TIGERS NIP SWEDES BY ONE IN 2023 OPENER

Rodriguez, Ramirez Lead Tigers in 4-3 Victory

By Staff

MCPHERSON – In a thrilling fashion, the Central College men’s soccer team opened their 2023 season with a last second 4-3 victory over Bethany College on Friday evening.

Due to the excessive heat and weather both the Tiger men and Lady Tigers rescheduled their games to be played at 8:00 p.m. with the Tiger men moving their game back to McPherson while the Lady Tigers played on the road in Lindsborg at Bethany.

After the Tigers came close in the first five minutes of the game with Drew Schrader, a senior from McPherson, missing with two early shots, one which bounced off the cross bar, junior Eduardo Calderon served it up to another junior, Johnny Rodriguez, who put the ball in the net, giving Central Christian an early 1-0 advantage.

Bethany did not waste any time bouncing back as they scored just a bit less than three minutes later when Josh Amador put a shot in the net off an assist from Tahj Reid. It was the final score of the first half as the teams went to the break tied at 1-1.

Barly seven minutes into the second half, the Swedes took their first lead of the game on an unassisted goal by Jarit Mejia.

In the sixty-third minute of play, Francisco Leite was fouled just inside the 18-yard box, giving senior Riccardo Di Vincenzo an opportunity to bury a penalty kick into the net for which he did, putting the two teams back into a tie at 2-2.

Central Christian retook the lead thirteen minutes later when Leite served a corner kick to near the post where Di Vincenzo flicked the ball across the box to Johnny Rodriguez who headed it past the goalie for his second score of the game and giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

(Johnny Rodiguez – Central Christian College)

A minute later the Swedes Josh Amador scored his second goal of the game off an assist from Tahj Reid to tie the game at 3-3.

While both teams began to battle muscle cramps due to the heat, Bethany was suffering more than Central Christian, and the Tigers were able to get one crack at a score from a corner kick. Camilo Penafiel, a sophomore from Chile, took a corner kick served up by Marco Chenchi, a sophomore from Italy, and took a header to direct it near the post where it landed just inside the netting as time ran out in the game to give the Tigers the final 4-3 win.

“It is very difficult to describe how I feel tonight,” noted Tiger head coach Aaron Hoxie after the game. “I am wanting to be frustrated because I expected more, but at the same time we won the match.”

Making his first career start for the Tigers, goalkeeper Rodolfo Ramirez, a junior from California, took on eight shots on goal and finished the game with five saves.

(Rodolfo Ramirez – Central Christian College)

Concluding his post-game reflections, coach Hoxie added, “We won and won in dramatic fashion. I am proud of our character tonight and how our team leaders would not let our standards drop.”

Next up for the Tigers will come on Wednesday, August 30 when they go on the road to Newton where they will battle Bethel College in a match that is scheduled to kick-off at 8:00 p.m.

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE TIGERS vs. Bethany College Swedes

SCORING: Bethany > 1-2 = 3; TIGERS > 1-3 = 4.

10:29 = TIGERS - Johnny Rodriguez assisted by Eduardo Calderon

13:26 = Bethany - Josh Amador assisted by Tahj Reid

52:52 = Bethany - Jarit Mejia

62:48 = TIGERS - Riccardo Di Vincenzo

75:49 = TIGERS – Johnny Rodriguez (2) assisted by Francisco Leit/Riccardo Di Vincenzo

76:59 = Bethany – Josh Amador (2) assisted by Tahj Reid (2)

90:00 = TIGERS – Camilo Penafiel assisted by Marco Cherchi

TEAM STATS: Bethany > Goals – 3, Shots – 12, Shots on Goal – 8, Saves – 7, Corner Kicks - 4, Fouls – 8, Offsides – 2; TIGERS > Goals – 4, Shots – 25, Shots on Goal – 11, Saves – 4, Corner Kicks – 5, Fouls – 14, Offsides – 1.

TIGERS INDIVIDUAL STATS (Sots-Shots on Goal-Goals-Assists-Minutes) > Rodolfo Ramirez = 0-0-0-0-8=90; Eduardo Calderon = 2-0-0-1-55; Edoardo Salmaso = 1-0-0-0-90; Riccardo Di Vincenzo = 1-1-1-1-90; Hilario Garcia-Delfin = 2-0-0-0-27; Marco Cherchi = 4-3-0-1-42; Francisco Leite = 1-1-0-1-37; Johnny Rodriguez = 4-3-2-0-38; Drew Schrader = 2-0-0-0-33; Tyler Hoxie = 0-0-0-0-65; Ayobami Onifade = 0-0-0-0-86; Logan Singh = 1-0-0-0-67; Camilo Penafiel = 3-1-1-0-58; Nicholas Arenare = 4-2-0-0-57; Emilio Orlanzzini = 0-0-0-0-53; Conner Rodgers = 0-0-0-0-63; David Juardo = 0-0-0-0-50. Team Totals = 25-11-4-4-90. Goalkeeper: Rodolfo Ramirez = Goals Against – 3, Saves – 4.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)