Night of Nets to Stamp Out Malaria

The Cornerstone University men's and women's soccer programs are once again hosting a unique global fundraising event seeking to raise resources to purchase bed nets to help stop the spread of malaria in Africa and to raise awareness in the soccer and college campus communities of this need.

This year, the women's volleyball team has joined the effort as well, meaning there are three chances to come out and support both CU athletics and a global cause. The first two events will be held at the men's and women's soccer games on Sept. 26 and Sept. 28, respectively, while the third event will be hosted at the women's volleyball game on Oct. 3. All three games are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.

There will be a suggested $6 admission fee (the cost of a bed net) for these matches. All proceeds from these events will go directly toward the prevention of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Donations for malaria prevention work will also be taken at the games and can be made online at www.teamworldvision.org/cornerstone.

Every night, more than 2,000 children worldwide die from malaria. Spread by mosquitoes, malaria is one of the world's deadliest predators, killing more than 750,000 children under the age of 5 every year and costing Africa's economy more than $12 billion in productivity.

For the price of attending a college soccer game, World Vision will provide a long lasting, insecticide-treated bed net that will reduce the incidence of malaria by between 50-60 percent for at least two children in an African home. In summary, every person who pays admission to these soccer and volleyball matches will personally help improve and save the lives of children at great health risk in Africa.

The bed nets purchased as a result of past Night of Nets events were distributed in the spring of 2012. Students and staff were able to see first-hand the great need and remarkable opportunity for impact on a recent CU Global Opportunities trip to Zambia, where malaria is a major health concern.

Cornerstone's goal this year is to raise $30,000-the total cost of 5,000 bed nets that will directly and immediately help save and improve the lives and futures of over 10,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa.

In an effort to help CU reach that goal, the Cornerstone University Chapter of Student Veterans of America announced in chapel that their members have pooled their donations and have pledged $1,000 to match donations made within the first 30 minutes of the gates opening at the men's game on Sept. 26.

Bell has High Hopes for 2012

According to Cornerstone University's men's soccer head coach Mark Bell, his goal for the team this season is the same as it is every year: to win the WHAC Tournament. The Golden Eagles have not advanced past the second round of the postseason since 2006, but Bell, who is entering his 15th season on the sidelines, feels his 2012 squad is ready to take the next step.

"This is a veteran team," says Bell. "We would like to advance further into the WHAC tournament than we've done in the past. We have been disappointed in the last three years since we've bowed out of the tournament long before where our expectations have led us to believe we might go."

Bell feels this year's team will have success based on its veteran leadership. The Golden Eagles welcome back nine starters from last season's regular season WHAC champions that posted an 11-7 overall record, including a 5-1 WHAC mark. While the ultimate goal is reaching and then advancing in the NAIA Tournament, success in the regular season is what opens the door to the postseason.

Isaac Grotenhuis, Matt Osorio, Jake Stanko and Jordan Wilson all earned first-team all-WHAC honors in 2011. Grotenhuis returns as Cornerstone's leading goal scorer, having deposited nine goals to go along with three assists one season ago.

The mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers should have the Golden Eagles in position to achieve the ultimate goal of reaching the NAIA tournament.

The season kicked off on Aug. 30 with a home game against Robert Morris University, which played to a 0-0 tie. After six games, the Golden Eagles are 3-2-1, playing a difficult schedule against ranked opponents. The conference season will begin with a game against Concordia University on Sept. 22 and the regular season will conclude on Oct. 27.

"It's one of the hardest schedules we have had in a number of years," states Bell. "We have the 17 games, along with a tough preseason. You always want to test the players and you want to find out how they compare against tough competition. We are always looking to play the best teams that we can possibly play. It tests us and hopefully prepares us for the postseason."