Shepherd University Athletics

SHEPHERD FALLS TO PRESBYTERIAN IN MEN'S SOCCER

(Courtesy of Scott Dunford - Presbyterian Sports Information Office)

CLINTON, S.C. -- Newcomer Kyle Neely led the way for Presbyterian with a goal and an assist as the Blue Hose downed defending WVIAC champions Shepherd by a 4-1 count in the season opener for both teams.

Junior midfielder Bennett Cope (Mobile, Ala.) got things going for PC in the ninth minute. He received a long ball at the top of the Shepherd 18-yard area and was able to turn and fire a shot past a sprawling Baboucarr Njie in the Shepherd goal.

The visiting Rams came close to knotting the score twice within 10 minutes of the PC goal. Guilherme Fonseca, thought he had leveled things at the 13:39 mark, but his volley from inside the six-yard area was turned away at the near post by PC keeper Mark Owens (Charleston, S.C.). Three minutes later Bernard Walters was able to get past Owens, only to have freshman Zach Sinkuler (Roswell, Ga.) clear his shot off the line.

Owens, a preseason All-South Atlantic Conference selection, finished the game with seven saves, while his counterpart Njie recorded four. Diarmuid McGuigan (Derry, N. Ireland) also notched a save after replacing Owens in the second half.

The Blue Hose added to their lead with a goal by Jonathan Edmonds (Aurora, Colo.) just 10 minutes from half time. Edmonds raced onto the end of a cross but miss-hit the ball. It ended up landing in front of Neely who snapped a quick shot that was blocked by a Shepherd defender. However, the ball deflected right back to Edmonds who finished into the open net.

The Blue Hose took a 2-0 lead into the half and came out firing again in the second half, scoring within the first ten minutes. Junior Diega Disasa (Laurens, S.C.) sent in a cross that found Neely open at the top of the 18-yard area. The Spartanburg Methodist transfer Neely took a touch and finished past the near post, giving PC a 3-0 lead.

Shepherd, which out shot PC by a 19-14 margin in the game, saw its offensive efforts rewarded in the 82nd minute when Emmanuel Elomobor notched the first goal of the season for the Rams. Elomobor?s teammate Bernard Walters had headed the ball past McGuigan in the PC net only to have his shot bounce off the crossbar, the rebound however came right to the head of Elomobor who promptlly headed the ball into the PC net.

The Blue Hose responded just two minutes later with an early candidate for goal of the season by Jonathan Anderson (Lawrenceville, Ga.). Anderson latched on to a Stephen Bentley (Stone Mountain, Ga.) cross, volleying the ball into the far top corner of the Shepherd goal.

For Presbyterian the win is the fourth consecutive opening day win. The Blue Hose will host Anderson University (S.C.) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Edens Field at Martins Stadium. Meanwhile, Shepherd returns home to face Columbia Union on Sunday.