swarthmore College pulled out a 4-3 win with the game-winner in the 89th minute.

Under .500 for the first time, the Bullets responded by winning their next three matches, including a dominating 6-2 victory at Haverford College. Senior Geoff Menge (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) lit the lamp three times and added an assist, while classmate Ryan Shaffer (Biglerville, Pa./Biglerville) added two goals and one helper.

Following another one-goal loss to Dickinson College, the Orange and Blue turned in their biggest win of the season, taking down eventual conference champion No. 18 Johns Hopkins University 3-2. The Bullets lit the lamp three times in the opening half with Tabor netting the eventual game-winner.

McDaniel College bested Gettysburg 2-1 in double-overtime in the season finale, despite 11 saves from sophomore Michael Nemeth (Flourtown, Pa./Germantown Academy) and senior Drew Erickson's (Overland Park, Kan./Friends Central School (Pa.)) second penalty-kick goal in as many contests.

Four Bullets were recognized by the conference for their efforts on the pitch. Menge became the first Gettysburg player ever to cop all-conference accolades four times, getting the nod on the first team for the second year in a row. Senior Chris Brown (Far Hills, N.J./Ridge), Erickson, and Shaffer each earned spots on the honorable mention team.

DeBlois finished as the team leader in scoring with 16 points on six goals and four assists. Menge turned in his fourth-straight season with at least 14 points with five goals and four helpers and sophomore Eric Hynes (Far Hills, N.J./The Pingry School) posted five goals and three assists. Shaffer and Tabor were key contributors on offense as well with a dozen and nine points, respectively.

Defensively, Gettysburg started three first-year players in goal with Walmer leading the way with an 8-3-2 record, 1.08 goals against average, and six shutouts. Erickson anchored the back line which included seniors Rich Kampert (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) and Peter Lynch (West Chester, Pa./The Haverford School), sophomore Teddy McCarthy (Longmeadow, Mass./Loomis Chaffee School (Conn.)), and freshman Thomas Siekmann (Washington Crossing, Pa./Council Rock North).

Junior Teddy Smith (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) was a regular starter in the midfield once again, while other regular contributors included junior Tyler Cook (Schwenksville, Pa./Malvern Prep), sophomore Kon Kuznetsov (Ardmore, Pa./The Shipley School), and freshmen Evan Tinter (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven) and Andrew McLane (Newtown, Pa./St. Joe's Prep).

The Bullets lose all four of their all-conference selections to graduation, but the team could potentially return 16 players with starting experience in 2010.