ROCKFORD, ILL. – Four different players scored goals as the Iowa Wesleyan College men’s soccer team came back from a first half deficit to defeat Rockford College 4-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
The Tigers posted a huge advantage in shots in the second half and scored three times in the final 45 minutes, winning for the second time in four matches and improving to 3-14 on the season. The Regents, members of the NCAA Division III Northern Athletics Conference, dropped to 1-11 this year.
Rockford held a slight advantage in play for awhile in the first half as IWC coach Michael Sheerin juggled the lineup a bit for the non-conference match. The Regents’ Tanner Taylor scored first but Rockford only led for exactly one minute, 28 seconds, as their goal at the 29:02 mark was answered quickly by Reinaldo Hall (So.-Trincity, Trinidad & Tobago) at the 30:40 mark to tie the match at 1-1.
Hall’s goal was his first in two seasons as a Tiger, and the match remained tied at halftime. In the second half the Tigers took over, posting an 18-2 advantage in shots. The Tigers took the lead in the 52nd minute when Jesus Soto (Fr.-Rockton, Ill.) scored what was also his first collegiate goal, making it 2-1.
IWC salted the game away in the final 10 minutes with goals by Chris Rennie (Sr.-Edinburgh, Scotland) and Michael Roberts (Jr.-St. Johns, Antigua). Roberts scored in the 87th minute with an assist from Alberto de Mesa (Jr.-Malaga, Spain) to close out the scoring.
Troy Osborne (Fr.-Sydney, Australia) made three saves to get his second win of the season in goal. The Tigers outshot the Regents 24-10 for the match, with Rob Atkinson (So.-Northants, England) leading the team with five shots. Jason Taylor made 10 saves in goal for Rockford.
IWC now has won two of its last four matches. The Tigers conclude their regular season schedule Saturday against St. Ambrose University at 1 p.m. in Muscatine. Wesleyan will begin postseason play Thursday, Oct. 30 in the first round of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament.
For more information regarding the IWC soccer programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score IWC 4 Rockford 1
