Men's Soccer Clinches Spot in WHAC Tournament Behind Offensive Explosion

(Howell, MI)-- For the second consecutive season, and third all-time, the Cleary Cougar men's soccer team have earned a spot in the WHAC tournament after tonight's 9-1 win over the Defiance College Yellow Jackets.

Noah Searl would kick things off in the 13th minute to give the Cougars the lead.  After the ball found Jack Heald near the top of the penalty area, he sent a pass down the right for Benji Sulcas, who sent in a cross where Noah Searl would poke the ball home to make it 1-0.  Just minutes later, the lead grew to 2-0 when Niels Koert took a shot that was heading for the right side of goal, but was deflected by a Yellow Jacket defender and found it's way into the net.  Seven minutes later, Brandon Tracy started a counter attack, where he found Jack Heald, who then made a perfectly weighted diagonal pass to Callum Johnson, who scored his first of three goals in the game.  The lead extended once again in the 25th minute on a corner kick.  Jack Heald would send the ball to the back post where it found Leonardo Vitali.  Vitali made the pass to Callum Johnson, who then sent a pass to Toby Mattock. Mattock turned and fired his shot into the net to give the Cougars a 4-0 lead.  The lead grew again with a pair of goals just before the half.  Jack Heald added an unassisted goal to make it 5-0, and less than a minute later, it was 6-0 when Noah Searl scored his second goal of the game, with an assist from Jack Heald.  Cleary led 6-0 at the break.

Callum Johnson would keep the momentum going into the second half, when he received the ball from Leonardo Vitali, dribbled through the Defiance defense, and placed his shot into the net for his second goal of the evening.  In the 65th minute, Johnson would earn his hat-trick.  Cleary would use the high press to force a turnover, where the ball found Jack Heald.  Heald quickly made the pass to Callum Johnson, who took a powerful shot, and scored the first hat-trick for the Cougars this season, and making it 8-0.  Cleary's final goal came in the 72nd minute, when Noah Searl made a pass from the touch line back to Felix Arndt, who then sent a cross to the back post where Leonardo Vitali volleyed the ball into the net, making the score 9-0.  Defiance would get one goal in the 88th minute to break the shutout, and ensuring the final score would be 9-1.

Cleary outshot the Yellow Jackets 38-4 in the game, with a 20-3 advantage on shots on goal.  The Cougars also held a 14-1 advantage on corner kicks, and committed 9 fouls to Defiance's 7.  The 9 goals scored is the most since scoring 9 against the Grace Christian Tigers on September 14, 2018.

Cleary will return to Lake Trust Stadium on Saturday, October 25, when they honor this year's senior class as part of Senior Day with a game against the Aquinas College Saints.  The game is scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM.