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Men's Soccer breezes past Warner, 4-0
By Matt Green
ROME -- Freshman Irvin Espinal scored two goals and classmate Trevor Greenwald notched a goal and an assist as Shorter University rolled past Warner University 4-0 on Friday night at Ben Brady Field.
The Hawks improve to 3-0 for the first time in the program's history -- Shorter did start the 2010 season 2-0-1 on its way to staying unbeaten through five matches -- while taking out a Warner (1-1) side that received a vote in the NAIA Men's Soccer Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll.
Junior Ryan Edwards posted a clean sheet in his first career start for the Hawks. The Clayton State transfer made six saves to help the Hawks to their first shutout of the season.
Shorter refused to play from behind against Warner as it had in its first two wins of the season -- the Hawks rallied from early deficits to beat Montreat and Tennessee Wesleyan on the road to start the year.
Senior Garry Perks scored just 31 seconds into the match to set the tone. It was Perks' fourth goal of the season and 22nd of his career and moved him into sole possession of second place on Shorter's all-time goal scoring list, one ahead of former Hawks' All-American Sebastian Stihler.
Espinal scored his goals six minutes apart early in the second half to push Shorter's lead to 3-0 and Greenwald scored for the second straight match, finishing off the onslaught with the second goal of his career in the 65th minute.
While the final score was impressive, the spectacular fashion in which each goal was scored may have been the most promising sign for a young team that started seven freshmen against the Royals.
Off the opening kickoff, freshman Robert Ochieng collected the ball just outside the Warner penalty area, made a move to the center of the 18-yard box and pushed a ball along the turf to Perks, who smashed home the first goal of the game.
Great runs by Greenwald set up Espinal's strikes in the 52nd and 58th minute. Greenwald played Espinal in down the left side just seven minutes into the second half, a ball that Espinal collected, one touched and then blasted past Royals' keeper Joseph Lasala to the far post for a 2-0 edge.
Six minutes later, Greenwald streaked down the left side once again, this time flicking the ball over the head of one defender before nutmegging another and finding Felix Jaekel on the Warner side of midfield. Jaekel touched the ball to Espinal who beat a defender to the center of the 18 and struck a laser into the lower right corner of the net for a three-goal Shorter advantage.
Greenwald wasn't done -- in the 65th minute, he beat a Warner defender to the end line before spinning off another Royal and unleashing a rocket past the keeper near post and into the top of the netting. Shorter went on cruise control from that point on, riding a tremendous performance in goal from Edwards to the shutout.
Shorter held a 16-14 advantage in shots while Warner won six corners to Shorter's four.
The Hawks return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 7 as they play host to Young Harris College on Ben Brady Field at 7:30 pm.
