SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Liberty 7, Western Illinois 1
@SIUE 2, Lindenwood 0
@HCU 2, UIW 1
LIBERTY 7, WESTERN ILLINOIS 1
LYNCHBURG, Va. - Forward Michael Huss scored three goals in a game for the first time in his career as the Liberty Flames opened Ohio Valley Conference play grandly with a 7-1 victory.
Huss, the Flames leading scorer, scored the match's first three goals. The senior netted the lone goal of the first half and then struck for goals six minutes apart between the 55th and 61st minute. He now leads the conference with seven goals.
After Western Illinois spoiled the shutout during the 67th minute, Liberty pulled away with four goals late. Spencer Moler, Bryce Swinehart and Matthew Torrell all scored for the Flames, while their final goal was an own goal.
Liberty starts OVC play 1-0 and evens its record at 3-3-1 on the season. Western Illinois sees its three-game win streak come to an end. The OVC newcomer Leathernecks drop to 0-1 in conference and 5-4-1 overall.
SIUE 2, LINDENWOOD 0
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Defending Ohio Valley Conference champion SIUE men's soccer officially opened defense of its title with a 2-0 win over Lindenwood Saturday night at Korte Stadium. The game was the OVC opener for both sides.
The Cougars improved to 3-3-2 overall with the win. Lindenwood slipped to 4-4-1.
SIUE wasted little time in getting the scoring started. Yasha Shearer put the Cougars on top just 46 seconds into the match when he curled a free kick into the lower left corner from 30 yards out.
The Cougars took the 1-0 lead into the break and doubled the advantage just over eight minutes into the second half, again finding success on a set piece, this time a corner.
Shaerer sent the corner across the six-yard box, where Jacobo Sanfeliu came from out from the near post. Sanfeliu got his head to the kick, redirecting it back into the net, for his second goal as a Cougar.
SIUE outshot the Lions 11-8 in the game, marking the first time the Cougars have outshot their opponent this season. SIUE had an 8-3 advantage in shots in the first half. The Cougars had the edge in shots on goal 7-6. Both Shaerer and Sanfeliu had three.
Rob Gjelaj made two saves on his way to his third shutout of the year.
HCU 2, UIW 1
HOUSTON - Ethan Giwa-McNeil's goal in the 76th minute proved to be the game-winner, handing Houston Christian University a hard-fought 2-1 result over arch-rival University of the Incarnate Word on Saturday night at Sorrels Field. The Huskies scored twice in the final 17 minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and capture victory in the Ohio Valley Conference opener.
Neither team could find the back of the net in the first half despite a couple of solid opportunities on each side. The Huskies came out fast, with shots by Jireh Oyebamiji and Ryan Okerayi finding the mitts of UIW keeper Alejandro DeLaTorre in the first five minutes. The Cardinals would reciprocate with a couple of shots at the turn of the ninth minute, as Sello Diphoko clanked a shot off the left woodwork and seconds later Rochaine Baker missed wide left.
Okerayi put another on target that was saved in the with 14:34 gone and a quick blast by Oyebamiji in the 31st minute was knocked away, sending the two clubs to the intermission in a scoreless deadlock.
HCU stayed on the offensive early in the second half, getting off six shots in the first twenty minutes, but none could find the target. A corner kick was earned by the Huskies just into the 65th minute, but UIW used a quick counter attack to push the ball up the left side of the pitch. The ball was centered to Diego Robles, who took possession and after a quick touch and turn laid a ball off for William Fagerberg. The freshman lashed his first college shot on goal, a missile from the right side of the box past a diving Alex Aitken that staked the visitors to a one-nil lead.
In the 74th minute, the Huskies found themselves on the attack once again and Ryan Okerayi was clipped in the box to give HCU a penalty. Okerayi took it himself, crushing the equalizer past DeLaTorre.
Not content, HCU continued to push the pace. Two-and-a-half minutes after he knotted the score, it was Okerayi again leading the charge. Breaking down the left side of the offensive end, Okerayi crossed a ball into the box, where D'Alessandro Herrera softly guided it to Ethan Giwa-McNeil flying down the right flank of the box. His right-footed blast found nothing but nylon to push the Huskies in front 2-1.
HCU would stave off several bursts in the final 12 minutes. A quick left-footed flick by Diego Robles was grabbed by Aitken in the 85th minute and the Huskies were able to ward off the Cardinals down the stretch for the conference-opening three points.
The Huskies were particularly aggressive, outshooting their rivals from San Antonio 17-7, with a 6-3 advantage on goal. HCU earned eight corners to five.
Ryan Okerayi led the charge for HCU, taking three shots with the penalty kick score and an assist. Giwa-McNeil notched his team-leading fourth goal of the season while D'Alessandro Herrera collected his first helper of the campaign. Aitken had two saves while facing seven shots.
Fagerberg had his first collegiate goal for the Cardinals, now 2-4-1 overall and 0-0-1 in the league. DeLaTorre had four saves.
HCU improves to 3-4-2 overall and 1-0-0 in OVC play. The Huskies form has them unbeaten in their last four while winning their last two.