MOUNT PLEASANT – Jesus Soto (So.-Rockton, Ill.) and Emil Yazdani (Sr.-Buenos Aires, Argentina) scored goals and Troy Osborne (So.-Sydney, Australia) had a shutout as the Iowa Wesleyan College men’s soccer team picked up a 2-0 win over William Penn University Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers grabbed their first Midwest Collegiate Conference win of the season, improving to 1-1 in conference play and 3-8 overall. Wesleyan also snapped a three-match losing streak in sending the Statesmen to 2-6-1 overall, 0-3 in the MCC.
IWC got on the board early in the match and generally controlled play throughout. The Tigers posted a 14-7 advantage in shots, and Osborne had to make just one save to get his first shutout of the year in goal.
The Tigers scored their first goal 14:41 into the match when Soto received a pass from Alex Marchese (So.-Toronto, Ontario) and beat Penn goalkeeper Tadeo Cavazos for his third goal of the season.
The lead stayed that way up to halftime and into early in the second half, when Wesleyan scored again. Chris Madigan (Fr.-Richmond, England) fed a crossing pass on goal and Yazdani outfought the defender for the ball, heading it past Cavazos for his first goal of the year and a 2-0 lead for the Tigers.
The Statesmen would get few good opportunities the rest of the way and would not seriously threaten in the second half. IWC outshot Penn 9-4 in the second half and did not have a shot on goal in the final 45 minutes.
Michael Roberts (Sr.-St. Johns, Antigua), the second-leading goal scorer in the MCC, was held without a point but led Wesleyan with four shots, two on goal. Soto and Yazdani also both added three shots as part of a Tiger attack that featured some changes. Among the changes were senior Jake Pilger (Burlington, Iowa) moving from his lead position on the defense to a midfield spot with Marchese moved back on the defensive backline along with Travis McRoberts (So.-Burlington, Iowa) and Callum Hughes (Fr.-Ellesmere Port, England).
The Tigers look to make it two in a row in conference on Saturday when they meet Waldorf College at 4 p.m. in Forest City.
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 2 WPU 0
