AUSTIN, Texas – ARTHUR SOUZA bookended three Hilltopper goals, with
SHUNJI WATANABE delivering the game-winner in a 3-1 St. Edward's men's soccer win over Northeastern State.
St. Edward's found cracks in the Northeastern defense early and often, finding space down the sidelines and working through balls up the middle for two quick shots from
MATTHEW DEVANEY and
TODD FULLER in the first two minutes of the game, with Fuller's attempt testing Northeastern State keeper Gonzalo Castells.
The Hilltoppers continued to exert pressure with three corner kicks and back-to-back
PABLO ZAVALA shots from the 10th minute through the 12th.
VICENTE ALVAREZ got a clean look at the goal but was stopped by Castell. Alvarez sent another one wide, and Souza added another attempt.
St. Edward's finally broke through in the 25th minute when Northeastern State's Callum Rosier shoved
IRVIN ABARCA in the back while the latter was going high for an attempt in the box out of a corner, drawing a penalty kick.
Souza took the PK and found the back of the net for the early Hilltopper lead.
St. Edward's generated a 10-4 shot advantage in the first half, putting three on goal and earning seven corner kicks, but were held to a 1-0 lead.
Northeastern State created an equalizer out of pressure in St. Edward's defensive backfield, deflecting a long pass near midfield deep the other way. Luis Felipe Karam received the ball in space for the equalizer in the 62nd minute.
The physicality picked up with several fouls and a yellow card over the next eight minutes until
IRVIN ABARCA threaded a pass through the middle to Watanabe, who turned into a small pocket of space and launched the ball from near the edge of the box for the game-winner.
Northeastern State made a critical mistake late in the game when its keeper handled a back pass, earning the Hilltoppers an indirect free kick. Fuller triggered the kick with a short pass to Souza, who sent the ball bending through a narrow gap in the defensive line for his second goal of the day.
St. Edward's picks up its first win of the season to improve to 1-2-1 and will face the Academy of Art on Saturday at noon.
