WPU Nipped 4-3 by #8 MoVal

William Penn University Athletics

Marshall, Mo.–The Statesmen men’s soccer team put #8 Missouri Valley on upset alert all night, but failed to close it out in a 4-3 Heart of America Athletic Conference loss Saturday.

William Penn (8-6-1, 4-3 Heart) was outshot 27-10 (11-5 in first half), but managed to hold a 2-1 advantage at intermission.

The Vikings (12-2, 7-1 Heart) struck first just 3:06 into the night, but the visitors answered with goals in the 11th minute by Lewis Hubbard (Fr., Colchester, England, Sociology) (unassisted) and the 29th minute from Randolph Tamba (Jr., Firestone, Liberia, Information Technology). Tamba’s score came off a pass from Jack Kindell-Brown (Fr., Chelmsford, England, Physical Education).

MVC knotted the contest at 2-2 with another early-period goal at 48:16, but was then forced to play a man down as one of their own received a red card.

Angelo Kelly (Sr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Physical Education) helped the navy and gold take advantage immediately with an unassisted score at the 59:57 mark.

Unfortunately, the Vikings brought the game back to even with a short-handed goal less than four minutes later. The Statesmen self-imposed extra adversity when Tamba was sent off with his second yellow of the game in the 74th minute.

Missouri Valley sent numerous shots toward the goal in the following minutes, but Max Stamer (Fr., Salzgitter, Germany, Secondary Education), who had three saves, and his teammates kept the score at 3-3 until the final two minutes. The Vikings were just too much to handle in the end, recording the eventual game-winner with 1:38 left in regulation.

“I am a very proud coach tonight,” Head Coach Jaymee Highcock said. “Our men gave absolutely everything and I could not have asked for more. We were unlucky to let in a late goal and deserved more; our guys gave 100%. Now we prepare to get a victory over Benedictine next week.”

Next Up: William Penn travels to Atchison, Kan. next Saturday to face Benedictine in Heart action at 7:30 p.m.