WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University men's soccer team is off to their best start since the 2015 season when the team started 3-0, after defeating McDaniel College Saturday afternoon 3-1 in the home opener. The Hornets (2-0) got a pair of late goals in the second half to break the 1-1 deadlock. First, it was first-year
Nick Mattiace in the 76
th minute and then
Kyle Welch scored his second in the 87
th minute before the game was called due to weather. Statistically, the Hornets out possessed, out shot, and had the edge on corner kicks over the Green Terror.
Gianncarlo Alderetes got the start in the net for Shenandoah and made one save, only giving up the one goal in the weather-shortened contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Fresh off of a 7-0 win over Mary Baldwin a day prior, the Hornets wasted little time grabbing a lead in front of their home fans. Chinendu Ikem slotted a perfect through ball up the right side to
Kyle Welch who beat his defender and the goalie allowing the Hornets to jump out to a 1-0 lead in the 7
th minute. That lead was short-lived, on McDaniel's first possession, a long through ball beat the defense causing a breakaway toward the goal that found the back of the net. The Hornets threatened a few more times in the first half, but could not connect and take a lead into the half, however, the midfield and defense did not allow a shot in the remaining 35 minutes of play.
With the clouds starting to loom in and a 1-1 draw on the table, the Hornets pressed and put pressure on the McDaniel defense and keeper but could not get anything past him. Shots from
Jarbin Rodriguez,
Hatim Elkhasouani,
Nick Mattiace, and
Tarick Kamara missed the target. After the Kamara shot, the Green Terror keep made the save and then kicked the ball right to Mattiace who proceeded to slide the ball between the keepers' legs giving the Hornets the 2-1 lead in 76
th minute. Shenandoah had another good opportunity in the 81
st and 82
nd minute. Rodriguez hit a shot off the post that the goalie could not handle, and the rebound went to
Nathan Yared who had the whole net open until a defender jumped in front in the last second. That rebound went back to Rodriguez, but the keeper made a diving save keeping it a one-goal game.
Kyle Welch added the final nail in the coffin after he got a pass from Yared, and after two nifty moves beat the keeper in the back post, upper 90. The game was then called after the goal due to the weather.
UP NEXT:
The Hornets will hit the road next Wednesday, for a midweek, non-conference game with Dickinson. That match is scheduled to start at 7 pm.
#GoSUHornets
