Conway, Ark. –
The Central Arkansas Men's Soccer Team played their first game under the lights at the Bill Stephens Soccer Complex on Saturday, and it didn't lack for excitement. The Bears took down Houston Baptist in double overtime by a score of 2-1.
The teams combined for ten shots in the first half, but were unable to score. The Huskies (0-1-0) took a lead ten minutes into the second half, as Tobenna Uzo headed a shot into the Central Arkansas (1-0-0) net from eight yards out.
Central Arkansas found an equalizer 20 minutes later, as Jaden Hoth lofted a corner into the box and freshman Wes Carson headed it home for his first career goal, tying the score at 1-1. Neither team was able to take the lead in regulation, leading to a pair of ten minute overtime periods that saw the teams combine for seven shots. With five minutes to play in the game, Logan Miller blasted a shot into the top right corner of the net from 25 yards out to give the Bears the 2-1 win.
"I think we had two really special moments tonight: Wes Carson, an Arkansas kid, getting the first goal under the lights, and Logan, one of our captains, getting the game-winner in overtime," said Bears' head coach Ross Duncan after the match. "We needed those two moments, because everything in between was kind of ugly, and we've got a lot of work to do."
Paxti Shortsleeve played the whole game in goal for the Bears, making five saves and allowing one goal. George Kelley was in net for the Huskies, making three saves and allowing a pair of goals. "Patxi was big time tonight," said Duncan, He's a fifth-year senior, so he's got a tone of experience, and tonight he showed us why he was in there."
A crowd of 550 was on hand to watch the team's first match under the lights, and they played a large part in the Central Arkansas victory, cheering throughout the game, and getting especially loud during overtime. Duncan praised the crowd following the match, saying, "I think that even though the crowd wasn't as big as we'll see later in the season, the fans that were here were fantastic, and they really kept us in it in the overtime period. Our players were definitely drawing inspiration from the 'U-C-A' chants and the shouting and heckling, so the crowd brought a lot for us."
The Bears return to the field on Monday at 1:00 pm, playing host to Incarnate Word. "They're a good side," said Duncan of the Cardinals. "We don't know a lot about them, other than that they're a good team. They're a bit of an unknown because they're just coming up to Division-I, but they we're a good Division-II team, so it should be a good match."
