CONWAY, Ark. – Playing at home for the first time this season, the Central Arkansas men's soccer team battled through nearly 50 minutes of playing a man down to score a home-opening win over Eastern Illinois Sunday night.
 
The Bears (1-5-1) notched the first victory of the season right before the start of conference play, as Pietro Fontana and Devonte Richards linked up for a picture-perfect score deep into the second half.
 
Eastern Illinois controlled early possession, but when the Bears would dispossess the Panthers, the long ball was finding feet, allowing Central Arkansas to take a couple of early shots, allowing the home team to at least threaten. But in large part, the Panthers maintained possession in the midfield, unable to crack the backline of the Bears, one that was missing several starters. Merrick Cook, making his second-straight start, continued to play well, coming off of his line to intercept passes and making the one necessary save in the first half to keep the game knotted at the break. Late in the first half, however, the Bears received a red card, forcing the home team to play with ten men the entire second half.
 
But the Bears responded well, collapsing defensively to wall up against the Panthers. Down a man, the strategy became enduring an attack and countering, allowing the visitors to get drawn deep into Bear territory, then try to get the runners going long against fewer defenders. It nearly worked several times throughout the half, with Michael Oliveri, Richards and Fontana nearly breaking through.
 
Finally, in the 81^st minute, it happened; after a deep throw-in by the Panthers, the ball was ejected from the box by Matheo Francou, who found Fontana a short ways up the field. Richards started hauling down the pitch, pulling a defender away from Fontana to get him freed up to make the pass. The Italian played a beautiful ball in between the defense and the keeper, a ball that only Richards was able to get to, and the Barbadian beat the keeper and finished the job. It marked the second goal of the season for Richards, and his second-straight match with a score.
 
With the match not over, the Bears had to once more shield the net from the Panthers, who were pushing numbers forward to break through. Eastern Illinois got a couple of good looks, but Cook stayed ahead of it and earned the shutout.
 
Central Arkansas hits the road this next weekend to start ASUN play, heading out to face Queens in Charlotte on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.