(Southfield, MI) Concordia Cardinals soccer team traveled to Southfield to take on Lawrence Tech, who beat the Cardinals last year 3-1, on Saturday October 7th at 2:00 p.m. and were able to get the win again beating the Cardinals by a score of 3-0. The Cardinals played well in the first half but couldn't find any rhythm in the second half against the Blue Devils, who are receiving votes in the NAIA polls.
In the beginning of the game Concordia tried to get things going early on, however they were halted with an offsides call. After that, both teams were exchanging possessions in each other's territories. Concordia wasn't able to get any shots while Lawrence Tech was able to get the first six shots however only three of them were on goal. Those three shots on goal came in the 12th, 15th, and 17th minutes. They were three great saves by Concordia's goalkeeper Kyri Wixom. He was either able to fully get his hands on them or was able to just tip them away. After those first six shots came from Lawrence Tech, Concordia was finally able to get its first shot in the 24th minute. Then in the 27th minute Lawrence Tech's Reece Still made a great move and got the ball past Wixom for the goal to make it 1-0 Lawrence Tech. With the goal scored the rest of the first half was both teams exchanging possessions in each other's territories just like in the beginning of the game. Right before halftime Concordia had two chances to tie it up but was unable to convert. The first try was an offsides call against them and the second try was made by Carter Kerbawy that was just off the mark on the right side. Concordia was competing and playing well against (RV) Lawrence Tech team and was only down 1-0 to them going into halftime.
As the second half began, Lawrence Tech was able to get things going pretty quick with a corner kick that set up Thomas Pereira with the goal in the 49th minute. With that goal Lawrence Tech was up 2-0. Then Lawrence Tech had multiple chances to score its third goal but it was Wixom for the Cardinals that would refuse to let them score that third goal. Unlike the first half, the Cardinals could not find any rhythm on offense and were on defense for almost the entire second half. After a bunch of shots that were saved by Wixom it was not until the 68th minute where Lawrence Tech, Gonzalo Ferrando got one past Wixom for the goal. With that goal the lead was now 3-0 Lawrence Tech. Lawrence Tech had a couple of more tries in the second half to extend its lead but it was a great save after a great save by Wixom. Concordia was shutout in the second half not being able to get a shot on goal and only had one total shot in the second half. That lone shot came in the 90th minute after a foul on Lawrence Tech, where Wixom just tried to make something happen but it was a little too high and went over the goal. Even though the Cardinals lost the game 3-0, Wixom played a very good game even though he let up three goals. In the second half he had 16 total saves and they were all different and incredible saves.
Concordia had six total shots, eight fouls, four corner kicks, 19 total saves and one yellow card. For those six shots only two of them were shots on goal and they were by Marcello Pinterpe and Job Munongo. For the goalkeeper, Kyri Wixom had 19 saves and allowed three goals with 32 total shots faced.
Lawrence Tech had 32 total shots, 14 fouls, nine corner kicks, two total saves and one yellow card. Out of those shots only 22 of them were on shots on goal. The goals were scored by Still, Pereira, and Ferrando who each had one apiece. Finally, Jacob Schleicher was able to add two assists as well.
Concordia will return home for a home match against Madonna on Wednesday October 11th at 2:00 p.m..
