Last year, Brandon Gillespie played on an intramural soccer team whose season came down to the wire.

After finishing in a one-to-one tie, Gillespie and his teammates found themselves in a shot-for-shot shootout.

They lost, and their opponents went on to win the league championship, but Gillespie enjoyed the game’s intensity, he said.

“Both teams were screaming, so were the fans,” Gillespie said. “You think that intramural sports are tame and relaxed but they have an exciting and intense side, too.”

The fun and relaxed atmosphere intramurals are known for, coupled with players new to the sport, don’t detract from the play, Gillespie said.

Teams of about 15 students, some with no previous soccer experience, are typical of the league.

“I played for three years on and off, I’m not much of a soccer player,” said Gillespie, a sophomore business and finance double major. “I just play because it’s with my friends.”

However, some players have had years to develop skills and tend to take the game more seriously, Gillespie said.

“I’d say there are many decent players, who enjoy playing the game and have fun, but at the same time they are very competitive and everyone wants to win,” said Gillespie. “Either that or the free shirt.”

Each team is managed by a coach and a team captain who keeps the official roster and determines who will play in each game. There are no practices, and each player can participate in games that fit in their schedule, according to campus recreation’s Web site.

All games are played on the weekends, and the only requirements are there must be three females and three males on each side, according to the campus recreation Web site.

Currently, most teams in the fall semester league have one final game to play, which will decide who enters the playoffs, Gillespie said.

– Caitlin Gambee, News correspondent