Michelle St. Louis

Wildcats Fall to William Carey

10/11/2017 2:30:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Todd Ryals

Box Score

Tuesday Afternoon the Louisiana College men's soccer team faced off against NAIA top-ranked William Carey Univ. Crusaders in a non-conference match. The Crusaders slowly picked the Cats apart scoring two goals in the first and two in the second, to finish 4-0.

The Cats kicked off the game and held some possession but a relaxed Crusader defense prevented any forward movement and a quick front line to pressure the ball.

William Carey rarely moved the ball down the middle of the pitch, working the ball wide to the outside backs and then to the mid-field for long balls over the top to the attacking forwards.

LC was able to handle the long balls but in the 17th minute, a wide attack down the right side of the Cats would break the defense.

Taking the ball to the touchline, Michael Conejero was able to get past his defender and cut the ball back across the box for a waiting Chance Bourdene to blast to pass past Cat keeper Nathan Gautreaux.

Minutes later after back and forth possession changing, the Cats had a goal kick, from the kick the ball was played wide and quickly played back to a defender but a poor touch let the ball bounce back toward goal and a rushing Crusader collected the loose ball and started the counter.

Crusader Ethan Loftin pushed forward down the Cats left side and crossed the ball to Joaquin Ruiz Cabello in the box. Cabello fired the ball to Gautreaux's left but his hand was not strong enough to keep the shot out. The Crusaders now had a two-goal lead 29 minutes in.

Besides the two goals for William Carey, both sides were pretty much evenly matched. LC was able to also hold possession in the opposite half. The mid-field, for the most part, controlled the middle of the field, swinging and changing the point of attack for other Cats to cross it in. Only two shots were produced in the first but the game was not out of reach.

After the restart, William Carey was ready to attack. Holding and working the ball in LC's half, the Crusaders were able to win corners. In the 55th minute, they had a corner and playing it short the Crusaders were able to catch the Cats unaware, a quick cross to the back post giving Loftin all he needed. Beating a Cat to the airball and redirecting it to the back post untouched for the third goal of the night.

Later at the end of the game, the four and final goal would come. From the flow of play, Loftin floated wide, sent in a cross with pace and swirl finding the foot of Steven Gallagher with space to work. The Crusader turned toward goal and blasted a low driven ball past Deville's dive in the 84th minute to make it four.

The second half would not be a display of offense for the Wildcats, only taking two shots the entire half and both within the last ten minutes of the game. The defense would be constantly engaged, repealing the various attempts William Carey tried.

Gautreaux and Albert Deville's hands were active in the second half; the two keepers stopped eight shots that entered the frame of the goal, Gautreaux with eight on the night and Deville with four.

The Cats fall to 1-10 on the season and remain 1-6 in the American Southwestern Conference. Next traveling to Mobile, AL to face Spring Hill College on Friday the 13th for a non-conference match starting at 3:30 p.m. For more on the LC Men's Soccer Team following them on Facebook under Louisiana College Men's Soccer, Instagram and twitter at LC_MSOC.

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