McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College men's soccer team locked up the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Tournament after concluding the regular season with a 3-0 victory over Kansas Wesleyan University Tuesday evening at McPherson Stadium.
The Bulldogs (10-6, 8-2 KCAC) broke through in the 18th minute when
Greg Roller (Topeka, Kan., Pratt CC) registered an unassisted tally against KWU goalkeeper Luis Barrera. McPherson out-shot Kansas Wesleyan (9-9, 7-4 KCAC), 9-2, in the first half.
The lead held until the 55th minute when
Diego Loza (San Diego, Calif., San Diego Mesa College) scored his seventh goal of the season off an assist from
Edward Gomez (Lancaster, Calif., College of the Canyons). The Bulldogs added a third goal in the 63rd minute when
Navid Istanbullu (Bremen, Germany, Oberschule Rockwinkel) beat Barrera with an unassisted goal.
McPherson closed out the game with a 18-6 advantage in shots and a 9-2 edge in shots on goal. Kansas Wesleyan held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks
Barrera was credited with six saves, while McPherson keeper
Jose Alonso (Wichita, Kan., Derby HS) made a pair of saves en route to his third solo clean sheet of the season.
Gomez led the Bulldogs with five shots, including two on goal, while Roller added four shots with a match-high three on goal.
Christopher Kelly (Glasgow, Scotland, St. Ambrose HS) chipped in with three shots and Loza had a pair.
Tim Doherty and Daniel Huizar had two shots apiece to lead Kansas Wesleyan. Victor Tapia and Mauro Hipolito each had one shot on goal.
"Tonight I was certainly pleased with the result but not happy with our performance," said head coach
Doug Quint. "We didn't play very well at all. Our team never really established a rhythm in possession and had way too many unforced turnovers or errant passes. At the end of the day. though, it's a win and we will take it. It's always nice to get a win when you don't play particularly well."
The Bulldogs - winners of five in a row - will host seventh-seeded York College (5-11-1, 3-7-1 KCAC) in a KCAC Tournament quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Saturday night at McPherson Stadium. It will be the second meeting in a week's time between the Bulldogs and Panthers as McPherson posted a 6-1 in York last Saturday (Oct. 28).
