Mid-America Christian University

OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 4 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team faced a stiff test from Sooner Athletic Conference rival Science & Arts in the team's first conference home match of the season, but the short-handed Evangels were able to fend off the Drovers for a 2-1 victory at the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field on Saturday night.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• First Half
  • MACU – 18:35 – Goal: Jack Price (4), Assist: Niccolo Ticozzelli – MACU 1, USAO 0
  • MACU – 40:09 – Goal: Adrian Heinle (3), Assist: Bruno Sperandio – MACU 2, USAO 0
• Second Half
  • USAO – 63:50 – Goal: Angelo Leendertse – MACU 2, USAO 1

MATCH SUMMARY

• First Half
  • Science & Arts was able to jump out with some early offensive momentum, forcing five shots through the first 17 minutes but the lone shot put on-frame was saved by Jeremi Abonnel to keep the match scoreless.
  • Mid-America Christian was able to cash in its first goal of the evening when Niccolo Ticozzelli was able to retrieve a deflected pass in the midfield and dish it to a wide open Jack Price on the left side. Price fired a rocket shot from over 25 yards out to the top right corner of the goal to make it an early 1-0 MACU advantage.
  • The Evangels forced two more shots on-goal before scoring an important insurance goal that would be the game-winner. With just under five minutes remaining in the half, Bruno Sperandio placed a well-delivered corner from the left side to the left post as Adrian Heinle was able to redirect the ball with a header to the right side of the net to make it a 2-0 Evangels edge at the half.
• Second Half
  • Both teams were able to get early shots on-goal in the half with USAO's Abdel Nait-Zerrad in the 58^th minute and Cesar Ramirez in the 62^nd minute, but Abonnel and USAO keeper Nathan Fitch were each able to make stops to keep it to 2-0.
  • The Drovers finally found their only goal of the match in the 64^th minute when Dejue Johnson accidentally tripped Chun Scholte trying to make a sliding tackle in the 18-yard box, setting up USAO with a penalty kick. On the attempt, Angelo Leendertse slipped a shot inside the left post to bring it to a 2-1 game.
  • The Evangels defense stifled the Drovers over the remainder of the half with the only good opportunity USAO having coming with 4:38 remaining. On the play, Mats Hofland put a header over the crossbar while the Drovers' final shot of the match at the 86:29 mark off the foot of Harry Donaldson sailed high.

MATCH NOTES

• Mid-America Christian outshot Science & Arts 18-13 for the match, but were more efficient with the shot placement, putting 10 on-goal while the Drovers could only place three on-target.
• The Drovers were also able to limit the Evangels in corner kick opportunities, as the NAIA leader in corners were held to just four while the Drovers only attempted three for the match as well.
• The goal for Jack Price was his fourth of his career while Adrian Heinle's header was the first game-winner of his Evangels career. Heinle is the eighth Evangels player to score a game-winning goal this season after the team had just five different players score game-winners a season ago.
• Bruno Sperandio and Niccolo Ticozzelli each notched their second assists of the season.
• By getting his 12^th win in goal, Jeremi Abonnel tied Jackob O'Meara-Gill's 2017 mark for the second-most goalie wins in a season, currently sitting only behind Austin Parker's 20 wins recorded during the 2019 campaign.
• Mid-America Christian improved to 12-0 overall on the season while going to 4-0 in Sooner Athletic Conference play while the Drovers fell to 8-4-3 and 1-2-1 against the league field.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 16 as the Evangels will be back at home to take on Texas Wesleyan for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field.