SCORING SUMMARY: SC v KWU

Scoring Summary from Sterling's website:

Goal - Time - Team - Goal Scorer - Assists
1. 21:00 - KWU - Garay, Jose - Rodriguez, Mario
2. 40:19 - KWU - Garay, Jose
3. 47:23 - KWU - Beach, Marlon - Garay, Jose

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FINAL SCORE

The KCAC has posted the score of today's first conference game as Kansas Wesleyan 3 - Sterling 0, continuing the trend of Sterling not having scored on KW since its victory in the 2004 season. Friends, Southwestern and Tabor also won today, with Ottawa playing at McPherson tonight.
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PREVIEW: STERLING v KWU

Sterling hosts the Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes today at 3:00 pm in the first conference match for both sides. Sterling comes in at 6-2, with both losses by big scores on the road at middle-of-the-table Sooner Athletic Conference teams. KW sits at a deceptive 2-6-1 with losses to current national # 9 Park (MO) and "also receiving votes" Baker (KS) and Graceland (IA), and two road losses in California.

Sterling and KW have two common opponents: Both schools have defeated Concordia University in Seward NE, Sterling 2-1, KW 4-1. And each has played Oklahoma Christian. KW handled OC in Salina KS 3-1, Sterling followed that game with a 1-6 loss at OC's home.

KW is defending KCAC regular season champs and has lead the season standings 2 of the last 3 years. Sterling has finished 4th all three years of the senior's careers. During that time, KW's conference record is 23-3-1, while Sterling's record is 17-9-1. KW has won the last three pairings 3-0 in 2007 at Salina, 1-0 in 2006 in Sterling and 4-0 in 2005 in Salina. However, Sterling notched a 3-1 win in Sterling in 2004, a season in which Sterling won 2 league games and KW none, and a 2-1 non-conference win in Sterling early in the '05 season.

This season, KW's leading shooter and scorer is Mario Rodriquez with 5 goals on 11 shots on goal. Goalkeeper Robert Carillo has allowed 16 goals in 9 games while making 41 saves. KW players Carillo and Arturo Guizar swept conference player of week honors last week.
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9-30-08: STERLING @ OK CHRISTIAN

Sterling has posted its review of the 9-30-08 game at Oklahoma Christian here.

Sterling Stunned in Oklahoma City

10/01/2008 - The Sterling men's soccer team took their 6-1 record on the road to Oklahoma Christian University Tuesday night and were dealt a stunning defeat, losing to the Eagles 6-1. What started out as a great match quickly turned into a nightmare for the Warriors. In the 21st minute the Eagles struck first when Matt Lambert hammered a shot into the back of the net.

Sterling responded two minutes later when Godfrey Miheso placed an easy header
into the OCU goal off of a rebound in the box, tieing the game at one goal apiece. The final 20 minutes of the first half were all Christian--Cristian Fernandes that is. Eagle forward Christian Fernandes went on a torrid scoring binge that began in the 27th minute, scoring four times in 13 minutes, to give the Eagles a 5-1 half-time lead.

After regrouping, the Warriors were able to create some good opportunities in the second half, but were unable to mount any sort of comeback. Unfortunatley, Fernandes wasn't quite finished, offering up another goal for the Warriors to chew on, resulting in a 6-1 final.

"I was absolutely astonished," Warrior coach Dave Underwood said of the result. "I'm not sure I have ever seen such an incredible individual performance as I saw from Fernandes. Everything he did was pretty much perfect. He was definitely
in the zone."

The Warriors will have to quickly put Tuesday night behind them as they open up conference play on Saturday at home with a very talented Kansas Wesleyan team.
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NATIONAL STATISTICS: 9-29-08

Here are the Sterling team and individual statistical rankings found on the NAIA's national statistical leaders lists as of 9-29-08 (does not include the OC game on 9-30-08).

