On Sunday night 8/31 the Soccer Hawks smashed Oakland City University 6-1 in a match they had to win, and one they also had to win big. Entering the 7:30 PM contest the Hawks knew if they wanted to win Soccer Bowl they’d have to win by a least 5 goals, a tough chore against any opponent. The reason the Hawks had to score so much was that earlier that day UMSL had beaten Saginaw Valley 6-1 and that result coupled with UMSL’s 3-0 win over Oakland the day before put the Triton’s at a +8 in the goal differential tie breaker category should they and the Hawks both finish the weekend with 2-0-0 records. The Hawks had to win and to earn the trophy they had to secure at least a + 9 goal differential. With their 4-0 win over Saginaw Valley on Saturday and the thrilling 6-1 defeat of Oakland the Hawks DID IT.
To make the Oakland City game even more difficult he Hawks had to go into it without the services of their most consistent scorer, Grant Ellison who pulled a hamstring after notching one of his electrifying goals during the first half of QU’s win over Saginaw. Grant sat out the second half of that Saturday match and was not available at all for Sunday’s game. Knowing that Grant wouldn’t be the spark on this night his teammates picked up the slack and unleashed a torrid attack on City’s goal right from the outset and got three exciting, courageous, head ball scores in the first half. Jack Wedemeier banged in a header off a Mike DiSalvo corner kick in the 27th minute. Then Wedemeier served in a corner kick in the 30th minute that Justin Bower nodded in. Just before half time Steve Miller drove a long free kick into the City box that Bane Isailovic rose high to head in. It is quite unusual to get 3 head ball goals in one game let alone to notch 3 in one half.
The second half opened with the Hawks coming out firing on all cylinders and Andy Kling scoring his first Hawk goal ever kicking on a corner kick served into him by Jack Wedemeier making the score 4-0 at this point, but still short of the needed 5 goal cushion. At the 80th minute Jake Pittroff notched the sought after 5th score on an assist from Andy Kling, and then three minutes later Bane Isailovic scored his second head ball goal of the game on another wicked free kick served up by Steve Miller giving the Hawks a little cushion at this point…a cushion that was need as Oakland finally got on the scoreboard at the 87th minute on a traffic shot that hit the inside if the far posted and settled over the line. A couple minutes later the game ended and the Hawks were CHAMPIONS!
Saturday’s game with Saginaw Valley that put the Hawks into the Championship chase showed that the Hawks were ready to start the “official” 2008 season as they came out firing and scored twice in the first 10 minutes of action. At the 5 minute mark Jayme Groark notched the opener after picking up a loose ball in the Valley penalty area and slotting it home from close range. Grant Ellison scored at the 10 minute mark after he outraced a defender to a loose ball and then beat him with a move on the end line and fired away at goal. Grant’s initial shot was blocked but Grant followed up and beat everyone to the loose ball and smashed it in. Just before half time Abe Dirnberger scored from close range after receiving a free kick neatly crafted by Kyle Koenig and Steve Miller. Saginaw put up a much stiffer resistance in the second half and kept the Hawks off the board until Jayme Groark scored his second on the night punching a loose ball over the goal line in the 89th minute.
Next up for the Hawks is a tournament over at Truman State in Kirksville (MO) on Friday 9/5 playing against Graceland University (IA) at 4 PM followed up by a Sunday 9/7 match with Incarnate Word University (TX) that begins at 11 AM.
GO HAWKS…KEEP IT GOING!
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