By Stan Caldwell
stanmansportsfan.com
HATTIESBURG – The William Carey men are still a bit of a work in progress, but the progress has been steadily upward as the Crusaders dig into the heart of the Southern States Athletic Conference season.
Carey got an early goal from junior newcomer Jack Greenwood in the first 10 minutes of play, then added a late goal to defeat Blue Mountain College 2-0 in SSAC action Saturday afternoon at Danny Owens Field.
It was the ninth-straight victory for the seventh-ranked (NAIA) Crusaders after a loss and a draw to open the season. The Toppers dropped to 2-5-1 and 0-2-1.
“That’s nine straight now,” said Carey coach Barry Farrell. “It was great. Jack came in, scored the goal early to set the tone.
“I think we made it more difficult for ourselves at times. Give (BMC) credit; that’s a good, well-coached team. They drew with Tennessee-Southern, they only lost by one goal to Mobile, and this was a tight game up until the second goal.”
Greenwood, an Englishman by way of Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, got WCU off quickly, sending a blistering shot on goal in the first four minutes of play, then cashed in his next shot for a goal.
Sophomore Roberto Rangel drew Topper keeper Alvar Lopez out of position then passed to Greenwood for a shot in front of the goal from eight yards out at the 8:31 mark.
“That’s the best way to start a game off,” said Greenwood. “The keeper did me a favor by diving the wrong way, but they all count the same.
Greenwood suffered a midseason knee injury last fall at Coffeyville and is just now rounding into playing shape after arriving at Carey from Kansas.
Carey played short-handed against the Toppers, with two of its leading scorers in sophomore Jamie Wynne and senior Billy Boag on the bench with injuries.
“We hope to get Jamie back in the next week or two, and Billy’s out for a couple of games with injury,” said Farrell. “We’ve got to get our substitutes up to fitness, because we only made one or two subs in the game, and we’ll need more than that as we get deeper in the year.”
As a result, the Crusaders used just one substitute, senior Reon Dawes, who came in late in each half, for Greenwood in the first half and junior Djordje Djukovic in the second half.
“You can see that, from the start of the season, how we’re starting to click,” said junior Caoimhin McConnell. “Every game, we’re getting better and better.
“Even at 1-nil, we weren’t even worried at all that we were going to lose. I think that shows the character of this team, to know that we’re still able to grind out games like that, then get a late goal to see it off.”
Despite that, Carey put continual pressure on the Toppers, who were content to pack the back end and let Lopez stonewall the Crusaders in goal.
Lopez had 13 saves for the game, nine in the second half, and many of them were worthy of a highlight reel.
“I might nominate him for conference Player of the Week,” said Farrell. “Normally, I nominate one of our guys, but I’ll probably nominate him. He was sensational.”
Carey had 27 shots for the game, 15 on goal, and came close several times to getting a second goal throughout the remainder of the first half and into the second half.
The Crusaders’ best chance at adding a second goal in the first half came at the 35:16 mark when junior Aleksander Mihov hit the crossbar with a rocket shot from 15 yards out.
What kept the Crusaders buoyed was a stifling back line that never let Blue Mountain sustain an attack. BMC only had six shots for the game, just two on goal. Carey has a solid back four of Rangel, junior Alessandro Villarreal, junior Elias Salminen and junior Giovanni Soares.
“I think we’re doing a great job in the back,” said Rangel. “Us four are a great team, a unit. We’re being excellent back there.
“The first goal was a great combination play. We practice that move all the time, and Jack gave us a good start.”
The second half was more of the same, as Carey sent waves of attackers at the Topper goal, only to have Lopez make a save or the back end block shots in front.
But Carey kept the heat on and appeared to get a huge break at the 70-minute mark when Blue Mountain was called for a handball in the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick.
McConnell stepped up to take the shot, but Lopez guessed right and saved that shot as well.
“I don’t want to talk about their keeper after saving that penalty on me,” said McConnell. “That one at the end, I thought surely I had a goal.
“It wasn’t even a bad shot; he jumped high and still got a hand on it. It was tough on the take, but we still won the game. It’s all good.”
But McConnell and the Crusaders finally broke through seven minutes later after a flurry of point-blank shots in front of the net.
McConnell drove a longball into the area, where Greenwood was among a crowd of Carey players.
Greenwood blasted a shot from three yards out that Lopez knocked right back onto Greenwood’s foot, then saved the rebound and a third shot, by Villarreal, was blocked in front of the goal.
But Rangel corralled that rebound, drew Lopez out of position then fed Salminen, who stuck the ball into the open net for a 2-0 lead at the 77:03 mark. Rangel was credited with his second assist of the game.
“My last game (Thursday against Tennessee-Southern) was probably my first game back after a year off the field,” said Greenwood. “So I’m just feeling my way back right now, trying to get into better shape. I’ve just come in to do the best I can to help the team.”
Mihov led Carey with seven shots, Greenwood had five and McConnell had four for the game.
While the Crusaders are still piecing things together, Farrell likes where his team is after 11 games.
“That’s four wins in the conference now,” said Farrell. “We just had to grind it out there at the end. “So, yes, going forward, we’ll try to finish better, Jack will improve his fitness the more he plays, and for the boys it’s just a matter of recovering and getting ready for next week.”
Carey will be on the road for the next three weeks, with games at Middle Georgia State next Thursday and Brewton-Parker on Saturday, then a game at Faulkner on October 7 before the next home game October 12 against Life University.
Photos courtesy of Kevin Rosiere
