GEORGETOWN, Texas – The SU men's soccer team kicked off the season with a 5-1 trouncing of Texas Lutheran University on Thursday afternoon. Five separate Pirates scored in the home opener to start Southwestern off 1-0.
Southwestern opened the attack early and maintained constant pressure allowing Texas Lutheran few opportunities at the goal until Juan Gordillo snuck a ball past the SU defense, hitting Jide Olagbegi in stride inside the 18 and putting him one on one with Pirate keeper Nick Pierce. A quick misdirection of the ball put it out of Pierce's reach and into the back of the net.
SU evened the count when Matthew Nickell broke away on a counter-attack after TLU was called offside. Nickell, one-on-one with the keeper, entered the box with the ball and was pulled down after beating TLU's keeper, Brandon Reyes. Reyes received a red card for the act and was ejected for the game while Nickell was awarded a penalty kick. He addressed the ball and pushed it to the left, off the post and into the side netting on the right to tie the score 1-1.
Southwestern took the lead with just over eight minutes to play in the half when Tim Eamma received a gift from the Bulldog defense. TLU was unable to clear the ball out of harm's way and Eamma took advantage, lofting the ball into the back of the net and out of reach of TLU's keeper.
Paden Williams gave Southwestern a two goal lead just before halftime after dribbling through the Bulldog defense and into the front of the goal, aligning him for a wide-open look at the cage and put the ball away with authority with just over one minute to go in the half.
As the first period came to a close Southwestern clearly dominated the first frame with 17 shots, five on goal to TLU's 2 shots that were both on goal.
At the outset of the second half SU continued to apply the pressure, forcing back up keeper Michael Roell, to make a couple of very difficult saves to hold the Pirates to three goals.
Nickell and Steven Resnik (pictured) teamed up to push the Pirates ahead by three in the 57th minute. Nickell dribbled from midfield past the defense down the right sideline and placed a low ball through the six yard box to a wide open Resnik advancing from the weak side. Resnik had an open look at goal and put it away.
Less than one minute later Southwestern added to their lead with a goal by Thomas Davis. TLU thought Davis was no longer a threat and too close to the endline to score, but he proved them wrong by sneaking the ball past the near post and into the left side netting for Southwestern's fifth goal of the afternoon
The lopsided 5-1 victory was reflected in the shot count, 29-7. SU returns to their home field on Saturday afternoon as they face a historically-talented University of Texas Tyler team. Game time is slated for 5pm.