Men's Soccer Inches Closer to Playoff Berth After Searl's Brace at LTU

(Southfield, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar men's soccer team came into Sunday's game at Lawrence Tech above the playoff line, and after earning a hard fought 2-0 victory, are even closer to securing the team's first berth in the WHAC tournament.

Cleary would get on the board first after scoring in the fifth minute of play.  After Marcel Zanchin earned the team's first corner kick for the Cougars, he would deliver a well placed ball to the back post on the resulting corner kick, finding the head of Liam Coyle.  Coyle's header would hit the post, before finding the foot of Noah Searl, who powered a shot into the net, and giving Cleary a 1-0 lead.  The Blue Devils would start to take control of the game, looking for their equalizer, but Austin Freemire and the Cougar defense were up to the task.  Cleary would head into halftime leading 1-0.

The second half was once again a defensive battle for the Cougars, as LTU kept pushing forward to try to tie the game.  Still leading 1-0 late, Jed Blough would send a clearance forward, and after bouncing high on the turf of Blue Devil Stadium, once again found Noah Searl.  Searl used his body to shield himself between the last defender and the ball, and after winning that battle, only had the keeper to beat.  Searl's shot would be true, and his goal would ice the game, and help the Cougars to a 2-0 victory, with two games to play in the regular season.

Noah Searl's two goals now give him four on the season.  Austin Freemire made 9 saves while picking up his fourth shutout this year, and his sixth win overall.

The victory gives Cleary an 8-7-1 record overall, 5-4-1 in the WHAC.  Cleary now sits in 6th place in the WHAC with 16 points, four ahead of 7th place LTU, and 5 ahead of 8th place Concordia-Ann Arbor.  The Cougars will travel to Ann Arbor next Friday, October 25, to take on the Cardinals in a crucial WHAC battle.  A win next Friday could clinch a berth in the WHAC tournament for the first time since the Cougars joined the conference.  The game is set to begin at 5:00 PM.