The Hobart College soccer team will host a pair of Liberty League contests this weekend in conjunction with its annual alumni weekend, Oct. 12-13, on Cozzens Field. On Friday, Hobart (5-4-2, 4-0-1) will host Union at 4 p.m. in the "Thrilla on the Hilla" game. The Statesmen will take on Rensselaer on Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
As a part of alumni weekend, the Statesmen will honor former coach Ray Demuth, the program's first varsity coach, on Saturday morning. The Colleges will dedicate two Adirondack chairs in his memory on his favorite spot on the hill at Cozzens Field. Demuth, who passed away last November, roamed the sidelines from 1953-1975. Demuth guided Hobart to its first winning season in 1954 and his 1960 squad was recognized as a Hobart Team of Distinction. The dedication will begin at 9:30 a.m.
 
Demuth was an ardent supporter of both the Hobart and William Smith soccer programs. "Ray was the biggest fan in the world when it came to supporting both the Statesmen and Herons," Hobart Soccer head coach Shawn Griffin said. "Regardless of the weather, there was one constant you could always count on at a Hobart and William Smith soccer game, Coach Demuth was going to be watching from his spot under the pine tree on the hill next to Cozzens Field."
 
The two Adirondack chairs will sit under the pine tree on the north side of the stands at Cozzens Field. One chair will recognize him as the first soccer coach of the Statesmen, the other will be dedicated in honor of his support for both the Statesmen and the Herons
 
Friday's contest against Union will be Hobart's "Thrilla on the Hilla" game. Students who remain at Cozzens Field for the entire game will receive a Hobart Soccer T-Shirt.
 
Former Statesmen will play their alumni game on St. Clair Field on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Following the alumni game, Hobart will take on Rensselaer. A Kettle Korn vendor will be at the game against the Engineers for fans to purchase popcorn.
 
The Statesmen enter today's game riding a four-match unbeaten streak. Junior Tristan Cornell Roberts leads the team with three goals and seven points. Sophomore Pete Critchlow has a team best two assists. Senior Alec Kaminer has played all but eight minutes in goal for Hobart. He is 5-4-2 with a 0.62 goals against average and a .881 save percentage. The Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week has not allowed a goal in 453:50.
 
The Dutchmen bring a 5-6-0 overall record and a 1-3-0 record in conference play into Friday's game. Last Saturday, Oct. 6, Union edged the Engineers 2-1 in Schenectady, N.Y. Salvador Lopez Jr. leads the team with eight goals, four assists and 20 points. Trevor Krupp has seen a majority of the action in goal. He is 1-5-0 with a 1.63 GAA and a .721 save percentage.
 
RPI enters the weekend with a 4-7-1 overall record and a 2-2-0 record in Liberty League play. The Engineers will be at RIT on Friday. Entering the weekend, Billy Chissoe leads the team with four goals and eight points. Austin Betterly and Michael Harten each have two assists. Matt LaBranche has played a majority of the minutes in goal and is 4-4-1 with a 1.38 GAA and a .651 save percentage.
 
Fans unable to make it to Cozzens Field this weekend can follow the Liberty League action with Live Stats and All-Access Video. The games will also be broadcast live on WHWS-FM (105.7 in Geneva).