Battling rain and a slow start on the season, the Oxford Wildcats soccer team finally got their first win as they booted their way past the Clio Mustangs 3-1 Sept. 8.
The win not only gives Oxford a 1-5-2 overall record but also gives them a perfect 1-0 record in Flint Metro League play so far.
Despite some jitters early in the game, Oxford settled down and dominated play as senior captain Steven Walker started the scoring with a low shot inside the near post. The 25-yard shot put Oxford on top 1-0.
Later, while pressuring the Mustang defense, junior Mark Hurrish slotted the ball to make the score 2-0, which was all Oxford would need. ‘We kept possession for about 70 percent of the game, which allowed us more chances on goal,? said Coach John Thaler.
The remainder of the first half was scoreless, and Hurrish ended up leaving the game after a tackle left his knee bruised and bloodied. Thaler did not like what he saw in the play. ‘From my view [the tackle] was not clean,? he said. ‘Mark was already on the ground when the player slid at him cleats up.?
The Wildcats subdued a second-half Mustang surge thanks to the tough defensive play of Corey Olson, Jake Shafer, Matt Versteeg and Tyler Hruska. Within five minutes of the second half, sophomore Dan Peck took the ball to the corner and crossed a ‘perfect ball to the far post,? according to Thaler. Junior Travis Roth leaped over the Clio defense and headed the ball in for his second goal of the season.
The Mustangs scored a controversial consolation goal when a shot skimmed off the top of Wildcat senior goalkeeper Tim Bachner’s hands and bounced towards the goal. Bachner grabbed and threw the ball into play as it neared the goal line, but the assistant referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line for a Mustang goal.
‘I didn’t think the assistant ref was on the same plane as the goal line, so he couldn’t have seen if it crossed the line,? Thaler said. ‘He was 10 yards (upfield from) the touch line.? From there, the Wildcat defense held them scoreless.