TEAM RANKINGS

Number 19 in Assists per Game (2.380)
Number 22 in Goals per Game (2.880)
Number 40 in Shots on Goal per Game (8.500)
Number 47 in Shutouts per Game (0.130)

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Ryan Covey Ranks Number 6 in Shots on Goal per Game (3.000)
Ryan Covey Ranks Number 19 in Goals per Game (1.000)
Mladen Bjelica Ranks Number 20 in Assists per Game (0.710)
Ryan Covey Ranks Number 23 in Points per Game (2.430)
Jorge Bueso Ranks Number 26 in Game Winning Goals per Game (0.290)
Ryan Covey Ranks Number 34 in Shots per Game (4.140)
Shawn Sajjadi Ranks Number 38 in Assists per Game (0.570)
Jorge Bueso Ranks Number 46 in Shots on Goal per Game (2.140)

Goalkeeper Zach Hallen's saves per game average of 4.14 places him in a tie for 89th for fewest saves per game nationally.
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NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

The NAIA Men's Soccer Players of the Week

Sept. 30, 2008 - KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The NAIA Men's Soccer national weekly honors have been announced and Jeff Jelinek of Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) was announced as National Defensive Player of the Week while Tazou Ali Tagba of Park (Mo.) was named National Offensive Player of the Week, for the week of Sept. 22-28.

Jelinek, a 6-3 sophomore goalkeeper from Merrillville, Ind., has been downright impossible to score on this year. Over the past week, Jelinek saved two shots in a 1-0 win over Bethel (Kan.). He followed that with a four-save shutout performance against McPherson (Kan.). That’s now ten consecutive shutouts to begin the season. He has a total of 24 saves on the year as the Trojans have started 10-0-0.Ali Tagba, a 5-8 forward from Lome, Togo, was the difference maker for Park last week, scoring the game-winners in both Pirate victories. Against then-No. 25 Graceland (Iowa), the junior scored two goals in a 4-2 win. Against Grand View (Iowa), he netted another goal in a 2-1 win. For the week, Ali Tagba had three goals and six total points. He leads all Pirates with five goals this season.
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NAIA TOP 10

The NAIA Top 25 can be found here. The NAIA's top 10 ranked teams as of 9-30-08 are:

1. University of Rio Grande (OH)
2. Fresno Pacific University (CA)
3. Lindsey Wilson College (KY)
4. McKendree University (IL)
5. Southern Nazarene University (OK)
6. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (FL)
7. Oklahoma City University
8. Hannibal-LaGrange College (MO)
9. Park University (MO)
10. University of Maine at Fort Kent
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9-30-08: STERLING @ OK CHRISTIAN

Last night, Sterling played at OK Christian in the final non-conference game of the season. Center-midfielder and team playmaker Shawn Sajjadi was unable to play, so Godfrey Soheso got his first start of season (at forward) and Jorge Bueso dropped back into midfield. However, it is unlikely any lineup change was responsible for the 6-1 defeat OC pinned on Sterling.

OC scored first followed shortly by Godfrey's first goal of the season. OC then scored a quick succession of goals for a 5-1 halftime lead, adding a goal in the second half for the final score. OC was once again by Cristian Fernandes who scored five goals in the game, tying the OC school record for goals in a game.

Here's how OC described the game:

SOCCER TEAMS BLITZ STERLING

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (Sept. 30, 2008) – Oklahoma Christian University posted 12 goals in a men’s-women’s doubleheader sweep of Sterling College (Kan.) on Tuesday night.
The Lady Eagles took a 6-0 shutout, while the Eagles tallied a 6-1 victory. The win was the third straight for the women’s squad who improved to 4-3-1. The Eagles returned to .500 at 3-3-2.
In the men’s game, Cristian Fernandes scored five times to tie his own school record for goals in a single game. He also scored five goals in a 6-1 throttling of St. Gregory’s
(Okla.) last season. The record also belongs to Magness Karlsson (1989) and Trey Truesdell (1998).
The Eagles got the scoring going Tuesday night with a rocket-shot goal from Matt Lambert from 30 yards out at the 20:03 point.
Sterling (6-2) answered just 2:52 later when Godfrey Miheso headed in a shot in the box to tie it at 1-1.
But Fernandes took over from there. The Maringa, Brazil, native scored at 26:53 with help from Trey Boykin to untie the game. He then made it 3-1 in the 30th minute when he scored on a penalty kick.
Fernandes and Boykin teamed up again at the 33:31 point to up the lead to 4-1. More insurance came at the 39:09 juncture when Neil Hilton found Fernandes for his fourth first-half goal.
The score was 5-1 at halftime.
Fernandes completed his eye-opening night by scoring off a pass from Andy Lopez in the game’s 70th minute to up the edge to 6-1.
The scores ran Fernandes’ Sooner Athletic Conference-leading total to 11. He led OC with 18 goals in 2007.
The lopsided win saw OC outshoot Sterling 19 to 9. The Eagles’ six goals came from 14 total shots on goal. The Warriors put the ball on frame just three times.

