The Basics
Score: Mount Mercy 9, Evangel 3
Records: Evangel (1-10, 0-9), Mount Mercy (3-4-2, 3-3-2)
Location: Plaster Athletic Complex
Box Score
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Led by Yu Sasaki's four goals, Mount Mercy handed the Evangel men's soccer team a 9-3 setback Tuesday afternoon at the Plaster Athletic Complex.
Carson Amstutz turned in a two-goal performance for Evangel, while Cole Oedewaldt added a goal and an assist for the Crusaders, who turned in their best offensive performance since a 4-0 opening day win over Bacone on Sept. 7.
Sasaki scored three times in the first half to stake the Mustangs to a 6-3 lead. Thomas Bean added two goals for MMU, while Itsuki Ishihara added a goal and an assist.
The Mustangs scored just three minutes into the contest, as Bean made it a 1-0 game on an assist from Jordan Webb. Sasaki tallied his first goal on a header at the 32:04 mark, getting an assist from Jean Kaya for the 2-0 MMU lead.
That lead would be short-lived, thanks in large part to the play of Oedewaldt. The EU sophomore put the Crusaders on the board at the 27:56 mark, then assisted Amstutz on a second goal just 65 seconds later to knot the score at 2-2.
But Sasaki responded less than a minute later, delivering the go-ahead goal off of a Ishihara corner kick. Next, Ishihara came through again, scoring the fourth MMU goal on another Webb helper with 23:36 left in the half.
After Andrija Mijatovic made it a 5-2 game in the 23rd minute, Sasaki completed the first-half hat trick with an unassisted goal at the 17:35 mark.
Amstutz headed in his second goal of the day on a Drew Flippin assist with just over 13 minutes left on the clock.
Sasaki registered his fourth goal in the 63rd minute, and Bean added his second four minutes later.
The Mustangs out-shot the Crusaders by a 23-9 margin, including 17 shots on goal.
UP NEXT
Evangel will conclude the regular season with a pair of road contests, beginning with a 3 p.m. match at Park next Thursday (Nov. 12). The Crusaders will also meet Culver-Stockton in Canton, Mo., on Nov. 16 (4 p.m.) in their regular-season finale.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, follow the Crusaders on Facebook at Facebook.com/EUAthletics, Twitter (@EUAthletics), or visit EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the new Evangel Crusaders GamedayApp through Google Play.
—EvangelAthletics.com—
