The Standard

Issue date: 9/4/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Bazil Manietta

Consider the preseason rust gone.

Dominating the pace of the match for the entire 90 minutes, the Missouri State men's soccer team used a balanced offensive game plan and a stingy defense to post a 4-1 victory over Centenary in the season opener Saturday night at Plaster Stadium.

It was a complete turnaround performance wise for a Bears team that had lost 3-0 to Division II Rockhurst ten days earlier.

At the 10 minute mark of the first half, senior midfielder Omar Shoucair took a Ryan Hennessy pass and scored to make it 1-0.

Later in the first half, sophomore defender Nick Dryden found Kyle Windmueller streaking down the right side for a breakaway goal to increase the lead to two.

After Centenary made it 2-1 before halftime, Missouri State came out and sealed the game within the first few minutes of the second half.

Sophomore forward Will Ziegahn took a pass from Windmueller and knocked it through from 18 yards out at the 49:47 mark to make it 3-1.

Another sophomore, midfielder Johannes Demarzi, iced the game with 12 minutes remaining by converting on a free kick from the right side for a 4-1 score.

Missouri State out-shot Centenary 17-11, but the Gents had more shots on goal, 8-7. Senior goalkeeper Lance Parker picked up his first win and shutout of the season by making five saves.

Josh Gomillion scored the lone goal of the match for Centenary off a corner kick with just over a minute left in the first half. The Gents fell to 0-2 on the season while the Bears are now 1-0.

Missouri State is back in action tonight, hosting North Florida at 8 p.m.

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