Kansas Wesleyan knocks off McPherson
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Both Kansas Wesleyan teams came into today’s matches with rival McPherson College needing wins to stay in the races for the KCAC titles, and both teams picked up crucial wins over the Bulldogs at Martin Stadium on Tuesday night.

The women won 4-2 over the Bulldogs to solidify the top position in the conference at 6-0, while Sterling remains a half game back at 6-1. Sterling’s only loss came last week to the Coyotes 3-0.

Playing on a very muddy and wet Martin Stadium field, Wesleyan got the scoring started in the seventh minute as Annie Ortega found Juliet Cervantes at the top of the six-yard box at the right post. Cervantes headed Ortega’s pass up and over the reach of McPherson keeper Sara Kramme. McPherson evened the score in the eighth minute as Denise Rinke scored on a pass from Nicolette Rodriguez.

KWU (11-2-1, 6-0) would regain the lead in the tenth minute as Annie Ortega scored. McPherson would tie things up in the 29th minute as Monique Buhl got behind KWU keeper Kelly Balch and scored easily. Heather Muilenberg would put the Coyotes ahead for good in the 38th minute as she scored on a pass from Marylou Casillas and Kelly Holloway.

Wesleyan would carry the 3-2 lead into halftime.

Cervantes only needed ten seconds into the second half to score her second goal of the night. She picked off an errant pass of the opening kick, and shot from 45 yards out for the score.

McPherson’s two goals were the first scored against the KWU women in conference play, and the win tonight was the first for the Coyotes that was not a shutout.

In the men’s match, Wesleyan jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute as Steve Gloria scored on a corner kick from Mike Padilla. Gloria headed in a perfectly played ball past McPherson keeper Michael Davis. The Bulldogs tied things up just 14 seconds later as Armando Rodriguez snuck a pass from Rodrigo Adame just inside the left post past Wesleyan keeper Wayne Johnson.

Abe Moran put the Coyotes ahead for good in the 47th minute scoring on a pass from Mike Padilla. Chuck Gloria then added a little insurance in the 87th as he scored on a break away to give the Coyotes a 3-1 lead.

The second half wasn’t without a little excitement. KWU’s Eric Garcia played a ball deep into McPherson territory in the 76th minute and was met by Davis. Both players slid for the ball and rolled on top of each other. As Garcia was trying to get up, Davis stomped on his back, and was given a red card.

The win improves the men’s record to 11-3 overall, 5-1 in the KCAC, still a game behind Friends, who beat Ottawa 3-2 on Tuesday.

Both Coyote teams are back in action on Friday as they host the University of Saint Mary at Martin Stadium. The women play at 4:00 with the men to follow at about 6:00.

-- KWU SI --