Senior striker Tyler Limmer became the highest scoring player to ever wear a Red Raider men’s soccer jersey on Oct. 3. The previous record was held by Patrick Dirkse, who scored 48 goals between 1999-2002.
Limmer went into the game against Briar Cliff with 47 goals, needing just one to tie the record but he had other plans.
The Raiders went down 1-0 early as Briar Cliff began the game pressing high on the field, but the lead did not last long as Limmer was able to collect a second ball and punish Briar Cliff by scoring off a deflection that lobbed the ball over the outstretched Charger keeper, tying the game at 1-1.
Equaling the goal scoring record was not good enough as the Raiders needed a stroke of brilliance from its star forward, which he produced just after halftime.
The Raiders caused a turnover deep in the Briar Cliff half where Limmer controlled the ball on his left foot at the top of the box and placed it in the bottom right corner. His second goal of the game put his team up 2-1 and put his name at the top of the record books for NW.
Though Briar Cliff was able to get a late goal, causing the game to end 2-2, a poor result would not overshadow Limmer’s record-breaking performance capping off four straight seasons of seemingly endless goals finished by the greatest player to every play for NW.
While some people may argue in favor of some of NW’s previous stars, the stats put up by Limmer over the past four seasons are hard to argue with. Limmer began breaking records as a freshman with a 4 goal game against Mount Marty, placing him tied for most goals ever scored in one game. Earlier that season, he had three assists in one game which tied the previous record. He ended his freshman year with 12 goals, good for 3rd most ever by a NW player at the time.
He followed with an equally strong sophomore campaign, scoring 13 goals and adding another 15 goals as a junior. Already having broken the single season and career assist records earlier this season, it was only a matter of time until Limmer held nearly every offensive record for NW.
It is difficult to describe the consistent impact he has had on the Raider soccer program over the years—there is only one word that can adequately capture this: GOAT.
