Soccer teams shut out Ottawa, women clinch at least share of KCAC Title
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

For the second time in a week, both Kansas Wesleyan soccer teams posted shutouts against its opponents. This time the Coyotes shutout Ottawa, 3-0 in the women’s match and 8-0 in the men’s match on Wednesday night at Martin Stadium.

The win for the women guarantees Wesleyan at least a share of its first ever KCAC Regular Season Championship. A win on Saturday against Tabor gives them the title outright.

The women posted their eighth straight win with the shutout of the Braves. Ottawa defeated the Coyotes last season in the final game of the year to give Ottawa the KCAC Championship, while Wesleyan went on to win the KCAC Tournament and advance to the NAIA Region IV Playoffs.

Juliet Cervantes scored the first goal for the Coyotes as she headed in a pass from just outside the six-yard box from Heather Muilenburg in the 16th minute. Muilenburg took a throw in from Angela Padilla, playing the ball to Cervantes for the score.

The Coyotes would take the 1-0 lead into halftime.

Muilenburg would then add a goal of her own in the 51st on a pass from Marylou Casillas. She went one-on-one with Ottawa keeper Shannon Fisher and found the back of the net. Muilenburg’s goal tied the KWU single season goal record of 16, set last season by Angelica Mendez.

Marina Crittenden would cap the scoring for the Coyotes in the 66th minute as she scored off a corner kick by Angela Padilla.

Kelly Balch recorded her sixth shutout of the season for Wesleyan, as they improve to 13-2-1 overall and 8-0 in the KCAC.

The Coyote men wasted no time in putting the first of eight goals on the board as they cruised over the Braves 8-0.

Abe Moran scored the first in the second minute on a cross from Trey Thompson. It appeared Thompson’s pass was intended for Steve Gloria, but Gloria didn’t get a play on the ball and Moran fired from 15 yards out for the score.

In the 25th minute Thompson and Moran got together again, this time in reversed roles as Moran took a cross pass, dumped it off to Thompson who went one-on-one with Ottawa’s Rusty Gard and scored.

Five minutes later, Thompson would score again on a penalty kick.

Trenton Corea then would score back-to-back goals before halftime to give Wesleyan (12-3, 6-1) a 5-0 lead at the break. Corea’s first came off a pass from Joel Gunterman, and the second was a shot from about 20 yards out that Gard dove for and deflected but was unable to save it from finding the net.

The Coyotes added three more goals in the second half, all coming in an eight minute span. The first was by Brad Winton in the 64th minute, who took a pass on the right side from Thompson and fired a shot home from just outside the six-yard box at the right post. Five minutes later, Jimi Gleason would score. After a foul against Joel Gunterman, Mike Padilla curved a perfect pass into Gleason for the score. The third of the half came just three minutes later as Brent Normington played a loose ball from 20 yards out and scored in the 72nd minute.

Wayne Johnson recorded his ninth shutout on the season with a perfect night in net for the Coyotes.

The win was the fourth straight for the men as they prepare to head into the KCAC Tournament next weekend at McPherson College.

Both teams conclude the regular season at home on Saturday against Tabor College at Martin Stadium. The women play at 6:00 and the men will follow at about 8:00 PM.

-- KWU SI --