Wheeling, WV. - The Wheeling University Men's Soccer team (1-0) rolled over Pitt Johnstown in their season-opening win 7-1. The defense did a nice job of keeping the ball out of the Mountain Lions Offensive zone and gave their forwards ample opportunities to score.
Through the entire first half of the game, Pitt Johnstown wasn't able to get off a shot as Wheeling kept on the attack throughout the night. It was a chippy contest at times, with a total of five yellow cards given out, but Wheeling was able to pull through and pick up their first win of the 2021 season.
It didn't take long for the Cardinals to get on the board, as Daniel Skarpnes (Stord, Norway) scored the first goal of his collegiate career to make it 1-0. Things cooled off over the next 30 minutes as Wheeling possessed the ball and made good passes. The offense would get back on the board in the 37th minute of the game when Harry Martin (London, UK/Mountain Grace) took a pass from Miguel Martin (El Tigre, Venezuela) and knocked it into the bottom corner of the net to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
The score would remain that way through halftime as the team's headed to the locker room. Wheeling outshot Pitt Johnstown 11-0 in that first half as goalkeeper Tyler Serman (Auburndale, FL.) didn't have much pressure. In the second half, Wheeling would get the opportunity to play some of their bench guys and get them some experience.
Skarpnes got the scoring started in the second half when he netted his second goal of the day in the 55th minute to make it 3-0. One minute later, Richard Alfoyanka (Uniondalwle, NY.), last year's All-MEC Honorable Mention would get his first goal of 2021, and Wheeling doubled its lead. Pitt Johnstown would get their first and only goal in the 58th minute when Adan Cabrerra-Perez shot one past Serman.
Wheeling would score two more goals over the final 32 minutes of play and would go on to win 6-1. Afolyanka added his second goal of the day in the 62nd minute, catching a rebound from a goalie save and heading the ball into the net. The final goal came courtesy of Christian Ruud (Brumunddal, Norway) in the 64th minute to bring the game to its final score.
The Cardinals nearly matched their goal-scoring efforts from last season, as the offense showed they can strike Skarpnes netted the first multi-goal game of his collegiate career, and he led the way with five shots on the day. Afolyanka was a perfect 4-4 with shots on goal and netted his first and second goals of the season. Serman only had to face two shots on goal throughout the night and allowed one to sneak through.
The Wheeling University Men's Soccr team continues their stretch of three straight home games when they take on Notre Dame College at 7:30 pm at Bishop Schmitt Field.
