DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) - The Loras men's soccer team kicked off their 2016 campaign tonight as the No. 2 team in the country against Carroll and won by a final score of 2–0. Seniors
Alex Bradley and
Kyler Olson led the Duhawk attack, tallying a goal each and Olson added an assist to his name. With the win, Loras improve to 1–0–0 on the year.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
FIRST HALF
- The Duhawks opened with their traditional swarm from the opening whistle, which created chances within minutes as freshman Mark Histed registered the first shot on goal 35 seconds after the opening whistle.
- Bradley, in the second minute, received the ball near the corner flag and proceeded to play it across the box to junior Spencer Moore whose shot was delivered with force but was blocked and sent wide of goal.
- In the eighth minute, Moore made a 50-yard run to chase down a loose ball in the corner and in the process opened a passing lane to find sophomore Ryan Ross inside the six. Ross took his defender out of the play opening space to operate for Olson. With a slick touch of the ball, Olson opened a shooting lane and sent home the winner to open the scoring.
- Less than a minute later, Loras nearly doubled its off a corner kick from Moore. The service curved away from the keeper and found the head of junior Michael Perhats who directed a shot on target, but Carroll's Nick Drew was in place to make the save.
- The Duhawks added to their one-goal lead when junior Ike Bruns played a through ball to Olson down the near side. When Olson tracked down the ball, he one-timed a cross into the box where it fell to the feet of Bradley at the penalty spot. The Leighton Buzzard, U.K. native used misdirection to create space and struck the ball home with his left foot.
SECOND HALF
- The Duhawks earned a corner kick in the 52nd minute, which Bradley took and delivered into the box, finding the head of senior Calvin Miller. His shot was easily grabbed by Drew, keeping the score 2–0.
- In the 57th minute, the Pioneers registered their best scoring chance of the evening. A bouncing ball through the penalty area fell to Carroll's Tlaloc Huerta, who corralled the loose ball and struck his shot towards goal, missing high and wide of his target.
- Bradley continued his high workrate in the attacking third, racing down the near sideline and took a defender one-on-one. With a quick cut to his left foot, Bradley left his defender behind and delivered a low-cross across the front of goal, narrowly missing the feet of senior Jonah Jacke for the tap-in goal.
- The Pioneers Ryan Effinger possessed at the corner of the 18 with space but was abruptly greeted by a pair of Loras defenders. In an attempt to keep the play alive, Effinger laid it off to Huerta, whose shot missed its target and went wide of goal.
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAME
Anthony Berardi | In his first career collegiate start, freshman
Anthony Berardi directed his defensive unity to perfection. From his sweeper position, Berardi limited Carroll to six total shots and two on target, both of which were easily saved by Peterson.
UP NEXT
The Duhawks will be back in action for a Sunday matinee, hosting Albion with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m.
