By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
It was a couple of unsung heroes who stepped forward for William Carey University Monday night in the second round of the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Tournament.
Ben Whalley scored late in the first half, and Clairy Kengeye scored the game-winner just three seconds into the second half to lift the Crusaders past Georgia Gwinnett 2-1 in the final game of the day at Orange County Great Park Soccer Stadium in Irvine, Cal.
Carey remained undefeated at 19-0-1, and advanced to the quarterfinal round to face Cardinal Stritch (Wisc.) at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Georgia Gwinnett finished its season 12-6-1.
The Crusaders got all they wanted from the Grizzlies, who attacked the Carey defense early on and grabbed a 1-0 lead on a shot by Omar Thali at 18:41, with Toni Tiente assisting.
But Carey tightened up its defense, holding Gwinnett to just one shot in a 15-minute period late in the half.
After a foul, Crusader midfielder Michael Conejero, a senior from Banos de la Encina, Spain, fired a free kick that Grizzlies goalkeeper Matija Gligorovic misplayed.
Whalley, a sophomore from Milton Keynes, England, buried the mistake for his seventh goal of the season at 38:24, and Conejero was credited with his ninth assist of the year.
Carey weathered a flurry of offense from Gwinnett, which had three shots in the final 1:39 of the period, including a shot on-goal with just 10 seconds remaining.
Seconds after the whistle to start play in the second half, Kengeye, a sophomore from Mobile, Ala., blasted a 35-yard shot past Gligorovic for an unassisted goal at 45:03. It was just his second goal of the season.
The Crusaders dominated the rest of the second half, totaling 16 shots in the period, including 4 on-goal, while holding the Grizzlies to just 6 shots and none on-goal.
However, Carey was unable to get a clinching goal, and nearly paid for it in the final seconds of the game, as Thali banged a shot off the crossbar with just four seconds to play. But the shot stayed out of the net to the relief of the Crusaders.
While the Carey men have the day off, the Lady Crusaders will take the field at 11 a.m. Tuesday for their second-round clash against Eastern Oregon in the Women’s National Tournament at Orange Beach, Ala.
GAME SUMMARY
NAIA Soccer National Tournament
Second Round
Monday at Irvine, Cal.
MEN
William Carey 2, Georgia Gwinnett 1
GGC 1 0 – 1
WCU 1 1 – 2
GEORGIA GWINNETT (12-6-1): Omar Thali (Toni Tiente), 18:41. GK – Matija Gligorovic, 6 saves. YC – Toni Tiente, 46:48.
WILLIAM CAREY (19-0-1): Ben Whalley (Michael Conejero), 38:24; Clairy Kengeye (Unassisted), 45:03. GK – Josh Carpenter, 4 saves.
