VIDEO: Men’s soccer shuts down Eureka, Knox to get to .500

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The Webster University men’s soccer team defeated Knox College 4-1 on Oct. 4 at the Soccer Park to improve to 5-5-1 on the year. The victory came two days after Webster defeated Eureka College 5-0. It marks the first time this season the men’s team has had back-to-back wins.

“We’re trying to carry this over into the conference games, build on it and bring it to every game,” said Clint Carder, a junior forward.
Knox has won only one game all year, so the Gorloks expected to beat the Prairie Fire by a wide margin and hold them scoreless.
“We should’ve held them to a shutout, but we could’ve put a few more in the back of the net,” Carder said.
Webster also wanted to avenge a rather disappointing tie at Knox last season.
“We went up there last year and tied 2-2 after it was raining,” said Mickey Dennis, a junior defender. “We played terrible. We were sort of embarrassed in all honesty. We wanted to set the record straight and win by a considerable margin.”
The Gorloks wasted no time in scoring their first goal. Carder scored his third goal of the season five minutes into the game off a cross from sophomore striker Pat McCaffery.
Carder assisted on a goal by senior Bryan Enger seven minutes later. The goal was Enger’s team-leading fifth.
Junior forward Jurgen Rama scored his first goal of the season with one minute left in the first half. Webster headed into halftime leading 3-0, but the lead could’ve been larger, as the Gorloks missed on several scoring opportunities.

Webster University men's soccer
Webster University sophomore striker Pat McCaffery chests down a ball during the Gorloks’ 4-1 win over Knox College on Oct. 4 at the Soccer Park. PHOTO BY GALE WHITEHEAD

“The last two games at halftime we told the whole group, ‘I don’t think a coaching staff around could’ve asked you to do anything more than what you’re doing except for that finishing touch,’” coach Marty Todt said.
Senior goalie Alex Cupp lost his bid for a shutout halfway through the second half. Knox scored their lone goal of the game from a shot 25 yards out. It deflected off the bottom of the crossbar and out of Cupp’s reach.
McCaffery scored Webster’s fourth goal five minutes later off a through ball from senior midfielder Dominic DeVasto. It was McCaffery’s fourth goal of the season.
Webster came into the game against Knox fresh off a conference win over Eureka to improve to 2-0 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Dennis said the win may have tired them out for the Knox game, even though the Gorloks got the win.
“We were hoping to win by more,” Dennis said. “We came out a little lackadaisical. We had a game a couple days ago, so we were probably a little tired. We didn’t come out as hard as we could’ve, but we got the win and that’s all that matters.”

Todt said if the team continues to create scoring opportunities, then the goals will come.
“As long as we’re doing that, we’re going to put one or two away,” Todt said. “If three or four come, then that’s great.”
Cupp earned his second shutout of the season in the win against Eureka. Enger led the team with two goals while senior midfielder Shea Vogt, sophomore midfielder Marc Hager and Carder each had a goal.
Webster’s final six games of the season are against conference opponents. Todt believes the Gorloks have prepared themselves and fixed their weaknesses for the stretch run.
“Everything we’ve done throughout the course of the last 10 games is a learning curve for the conference games,” Todt said. “As a coaching staff you ask everybody to leave it out on the field, and I think they are.”
Webster continues conference play with two games next week. The Gorloks have a game at Fontbonne University on Oct. 12 before traveling to Jacksonville, Ill., on Oct. 15 to face MacMurray College.

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