SUWANEE, Ga. - Three full weeks into the 2011 SCAC men's soccer season and nine teams have .500 or better records in what promises to be yet another exciting and competitive year in the league. Trinity leads the pack with a 4-0-2 record and a national ranking in the top 10 at sixth.
- AROUND THE SCAC -
Austin College continued what has been the
strongest start in seven years over the weekend, drawing with
Millsaps and topping Rhodes to improve to 4-1-2 overall this
season. On Friday, the 'Roos battled the Majors to a scoreless draw
after two overtimes in an outstanding defensive battle, and on
Sunday Chris Melton continued his scoring tear with two goals in a
2-1 win over the Lynx. Melton continued his knack for second half
heroics in the game, scoring both of his goals after halftime
including the game winner with 15 minutes remaining. The senior
forward now has nine goals on the year. Austin College is home for
its lone game of the week on Sunday when they host Rogers State
University.
Birmingham-Southern split this weekend in St. Louis,
losing to No. 5 Washington University, 5-0, and shutting out
Westminster College, 1-0. BSC is now 4-0 and has shut out its
opponent in each of its four wins. Senior Tyler Evans scored the
game-winner against Westminster – his fifth goal and second
game-winner of the season – and it was assisted by freshman
Tobias Winter. BSC returns home this Sunday to face Berry College
at 2 p.m.
Centre had a perfect weekend, winning both away matches in
Indiana as they traveled to Wabash College and Earlham College. On
Saturday in Crawfordsville, IN, Centre took down Wabash 2-0 behind
a first half PK from Austin Hall and a second half goal from Josh
Settle. Chris Jackson earned the shutout for the Colonels in the
net. Then on Sunday in Richmond, IN, Centre battled Earlham for 109
scoreless minutes before Austin Hall picked up his second
game-winning goal in as many games. With just two seconds left in
the second overtime, Hall rocketed a shot into the upper-90 to earn
the sudden-death victory for Centre, 1-0 (2OT). Jackson again
earned the shutout for Centre. After the two road victories, Centre
improves to 4-2-0 on the season. The Colonels will host Thomas More
College on Tuesday night and Covenant College on Saturday night
this week before they open up conference play.
Junior forward Daniel Wright scored the only goal
Colorado College would need early in the first
half and junior goalkeeper Brian Graf recorded his second
consecutive shutout as CC posted a 2-0 victory over Wittenberg
University in the first game of the 2011 Bill Boddington Memorial
Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Stewart Field. Wright chased
down a long feed from sophomore midfielder Lorenzo Pozzolini,
tipped the ball past the UW keeper and put a rolling shot into the
center of the net for the first game-winning goal of his career.
Colorado College picked up an insurance goal with a little more
than 24 minutes remaining in the game when Matt Fechter converted
on the team's first penalty kick of the season. Graf tied his
season high of six saves while extending his scoreless streak to
193:30. His best stop occurred in the 69th minute when he dove to
his right to deny Brock Hicks on a drive from just outside the top
of the box. CC, which has allowed just three goals since the 4-3
overtime win against CU-Colorado Springs in the season opener,
lowered its team goal-against average to 0.93. The Tigers, who
improved to 2-0-2 at home, had played four consecutive overtime
games at Stewart Field dating back to the final game of the 2010
season. The Boddington Tournament concludes on Tuesday when CC
plays host to UC Santa Cruz, and then the Tigers hit the road for
their final two non-conference games at Division II Fort Hays State
and Nebraska Wesleyan on Friday and Sunday,
respectively.
Dallas (2-2-1) went undefeated on the week, netting a 2-2
tie with Southwestern Assemblies of God University at home on
Tuesday, before traveling to Kan., where they registered two wins
over the weekend. Dallas defeated Bethany College (Kan.) 1-0 on
Saturday, and then took care of Southwestern College (Kan.) 3-2 on
Sunday. Up next for the Crusaders will be a 3:00 p.m. tilt at Lyon
College (Ark.) in Batesville, Ark., on Saturday, Sept.
24.
