COLUMBIA, Ky. – The goals came early and often as the top-ranked Lindsey Wilson College men's soccer team topped Pikeville (Ky.) 8-0 in the Mid-South Conference season opener at Walter S. Reuling Stadium on Tuesday night.
Playing in front of an overflow crowd of 512, the defending-champion Blue Raiders (1-0-0, 1-0-0 MSC) put on a show and extended their winning streak to 24 games.
The action started in the second minute as Philip Sandgren crushed an unassisted goal from the middle of the box. It was the first of three for the sophomore in the half, collecting his hat trick in the 28th minute on another solo goal.
Lindsey Wilson ended up taking a 4-0 lead into halftime as Tom Moody also connected on a penalty kick in the 20th minute that resulted from a hard foul as he was alone inside box.
The Blue Raiders equaled their goal output in the second half as Eddy Campbell scored the first of his two goals in the 72nd minute unassisted.
Campbell struck again 10 minutes later to put Lindsey Wilson in front 7-0, just three minutes after Kird de Boer had found Lwandiso Gonya making a run for a goal in the 79th.
Using every available player on the roster, a pair of reserves got into the scoring act in the 87th minute.
Just seconds after delivering his own corner kick, Nicos Mastoroudis found the ball in his possession again for a perfect high pass to Trae Wells.
Camped just feet from the goal, Wells handled the ball and booted it past Pikeville (0-1-0, 0-1-0 MSC) keeper Sheldon Thomas for an easy score.
Pikeville managed just one shot by Austin Mustain, while the Blue Raiders attacked the net for 35 shots, including 23 on goal.
Lindsey Wilson held a 10-0 advantage in corner kicks and an 8-4 lead in fouls, playing a much more aggressive style than the Bears.
Blue Raider goalkeeper Yuta Nomura had a first in his Lindsey Wilson career by actually coming out of goal in the second half. Reserve Jesper Malmstrom played the final 15 minutes, while neither keeper was forced to make a save.
Thomas kept busy in goal for the Bears, finishing with 15 saves and eight goals against.
Lindsey Wilson is back in action at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday at St. Catharine (Ky.).
