BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College men's soccer put together a dominant performance on Wednesday night in defeating visiting Heidelberg University 3-0 on Reeves Field. The win kept Geneva undefeated on the season and improved its record to 5-0-1.
Almost the entire game was played on Heidelberg's end of the field as Geneva controlled possession and chances throughout. The men almost got on the board three minutes into the game off the foot of senior Dominic Sambuco. Senior Darren Main headed a ball back across the box to Sambuco for an open look, but the ball bounced up on Sambuco and his shot went just over the bar.
Geneva broke through in the 17th minute. Freshman Avery Motes sent a long throw-in into the box, which junior George Cottenden got his head on. Cottenden flicked the ball back behind him towards the net, and the ball hit the post before back spin eventually carried the ball over the line before Heidelberg could clear the ball.
The men had multiple good chances over the final 30 minutes of the half as senior goalkeeper Haydn Catalon only had to face one long range shot from Heidelberg that went well wide of the frame.
The Golden Tornadoes doubled its lead in the closing seconds of the half. It appeared that, despite complete control of the first half, Geneva would head into the break just one goal up, but junior Jeremy Thompson sent a ball into the box to head of senior Carnel Kerr. Kerr's header from five yards away was saved, but the rebound bounced right to Kerr who easily tapped the ball into the net with just one second remaining before the horn.
The second half brought more of the same, with Geneva dominating possession, shots and chances. Kerr put the game away with a goal with ten minutes left in the game. He received a pass from junior Wil Dunda in the box, took one touch around a defender and then hit a tremendous shot from a tight angle ten yards away that clipped off the inside of the near post and deflected into the net, finishing off the 3-0 victory.
The final stats show the impressive performance the men put together. Geneva finished with a 26-3 advantage in shots and a 10-0 edge in shots on goal. Catalon had little traffic to worry about as most of the game was played on the opposite end of the field. The shutout is his third of the season.
The men will wrap up their non-conference schedule on Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. home match against Muskingum. Geneva will begin conference play next Wednesday with a match at W&J.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
