Michelle St. Louis

Wildcats Lose Shootout with Jackets

9/22/2017 6:58:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Todd Ryals

Box Score

Following their first win of the season the Louisiana College men's soccer team faced the Yellow Jackets of Howard Payne University Thursday afternoon in Brownwood, Texas. The 4:30 p.m. American Southwest Conference clash would start off fast for the Jackets scoring five goals in the first half but a Wildcat comeback attempt would come close, finishing in a 6-3 result.

The Wildcats started with the ball and after weaving past the Jacket mid-field, freshman Ian Carter aimed at goal, his effort was high but the Cats were here to play.

Things quickly changed as Howard Payne mounted numbers forward and after a well played through ball down the Cats left flank, Michael Westerman was one-on-one against Cat keeper Albert Deville. Deville's slide was not good enough as Westerman slotted his shot bottom side netting giving the Jackets the lead in the third minute.

The Yellow Jacket attack was not finished there as minutes later without an LC attack they were pushing the goal. Playing another long through ball down the left side Westerman was able to find teammate Tracer Moore, placing his shot past Deville in the 10th minute for a quick 2-0 advantage.

The Cats would respond with a sign of life as freshman Trevon Michael teed up an effort towards Nicholas Panameno's goal, forcing him to shift left to stop the shot. The Yellow Jacket mid-field and forwards were on the same page moving around to open the Wildcat defense but Deville would step up and keep out Collin Saylers' goal ward effort.

Coming into the game senior goalkeeper Nathan Gautreaux would be tested from the get-go. The Cats won a throw-in and tried to work the ball out from the back, but a lose pass allowed Daniel Lemus to find Westerman for his second goal of the day. The shot was on top of the six-yard box, which did not give Gautreaux much time to position himself to block.

Capitalizing on the lack of possession and offense the Jackets would pressure the ball and force turnovers in the midfield and wide flanks starting their counter. Having been played from the outside back, Tracer Moore picked out Daniel Lemus for a shot curling outside the post but pushed back in by the strong Texas wind giving Gautreaux's dive no effect.

Making multiple changes to his teams look, Claudy St. Louis put Francisco Silvestre in and minutes later and many step over's and pulls backs later, tried a left footed curved shot but was wide. Also being subbed into the game Yellow Jacket Jonpaul Vargas would display some skill in the final third. After the ball was played down the field Vargas would arrive late and unmarked giving him time to pick out Moore. Moore took a touch and fired at Gautreaux beating him from close range and giving Howard Payne a 5-0 scoreline.

The fight was not over just yet as the Cats managed to earn a corner. Alvaro Riera stepped up and after raising his hands to signal a play sent the ball into the mix and at the end of it, Felix Hultin redirected the cross toward Panameno, forcing a save. Hultin would try again two minutes later, this time firing from outside the right side of the box making Panameno move for the save.

At the break Wildcats' Head Coach Claudy St. Louis fired the Cats up changing the mood and starting the comeback. The comeback was not always evident because the second half started in the favor of Howard Payne. Four saved shots by Gautreaux in the first 25 minutes kept the Cats afloat but a Panameno save on Phay San prevented any progress.

The scoreboard didn't show it but there was progress for LC, better passing and movement swayed the control of the game into LC's favor with possession of the ball in majority of HPU's half.

The final shutout was prevented in the 70th minute when Silvestre and Leo Osawa connected. Osawa played a left to right cross in the box to Silvestre where his shot knocked around the posts and finally entering the goal giving him his first goal of the season and a life line for the Cats.

A mass substitution by HPU saw five fresh legs and a keeper enter, trying anything to slow down the recent LC press. Sending long balls to the corner of the HPU defense, many Cats were able to get behind the defense and cross balls into the box, Osawa took aim and blasted a volley toward Matt Prall but steady hands prevented the shot.

In the 80th minute the Cats would get one back when Alvaro Riera ran in front of goal to tap in San's cross, moving the gap to three. Five minutes later San would get his reward with a goal of his own. Freshman Alex Okuma had the ball on top of the 18, picked his head up and neatly tucked his left footed cross perfectly onto San's head to make it 3-5 in the 85th minute.

HPU would end the comeback seconds later when Lemus added two to his total for the day and six for HPU. Lemus received a Westerman through ball to beat Gautreaux's outstretched right hand.

The Cats fall to 1-1 in conference and seventh in the ASC standings. Saturday the Cats play the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson, TX at 4:30 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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