ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men’s soccer team earned its second win of the 2010 season after jumping on West Virginia Wesleyan 4-0 in the first half, eventually winning by a score of 4-1, Wednesday afternoon at Gannon University Field.
It was a record-setting day for head coach Rob van Rheenen as the win for the Golden Knights makes him the all-time leader in coaching wins with 134. van Rheenen previously tied Rob Russo’s mark in Gannon's 4-0 victory over New York Institute of Technology on Monday.
Both teams went without a goal for the first 23:44 until sophomore
Adam Sharbaugh (Sarver, Pa. / Knoch) got past the keeper and put the ball in the back of the net from left side. It wouldn’t take the Golden Knights long to extend their lead, scoring a total of four times in just 16 minutes.
Afrim Latifi (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep) put Gannon up 2-0 after a breakaway led to a one-on-one bout with the Bobcats goalkeeper. Latifi fired a shot from ten yards out that quickly found the back of the net.
Latifi and Sharbaugh would hook up on the next goal when Latifi brought the ball in on a corner kick. Sharbaugh fought for the ball and put it into the top right corner of the goal, giving Gannon a 3-0 edge.
Seven minutes later
Mauro Ciocchetti (Sandton, South Africa / St. David’s Marist Inanda) earned his first goal in a Gannon uniform when he headed the ball in after the Bobcats goalkeeper stopped his initial shot.
West Virginia Wesleyan picked up the offense in the second half recording 12 shots to Gannon’s one. Stopping the Bobcats shots was Gannon goalkeeper Mike Kickel (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep), who recorded seven saves on the day, the most impressive coming when Kickel made a diving stop on a Bobcats penalty shot.
In just his third game this season, Sharbaugh has already surpassed his goal total from last year (3). For Latifi, his second goal of the season moves him to 12th on the all-time goals list. Latifi is just four goals shy of cracking the top-ten and tying current head women’s soccer coach Colin Peterson.
The Golden Knights handed the Bobcats their first loss of the season, dropping them to 2-1-1, while Gannon improves to 2-1. Gannon travles to Alderson-Broaddus College on Saturday, September 11 for a 2:00 p.m. match.
For a complete box score from Wednesday’s men’s soccer match, please
click here.