Men's Soccer Earns First Victory of 2022

Men's Soccer Earns First Victory of 2022
September 10, 2022

(Howell, MI)-- The Cleary Cougars men's soccer team started the game on the front foot, and their hard work paid off, as they defeated the visiting Ohio Christian University Trailblazers 4-1 Saturday afternoon at Lake Trust Stadium.

Cleary had an opening chance in the first couple minutes, as a through ball found Eric Nshimiyimana, but the defense caught up before he was able to deliver a clean ball on target, and the score remained 0-0.  Just five minutes later, the Cougars got the ball wide to Mekhi Harris, who found Juan Carlos Gomez Ponce just outside the eighteen.  Gomez Ponce dribbled towards the middle, sliding past a couple defenders, and delivered a strike into the top right corner of the goal, scoring his first as a Cougar, and giving Cleary a 1-0 lead.  Two minutes later, Cleary pressured the Trailblazers into a desperation clearance towards the face of goal, but the ball instead found a streaking Dillon Croft who powered the ball into the net for a 2-0 Cougar lead.  Cleary would hold onto that lead into the halftime break.

Just after halftime, Dillon Croft expanded the Cougars' lead once again, as a cross from Jed Blough found Croft's head for his second goal of the game, and his third of the season.  Ohio Christian would get on the board in the 59th minute, as they fired a shot from distance, and caught Cleary goalie Vaios Papadoudis just a bit too far from his line to make the score 3-1.  Cleary would regain the three goal lead in the 78th minute, as Eric Selembe and Alex Baksh combined with great combination play to push the ball up the right hand side of the field, and Baksh crossed the ball to Eliya Budugure, who scored his first goal of the season, and made it 4-1 in favor of the Cougars, a score that would remain until the final whistle.

"It feels great to get the first win in a very long time," said Cougar head coach Dan Bulley.  "The guys prepared for today, and I thought we executed our game plan well.  I couldn't be happier for the team and program.  Hopefully this is the first of many to come.  We created plenty of other opportunities, and probably should have scored a few more, but we are in no position to be picky at this time."

Vaios Papadoudis picked up the win, and earned his first career victory, making 4 saves in goal while playing a complete game.  Dillon Croft's brace of goals put his season total to 3 through 2 games played, while Juan Carlos Gomez Ponce and Eliya Budugure's goals were their first goals of the season.

 Cleary will look to finish out the non-conference schedule with a pair of wins in Kentucky, as they take on the Asbury Eagles on Friday, September 16, and the Georgetown College Tigers on Sunday, September 18.  Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM on Friday, and 1:00 PM on Sunday.