Park Stops Kansas Wesleyan in Region IV Title Match, 2-1
Yankey provides game-winner for second-straight tournament match
By: Steve Wilson, Park (Mo.) Sports Information (Special to KWU)

PARKVILLE, Mo. – Mirsad Dzilic and Desmand Yankey each found the net and Michael Eade came up with a pair of saves, as Park University topped Kansas Wesleyan 2-1 in the NAIA Region IV Men’s Soccer Championship at Julian Field in Parkville, Mo.

Robert Carillo made five stops in goal for the Coyotes, who end their season at 14-5-2, while Park (13-5) moves on to the NAIA National Tournament Nov. 14-20 in Olathe, Kan. Yankey’s goal was his second-straight game winner in the Region IV tournament after knocking one through in overtime Wednesday to beat Friends.

The Pirates took 18 shots to KWU’s eight, and the Pirates managed seven shots on goal to the Coyotes’ three.

Park got its first chance midway through the first half as Yankey knocked a free ball into the net, but the goal was waived after Yankey was whistled for offsides.

The Pirates managed to get on the board in the 32nd minute, as Dzilic took a penalty kick after a Coyote foul with 12:16 remaining in the half and put the ball in the left side of the net to make it 1-0.

Park had a second chance in the final minute of the first half, as James Katajwa floated a header just beyond the horizontal post on a crossing pass from Yankey, and the Pirates took a one-goal lead to the half.

The Pirates got another chance five minutes into the second half, as Katajwa fired from 30 yards with 40 minutes remaining to the right corner of the goal.

Carillo stuffed the shot for the Coyotes, deflecting the ball to his left to keep it 1-0.

Carillo stopped Katajwa again four minutes later, batting the ball to the ground near the left-side post.

Kansas Wesleyan would answer the Park goal to tie in the 56th minute as Mario Rodriguez took the ball from Miguel Wenceslao on a deflected Eade save, slamming a shot off of the right post to make it 1-1.

KWU had a chance with 25 minutes to play, putting a corner kick on the ground from the right side, but Eade swatted the ball twice and Park’s defense cleared, erasing the chance to keep it tied.

Carillo came up big again for the Coyotes as the clock slipped under 20 minutes by smothering a Raad Quimisieh crossing pass from the right side, but KWU was unable to convert on the stop as Eade left the box to pounce on a Kansas Wesleyan free ball with 18 to play.

Park took back the lead in the 77th minute, as the ball emerged from a crowd of black and white jerseys in the middle of the box, and after Carillo chopped the ball away from the line on Park’s first attempt, Yankey caught the Coyote keeper away from the net on the rebound and tipped the ball into the center of the goal to make it 2-1 with 12:33 to play.

Park had a chanced to add to its lead two minutes later on a left-side corner that came to the ground in the middle of the box, but the Pirates couldn’t get a look at the goal, missing wide right to stay 2-1. The Pirates again tried to put the game on ice with 1:43 to play as Katajwa fired from 25 yards away, but Carillo again stopped the ball to keep the Coyotes within one.

Park managed to secure its bid to Olathe over the final minute and a half, however, keeping Kansas Wesleyan out of the 18-yard box over the final minute to lock up the win.

The NAIA will announce brackets and pairings Friday from the national headquarters in Kansas City.

- NAIA -