Here is OC's scoring summary for the game. It will be interesting to read Sterling's summary as I thought Sterling had assists on its lone goal.

GOAL - Time - Team - Goal Scorer - Assists -Description
1. 20:03 - OC - Matt Lambert (2) - (unassisted) -Off rebound, line shot from 30 yds.
2. 22:55 - STERLING - Godfrey Miheso - (unassisted) - Header off rebound in box.
3. 26:53 - OC - Cristian Fernandes (7) - Trey Boykin
4. 30:18 - OC - Cristian Fernandes (8) - (unassisted) - Penalty kick.
5. 33:31 - OC - Cristian Fernandes (9) - Trey Boykin
6. 39:09 - OC - Cristian Fernandes (10) - Neil Hilton
7. 70:47 - OC - Cristian Fernandes (11) - Andy Lopez - Ties school record with 5th score

OC has posted a page that includes brief highlights of their six goals - click here.

Although the final score was not what Sterling fans hoped for, it was fun to have a "home game" for the Oklahoma (and beyond) Sterling fans. I want to thank G-ma, Aunt Janice, KAN, Gregg S, Brent R, Mike C, Lisa C and Mike T for coming to the game to watch Ryan and Sterling. Also, I know that former Sterling player Charlie Sewell was in attendance.
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CONFERENCE RATINGS

NAIA conference ratings were released today and can be found here.

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

1. Friends University (Kan.) (0-0 / 5-3-1)
2. Sterling College (Kan.) (0-0 / 6-1)
3. Kansas Wesleyan University (0-0 / 2-5-1)

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CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

The KCAC has announced the conference players of the week for the week ending 9-28-08.

Arturo Guizar and Robert Carrillo, both representing Kansas Wesleyan University, sweep the player of the week awards for KCAC Men's Soccer.

KCAC OFFENSIVE Men's Player-of-the-Week:

Arturo Guizar, KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, Forward, 5-10, Junior, Bellflower, CA. He had one goal in the one match of the week: #1 vs. Oklahoma Christian University, W-3-1, he had 1 goal. TEAM RECORDS: Week 1-0-0, Season overall 2-5-0. NOTES: He scored what turned out to be the match winner.

KCAC DEFENSIVE (including Goalkeepers) Men's Player-of-the-Week:

Robert Carrillo, KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, Goalkeeper, 5-10, Senior, Los Angeles, CA. In one match of the week, he had 3 saves with no shot on goal and allowed only one goal in 90 minutes. His record in the week: #1 vs. Oklahoma Christian University, W-3-1, he had 3 saves with no shots on goal and 1 goal allowed in 90 minutes. TEAM RECORDS: 1-0-0 Week, 2-5-0 overall.
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PREVIEW: STERLING @ OK CHRISTIAN

Sterling plays at Oklahoma Christian University Tuesday night. Sterling currently leads the KCAC non-conference standings with a record of 6 wins against 1 loss. OK Christian has won 2, lost 3 and tied 2, following a 3-1 loss at Kansas Wesleyan on 9/27/08, which won only its second game of the year in a tough non-conference schedule.


Here's how OK Christian described the game:

The Eagles dropped a tough 3-1 decision to the Coyotes in the [men's game]. KWU
was up 2-0 by the 23rd minute after scores from Juan Mundo and Arturo Guizar. OC stiffened its defense and held the deficit at 2-0 through halftime and into the
second stanza. In the 49th minute, freshman Matt Lambert netted his first-career
collegiate goal. The Little Rock, Ark., native headed in a free-kick pass from
fellow freshman Will Binder to cut the deficit to 2-1. But the Coyotes sealed it
with an 85th-minute strike from Derek Dodrill. OC falls to 2-3-2 with the
setback. The series is now tied at 1-1 between OC and KWU.

