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Printer-Friendly ModeMen score four goals in under six minutes, best Lakers 4-1
September 17, 2007 —
The men's soccer team is like an artillery battery: when the Cards hit, they hit hard and often. Finding the target is usually the problem.
But the team blasted the bullseye on Sunday against Mercyhurst, slotting four goals past the Lakers in five minutes and 55 seconds en route to a 4-1 victory. Goalscorers Kevin Fox, Jimmy Henry, Mitch Erwin and Larry Ferriera played like men possessed, blowing past the Lakers' hapless defense throughout the first period. The Cards' midfield continued to provide consistent service down the wings and up the middle after the initial flurry, frustrating the Lakers throughout the entirety of the game.
"We capitalized early and never let back down," coach Andy Rismawi said. "Guys went back on defense, guys were double-teaming, guys were making runs."
The Lakers eventually circled the wagons and put up some resistance against the Cards' offense. While SVSU still managed to control the pace of the second half, Mercyhurst organized its defense and did its best to contain Henry, Fox and others to a few decent chances. Meanwhile, Lakers forward Tyler Emerick had looks but only converted on one attempt, when he knocked home a goal unassisted.
The win against Mercyhurst followed a tough 3-6 loss to Gannon Friday, and possibly the
most violent soccer game in SVSU history. Three players received cards - two yellow, one red - and both teams managed to foul one another a stunning 38 times. The Cards played hard, but lacked finesse. Service from the middle went neglected, when service was playable, and the team failed to capitalize on the opportunities it did have.
"The Gannon game could have been the same," Rishmawi said, referring to the team's loss on Friday. "We could have had four easy goals right away."
But SVSU looked totally reenergized on Sunday against the Lakers, and showed off a quality that so far it has lacked: maturity. The Cards still played hard, as always, but the team played more patient passes and tried to create intelligent scoring opportunities. That is the team that will have to take the field when the Cards rematch Gannon on Sept. 28.
The win against Mercyhurst brings the squad to 4-4-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the GLIAC. Seven conference games are left on the schedule.