BY MCKENDREE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Cerna’s Hat Trick Not Enough In 5-4 McKendree Men’s Soccer OT Loss to Oakland City
(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 7)
Senior forward C.J. Cerna (Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville) recorded his first collegiate hat trick with three goals on Sunday, but a late rally by visiting Oakland City University proved to be too much in a 5-4 overtime loss to spoil the McKendree’s men’s soccer home opener.
The Bearcats fall to 0-1-1 overall and begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Friday, Sept. 12 at Maryville University at 2:30 p.m.
Cerna put McKendree in front, 1-0, in the 20th minute after he scored off the first collegiate assist from freshman midfielder Zino Efenedo (St. Kitts and Nevis/NEPA Secondary School). The Mighty Oaks went on to tie the game in the 22nd minute, 1-1.
Cerna struck again in the 27th minute off a free kick from senior defender Connor Cassidy (Glasgow, Scotland/St. Andrews) for his second goal of the game to give the Bearcats a 2-1 lead at the half.
He completed the hat trick with his third goal of the game, matching his season total from the 2013 season, in the 46th minute off an assist by senior midfielder Kavel Smith (Kingston, Jamaica/St. George’s College) and freshman forward Andrew Ducharme (Edwardsville, Ill./Triad High School) scored his first collegiate goal in the 77th minute off an assist by senior defender Joe Hilderbrand (St. Louis, Mo./Vianney) to extend the lead to 4-1.
Oakland City scored three goals in the final 12 minutes of regulation to force overtime and scored the game-winning goal in the 92nd minute to win the game 5-4.
Junior goalkeeper Matt Derrington (St. Louis, Mo./Trinity Catholic) falls to 0-1 on the season with the loss and had three saves.
Kiddell’s Second-Half Goal Leads Men’s Soccer Past Maryville 1-0
(ST. LOUIS, Mo., Sept. 12)
A goal by sophomore defender Callum Kiddell (Auckland, New Zealand/Mount Albert Grammar School) in the 55th minute was all the McKendree University men’s soccer team needed on Friday to earn a 1-0 win at Maryville University in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener.
The Bearcats improve to 1-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the GLVC, and will travel to St. Louis, Mo., again on Sunday, to face University of Missouri-St. Louis at 2:30 p.m.
Maryville took twice as many shots as McKendree in the match, 12-6, but a strong performance by junior goalkeeper Scott Armistead (Auckland, New Zealand/Saint Peter’s College) in the net helped keep the Saints off the board. The Bearcats broke open the scoreless game on a long pass from senior defender Connor Cassidy (Glasgow, Scotland/St. Andrews) that found its way to the foot of Kiddell for the score. The goal and the assist were the first of the season for both players.
Armistead improved to 1-0-1 and earned the shutout while playing all 90 minutes in goal.
McKendree University Men’s Soccer Falls at Missouri-St. Louis 1-0
(St. LOUIS, Mo., Sept. 14)
The McKendree University men’s soccer team dropped a close 1-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) soccer match at University of Missouri-St. Louis on Sunday.
The Bearcats fall to 1-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the GLVC and will host Truman State University on Friday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
The McKendree offense had a sense of urgency in the second half while trailing 1-0, and held an 8-2 shot advantage over the hosts in the final half. The Bearcats had three shots in the final five minutes but were unable to find the back of the net to force an overtime.
Junior goalkeeper Scott Armistead (Auckland, New Zealand/Saint Peter’s College) fell to 1-1-1 overall and had one save in the loss.
