OWENSBORO, KY - In what was most likely the Panther's most important game ever against Cedarville, the Kentucky Wesleyan men's soccer team came through, defeating the Yellow Jackets by a score of 2-1. This marks the first win in school history for KWC over Cedarville, as well as the most wins in a single season for head coach
John Fusco.
With the win Kentucky Wesleyan moves to 8-5-3 (5-4-3 G-MAC), while Cedarville falls to 8-7-1 (6-6 G-MAC).
It was an even game from both teams, with CU just barely outshooting the Panthers 17-16. After multiple chances in the opening 20 minutes, the G-MAC's leading scorer
Calum Newson did what he did best, taking a pass from
Santiago Henrich and putting in the back of the net from a very difficult angle. His 33 points this season are the most for a Panther since Cary Harris notched 34 in 1994. Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Cedarville didn't go down easy, as they knocked one in just eight minutes into the second half. Knowing this game was a must win,
Adrian Stokke got on the end of a corner kick and buried it in the back of the net just five minutes later, giving Wesleyan the 2-1 advantage. Cedarville was hard pressed to score in the second half, even having a goal disallowed due to an offside call, but the Kentucky Wesleyan back line of Stokke,
Zach Moore,
Aaron Wayne, and
Max Wawrin stood strong, keeping them out of the net the rest of the way.
Calum Newson put five shots up on the day, with four being on goal. Goalie
Arthur Hill may have just had two saves in the game, but his command over the back line was vital to Wesleyan's success.
Wesleyan has a big matchup on Saturday, as they head up to Michigan to face G-MAC newcomer Northwood for the first time. This game is big in terms of G-MAC playoff implications, as Northwood sits just above the Panthers in the standings. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT.
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