UMM 3, Bethany Lutheran 0
After a challenging non-conference streak, the Cougar men's soccer team were eager to begin conference play. They bolted from the chute last Tuesday with a 3-0 shut out of Presentation, a result they replicated today in Mankato against Bethany Lutheran.
Historically, the Cougars had found it difficult to play well at Bethany, largely because of their field, according to head coach Christian DeVries. "Here it's a much smaller field than we're used to and that makes it seem crowded and congested. And it makes possessing the ball very difficult. But today we didn't have that problem. We played one and two touch very well. I was really happy about that."
That advantage in possession led to a lop-sided margin in shots for the game. The Cougars took 30 to the Vikings 4, and outshot them on goal 11-0.
The goals, which had been hard to come by in non-conference play, arrived early.
In the 21st minute, senior forward Brent Diggs ripped a shot that rebounded off a side post. Junior Mattson Towley was there for the easy put back and 1-0 lead.
Give and ye shall get... fifteen minutes later, Diggs scored on a pass from senior midfielder Pat O'Connor, burying a shot in the lower left corner for a 2-0 halftime advantage.
One minute into the second half, midfielder Kelsey Duerr took a pass from Jeff Lind and launched a shot from 25 yards out that lasered into the net.
"That was the goal of the year so far," DeVries said after the game. "Nobody was stopping that shot."
With a 3-0 lead, DeVries turned to his bench. The subs held off the late Viking charges, helping goalkeeper Tyler Weber earn the shutout.
"It was nice to go to our bench like that. Those guys kept their composure and gave our starters a break, which will help tomorrow against Martin Luther," DeVries said. "It shows that our team overall is developing as a unit."
In New Ulm tomorrow, the Cougars face Martin Luther who is using the home game to commemorate their brand new soccer field and memorialize the deaths of two players who were killed in a car acciedent last school year.
