Shorthanded Men’s Soccer Squad Tops Indiana Tech, 5-2

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DETROIT — Junior forwards Abdoulie Jallow (Bansang, The Gambia/Rust College) and Oneil Robinson  (Montego Bay, Jamaica/Cornwall College) led an offensive outburst for Marygrove men’s soccer as the team topped the visiting Indiana Tech Warriors by a 5-2 final score Wednesday (Oct. 15) in Detroit. With the win, the Mustangs moved into a second place tie in the WHAC with NAIA No. 1 Davenport at 4-1 in conference play. The Warriors dropped to 5-5-1 overall and 2-3-0 in the WHAC with the loss.

The Mustangs (5-8-0, 4-1-0 WHAC) started Wednesday’s WHAC tilt on a mission, sending in a pair of goals over the game’s opening eight minutes to go up, 2-0, over the Warriors. Jallow knocked in his first of three goals just three minutes into the contest after senior midfielder Alex Cabildo (Westland, Mich./Schoolcraft College) sent a ball forward for the game-opening tally.

Minutes later, freshman midfielder/defender Andriy Pelekh (Lviv, Ukraine/Salem High School) sent home a header goal off a Khalid Suleiman (Tulkarm, Palestine/Madonna University) corner-kick cross into the box. The goal was the first of Pelekh’s brief collegiate career as Suleiman sent in a well-played ball from the far corner to give the Mustangs an early two-goal lead.

The Mustangs roll to begin the game would be put to a stop in the 16th minute when a red card was issued to a member of the team. The Mustangs would play a man down for the remaining 74 minutes after the card was issued, making things a bit difficult for sixth-year head coach Matt Johnson his squad.

The Warriors would strike in the 23rd minute to cut the Mustangs lead in half, 2-1, when Stuart Mitchell beat a diving Ryan Plonka (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Macomb CC). The goal would be the final tally for either team in the opening 45 minutes as the Mustangs went into the half up, 2-1.

Early in the second half, the Mustangs received a cushion when Jallow’s rocket shot was left out in front by the Warriors keeper for Robinson to tap home. The goal lifted the Mustangs lead to 3-1 after Robinson lit up the scoreboard in the 57th minute for his sixth goal of the season.

Refusing to quit, the Warriors scored their second and final goal in the 69th minute, sneaking in a 30-yard strike over the head of Plonka to cut the Mustangs lead to one, 3-2.

Jallow would have an answer, sending in two late goals to lift the Mustangs to the 5-2 conference victory. In the 72nd minute, Jallow flicked a ball backwards to stun the Warriors keeper after Robinson crossed a ball through the box. The junior forward earned a hat trick minutes later after Robinson found him again, this time from 25 yards out to beat the keeper between the legs for his third goal.

Despite being a man-down for most of the game, the Mustangs were able to own the stat sheet by outshooting the Warriors 20-6 (10-3 shots on goal).

Plonka earned his fifth win of the season in net and made his only save of the day count as he dove backwards to thwart a game-tying goal from the Warriors in the 55th minute.

The Mustangs will remain home to take on Aquinas College Saturday (Oct. 18) at 3 p.m. The Saints will head to Detroit fresh off a 1-0 upset victory over Beltline rival and NAIA No. 1 Davenport Wednesday. After Saturday’s game, the men’s soccer team will celebrate Senior Day, highlighting the career of the program’s lone senior, Alex Cabildo.

GAME NOTES: Jallow’s seven-point day marked a personal single-game record for him at the collegiate level … his goal from 25-out was his first outside of the 18-yard mark since arriving at Marygrove three years ago … Jallow’s assist lifted his season total to eight, tying the program record for a single-season that he set in 2012 … The Mustangs have never lost to Indiana Tech (3-0-1) after today’s three-goal victory … the win lifts the Mustangs WHAC points total to 12 – three behind their conference total in 2013.

   

MEN’S SOCCER CONTACT: Tim Johnston | [email protected] /* */ | @tjohnston56
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