Kansas Wesleyan filed this report about the game:

The men’s match was a complete reversal of fortune for the Coyotes, who had lost
their last four matches before tying with William Jewell a week ago. The Coyotes
got three goals from three different players and used a strong defensive effort to come away with a 3-1 win over the Eagles.

Juan Mundo got the first goal of the night for the Coyotes in the 14th minute on a wild play. After a foul was called on Oklahoma Christian, Mundo took the direct kick and fired it directly into the two players blocking the goal. The ball came back out to Mundo, who then fired it back into the goal for the score.

Almost exactly ten minutes later the Coyotes hit paydirt again. Art Guizar first a shot that was blocked by a OC defender that rebounded right back out to him, and he was able to convert the second try for the score to put the Coyotes up 2-0 in the 24th minute.

The rest of the first half was played in the middle of the field, as only two more shots, one by each team, were taken in the remainder of the time. Oklahoma Christian got its lone goal in the 50th minute on an odd play. After a Wesleyan foul, Will Binder took the direct kick that bounced once and was headed in by the Eagles’ Matt Lambert for the score. Wesleyan had several other chances to pull away, and finally got the icer in the 86th minute off a beautifully placed corner kick from Jose Garay to Derek Dodrill. After Mario Rodriguez’ shot was saved off the goal line by OC keeper Bryan Cochrum, Garay played in a corner kick from the left side right to Dodrill, who headed the ball home for the score to put the Coyotes up 3-1.

OC had a couple of late chances, but could not convert as the Coyotes won for the first time since the season opener on September 1. Wesleyan (2-5-1) outshot the Eagles 22-8, led by Guizar with eight shots, three on goal and one in net. Carillo gave up just one goal in net for the Coyotes, while recording three saves. Lambert had two shots as did Neil Hilton to lead Oklahoma Christian. Cochrum gave up three goals and recorded five saves on the night.

OK Christian's leading scorers this season are Christian Fernandes (6 goals, 13 points), Trey Boykin (3, 6) and Neil Hilton (2, 6). Goalkeeper Bryan Cochrum has given up 12 goals in 7 games while notching 1 shutout. OC's signature results to date are ties at Park University (MO) (currently ranked # 11) and against Bellevue (NE) at So. Nazarene in Bethany OK.

It can be difficult to compare scores in NAIA soccer, but it is interesting to note that 6-1 Sterling's opponents records total to 22 W, 38 L, 1 T, while OC's opponents records total 26 W, 26 L, 5 T.

The last meeting between Sterling and OK Christian was September 24, 2005, at OC. Sterling lost 3-2 after first falling behind 0-1, then grabbing a 2-1 lead, and finally allowing two quick goals midway through the second half. Sterling goals were netted by freshmen Charlie Sewell and Jorge Bueso (on an assist from Shawn Sajjadi). OC has not archived the game, but I recall that Chris Mooney scored one of OC's goals. Sterling players Sewell and Ryan Covey and OC's Mooney were club ball teammates in OKC/Edmond. Sterling finished the 2005 season at 12-7-1 overall and 6-3 in the KCAC; OC was 6-9-2 overall and 1-4-1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
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NATIONAL STATISTICS : 9-29-08

The NAIA's statistics, as of 9-28-08, include the following national rankings for Sterling's team and individual players:

TEAM RANKINGS

Ranks Number 8 in Assists per Game (2.710)
Ranks Number 14 in Goals per Game (3.140)
Ranks Number 30 in Shots on Goal per Game (9.290)
Ranks Number 39 in Shutouts per Game (0.140)
Ranks Number 44 in Shots per Game (16.430)

