Box Score RICHARDSON, TX (09.18.10) – After suffering through their first two losses of the season last weekend in a pair of games where they couldn't score a goal, the University of Texas at Dallas men's soccer team turned the table this weekend, posting a pair of shutout victories to open American Southwest Conference play.
Two days after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Mississippi College, the Comets (5-2-0, 2-0-0) met much less resistance Saturday in posting a 4-0 victory over a drastically-undermanned Louisiana College team (0-6-0, 0-2-0).
The winless Wildcats came to town with just 12 healthy players on their roster after a variety of injuries devastated the club, and even had to start position player Eric Post at keeper - his first start in the net in over six years. After an injury early in the second half to James Knight, the Wildcats were down to 11 bodies (healthy or not) and all 11 were forced on to the field.
The result was predictable. The Comets peppered Post and his defensive teammates with 44 shots, putting 19 of those on net. Post managed to make 15 saves, but saw a pair of goals slip by each half as four different UTD players got on the scoresheet.
The Comets managed the only goal they would need just 16:14 into the contest as sophomore
Eric Pekkala served up the first of his two assists on the day, finding a wide open freshman
Michael Darrow for the first goal of the game. Pekkala again got things started for UTD just five minutes later, crossing a ball to freshman
Julian Torres, who boomed it home from straight on to make it 2-0 at the half.
In the second half, senior
Anthony Stryk took over the role of set-up man. He lofted the ball to sophomore
Benjamin Tijerina off a corner kick and Tijerina converted on his first collegiate goal in two seasons. Stryk's picture-perfect corner technique set up the final goal when junior
Gentry Contreras converted off a corner kick.
Defensively, UTD didn't allow much opposition at all. LC managed just two shots and put only one ball on target that keeper
Bailey Williams played to keep the shutout alive.
UTD now travels to Abilene next weekend for a pair of games that will include a showdown with pre-season favorite Hardin-Simmons, which is also 2-0 in ASC play.
BOXSCORE
