Sea Gulls begin season with 2-1 victory against North Park in Elmer Lord Classic
SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 22
Salisbury University men's soccer team opened the 2008 season with
a 2-1 victory over North Park (Ill.) University on Saturday
afternoon in the first game of the 9th Annual Elmer Lord
Memorial Soccer Classic held at the SU Soccer Complex.
With just over 22 minutes left to play two recently inserted
Salisbury freshman forwards connected to break a
35-minute tie. Ian Wilson dribbled down the
left side of the Viking's box and centered a pass
to Nate Woods, who got a foot on the ball in
the air, and placed a shot just over the head of NPU goalie Joe
Cindric. The score gave SU (1-0) the 2-1 advantage as Woods and his
teammates celebrated the rookie's first-ever collegiate score.
North Park (0-1) created a chance to tie the game, two minutes
later, when Viking midfielder Steve Hosch fired a shot from 25
yards out that ricocheted off the upper left corner of the goal.
Later in the half another Viking shot hit off the right post of
SU's goal.
Junior Kyle Sterling picked up where he left off
as the maroon and gold's leading scorer from the '07 season got SU
on the board first. The All-Region player took a pass from the
right side of the box and fired home the goal at the 19-minute
mark. Sterling's goal was assisted by senior Romaine
Bruney.
The Sea Gulls outshot NPU 19-9 and placed six shots on goal in the first half to keep a dangerous Viking team, who has made NCAA tournament appearances in three of the last four seasons, on their heels. SU goalie Greg Wellinghoff made one save in the victory while North Park goalie Joe Cindric stopped six.
Viking senior defender Nyenemo Sanguma scored the lone goal for North Park when he tied the game 13 minutes before halftime. He was assisted by Kevin Gathje.
In the second game, St. Mary's (Md.) College and Keene State (N.H.) College battled to a 1-1 tie after two overtimes. Keene State scored four minutes into the game but then was held scoreless for the final 116 minutes. The Seahawks knotted the game in the 62nd minute.
The tournament wraps up tomorrow (Sunday, August 31) as St. Mary's faces North Park at 1 p.m. followed by Salisbury vs. Keene State. The Sea Gulls and Owls both advanced to the second round of the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament.
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