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Ryan Covey Ranks Number 5 in Shots on Goal per Game (3.000)
Ryan Covey Ranks Number 17 in Goals per Game (1.000)
Mladen Bjelica Ranks Number 18 in Assists per Game (0.710)
Ryan Covey Ranks Number 18 in Points per Game (2.430)
Jorge Bueso Ranks Number 28 in Game Winning Goals per Game (0.290)
Ryan Covey Ranks Number 32 in Shots per Game (4.140)
Shawn Sajjadi Ranks Number 37 in Assists per Game (0.570)
Jorge Bueso Ranks Number 46 in Shots on Goal per Game (2.140)

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CONFERENCE STATISTICS THRU 9/28

The KCAC statistical leaders lists as of 9/28 include the following Sterling players:

Points per game: 1st-Ryan Covey, tied 3rd-Justin Martens and Jorge Bueso, tied 8th-Mladen Bjelica, 12th-Shawn Sajjadi, tied 14th-Aaron Baker

Goals per game: 1st-Ryan Covey, tied 3rd-Justin Martens and Jorge Bueso

Assists per game: 1st-Mladen Bjelica, 3rd-Shawn Sajjadi, 4th-Ryan Covey, tied 5th-Aaron Baker, tied 8th-Jordan Miller

Game Winning Goals: tied 1st-Jorge Bueso, tied 5th-Shawn Sajjadi and Ryan Covey

Saves Per Game: 9th-Zach Hallen (if Ottawa's two keepers statistics were combined, Zach would be 10th)

Goals Against Average: 6th-Zach Hallen

As a team, Sterling ranks 1st in the conference in goals, assists, shots, shots on goal, 9th in goalkeeper saves and is tied for 3rd in fewest goals allowed.

NAIA CONFERENCE RATINGS

The NAIA has released its ratings for each conference for Week 4 / September 29, 2008. The ratings for the KCAC are shown below, with conference record / overall record.

1. Friends University (KS) (0-0 / 5-3-1)
2. Sterling College (KS) (0-0 / 6-1)
3. Kansas Wesleyan University (0-0 / 2-5-1)

Tomorrow, Sterling plays at Oklahoma Christian, which was not rated in the top 5 of the Sooner Athletic Conference.

1. Southern Nazarene University (OK) (1-0-0 / 5-1-1)
2. Oklahoma City University (0-0-0 / 8-1)
3. Rogers State University (OK) (0-0-0 / 6-1-1)
4. Univ of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (1-0-0 / 7-0)
5. Oklahoma Baptist University (1-0-0 / 7-2)

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ATTENTION STERLING FANS IN OKLAHOMA

This is a reminder that the Sterling College soccer teams play at Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond OK on Tuesday, September 30th at 5:00 pm for the women's game and 7:00 pm for the men's game.

The soccer field is at the back or north side of the Oklahoma Christian campus.


Oklahoma Christian's website has the following directions to the campus:

Oklahoma Christian University is easy to find. OC is located on Memorial Road just one mile east of the Broadway Extension and two miles west of I-35.

From Wichita, KS: Follow I-35 South to Edmond. Exit and turn west on Memorial Road.

From Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX: Follow I-35 North to Oklahoma City. Take the Broadway Extension (also called I-235 and Highway 77) to Edmond. Exit and turn east on Memorial Road.

From Amarillo, TX: Follow I-40 West to Oklahoma City. Take the Broadway Extension (also called I-235 and Highway 77) to Edmond. Exit and turn east on Memorial Road.

From Little Rock, AR: Follow I-40 West to Oklahoma City. Take I-35 North to Edmond. Exit and turn west on Memorial Road.

From Will Rogers World Airport: Follow Airport Road to I-44. Travel north and east on I-44 to the Broadway Extension (also called I-235 and Highway 77). Continue north to Edmond. Exit and turn east on Memorial Road.

From Tulsa/Springfield, MO: Continue on the Kilpatrick Turnpike when the H.E. Bailey Turnpike ends (The Kilpatrick Turnpike costs $1). Exit on Eastern. Turn right on Eastern (north). Turn Right on Memorial Road, which is the first light. Oklahoma Christian will be on your left.

From the Kilpatrick Turnpike: Exit on Eastern. Turn North. Turn Right on Memorial Road, which is the first light. Oklahoma Christian will be on your left.

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