KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The UIndy men's soccer team (5-0-1, 5-0-1 GLVC) took on the Truman Bulldogs (1-5-1, 1-5-1) on Friday afternoon for a contest on the road, the Bulldogs looking for their first win since their opening night in February. Three different Greyhounds were able to knock shots in the back of the net, the Hounds taking down Truman on a final score of 3-0.
INS & OUTS
The Greyhounds were able to strike early in the game, taking a shot and two corner kicks within the contest's first four minutes of action. Seth Ward was able to register his first points of the season at the 14' mark off of a nice chip from Alejandro Steinwascher, the sophomore making a strike 15 yards from the goal as the Bulldogs' goalkeeper came sliding in to unsuccessfully deflect Ward's take. In response, Truman came swinging as the aggressor on their four shots compared to the Hounds' one within the following 13 and a half minutes of action. Only one of those would be a shot on goal, Dimitrios Karousos registering a save in the process.
Despite being held on the offensive pressure, Cole Rainwater and the Greyhounds were able to strike again with the second goal of the night. Michael Tselios set up the play with a beautiful corner kick, sticking the kickoff only about a yard from the near goal post. Cole Rainwater jumped up as the closest Greyhound to the corner, his jump placing the perfect change of direction for the ball in the top left shelf of the net. Rainwater's score marks his fourth of the season, just behind Steinwascher's nine points with his eight.
The final goal came at the 57' mark, Steinwascher collecting his fourth goal of the season on a dead-sprint play from the opposing end of the field. A Truman attacker tried taking a dead shot in front of two Hounds, the ball slamming the toes of the Greyhounds to shot up and back towards the UIndy attackers hanging back on the play. Steinwascher was able to run with the ball and dribble 55 yards to out-speed all the Bulldog defenders, getting an open look 15 yards out to nail a kick into the lower left of the goal.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Friday's win now marks the second time since the 2014 season that the Greyhounds haven't lost within the season's first six contests.
- The Hounds tied a season-high in goals (three) in a season-low in shots (10).
- Ward's first goal of the season comes off of his first career start as well.
HOUND BYTES
Head coach John Higgins on Friday's impact …
"It's tough to go anywhere in the GLVC and win, especially when we can get an early win like this one. We'll have better energy than our opponent [William Jewell] on Sunday, so we love that advantage. We had a very specific game plan, and the guys made great looks and capitalized on that plan today."
Seth Ward on the team's dynamic offensive performance …
"It felt good to make my first goal of the season. It's amazing how many great weapons we have that can rotate through this lineup to give us lots of different combinations that we can play and it really makes us a threat in this league."
UP NEXT
UIndy will have a day of rest before they compete in their second contest in Missouri this weekend, taking on William Jewell on Sunday. That game will also be an early contest in Liberty, Mo., kicking off at 3:30 p.m.