Hendrix suffered their first loss of the season, 1-0 to
Lyon College at Warrior Field on Wednesday night. It was another
close game for the Warriors (3-1-2) – all six matches have
been either a tie or decided by one goal. The visiting Scots scored
on a Robert Hall free kick in the 84th minute. The game was
physical, with a total of 29 fouls called and four yellow cards
given out. Lyon keeper Thomas Guarino recorded four saves,
while Hendrix senior Adam Legg had three saves. Senior defender
Ryan Menchaca and junior forward Connor Silvestri recorded three
shots each for the Warriors. Hendrix will travel to Claremont,
Calif. this weekend where they will play Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on
Friday and Pomona-Pitzer on Sunday.
Millsaps only had one game this past weekend, taking on
Austin College in a non-conference contest at Harper Davis Field.
The game may have ended in a scoreless tie between the two, but the
Major defense made a statement, playing one of their best games of
the season. The likes of junior leaders such as Alex Szabo, Taylor
Harrison and Drew Moroux along with young up and comers such as
sophomores Micharl Pellisier, James Klugh and freshman Christopher
Lawrence were aggressive, holding the 'Roos to only 10 shots with
only two on them on goal. Both shots were saved by senior Dylan
Broussard, who did a terrific job of intercepting crosses and
making wise decisions.
Oglethorpe split two non-conference tilts this past week,
falling at Emory 1-0 and winning going away at Huntingdon, 5-0. The
Petrels had several chances to equalize against the Eagles,
including one in which an Emory defender headed the ball off the
line, but could not break through en route to suffering the defeat.
The team put that loss in the rearview on Sunday by easily
out-pacing the Hawks, 5-0. Aleksander Tanjga and Austin Fiddler
each recorded their first career goals while freshman forward Jakub
Madej continued his scoring streak with a hat trick on the
afternoon. The Petrels are now 4-2 on the season and will face
Covenant this Wednesday on Salamone Field.
Rhodes went 0-2 on the week losing to cross town rival
Christian Brothers and conference opponent Austin College in a
non-conference tilt. The Lynx return to action this weekend against
Westminster (Mo.).
When you’re hot, you’re hot. This has been the case for
the Sewanee men’s soccer team this week, as
the Tigers ran their unbeaten streak to four straight matches with
a 1-0 win at LaGrange College. Overall, Sewanee sits at 3-1-1; with
its last loss coming all the way back on Sept. 2 against
Mississippi College in its home opener.
The powerful offensive attack of Southwestern
was quieted in games this week as the Pirates dropped two matches
to fall to 2-4-1 on the season. It took just under two minutes for
Mary Hardin Baylor to go up on the Pirates on Tuesday afternoon and
the Cru added another goal in the 10th minute to take a 2-0 lead
that would go the distance and become the final. Saturday,
Southwestern took on Redlands in a neutral-site contest in San
Antonio. UR scored in the 19th and 27th minutes of the game to take
an early 2-0 lead, but the Pirates pulled within one goal just
seconds before halftime on a goal by Evan Perkins, assisted by Evan
Javors. The Pirates continued to fight through the second half,
searching for the equalizer but fell further behind as the Bulldogs
added goals in the 80th and 81st minutes, handing the Pirates the
4-1 loss. Southwestern has a quiet week coming up, facing Chapman
at home on Sunday, September 25th. The game will be the final
non-conference match before Southwestern opens SCAC Conference
action at Sewanee on Friday, September 30th.
#5 Trinity earned a win in its only game last week,
defeating the University of Redlands 4-1 on Friday night. The
Tigers opened the scoring early in the first half, but Redlands
answered a short time later that made it a 1-1 game at halftime.
The Tigers, who had tied their last two games 1-1, came out firing
in the second half, and Josh Adams scored twice to get the win.
This week, Trinity will take on 14th-ranked Chapman on Saturday
night. After another home game on Tuesday night, the Tigers will be
back on the road for the SCAC openers against Centre and Sewanee
over the weekend.
To view the entire SCAC Kicks Weekly for week three, click here.
