Iowa Western's Men's soccer team continued its momentum this spring against NCAA DI programs. After a loss and a draw against DI opponents earlier in the year, the Reivers finally got a win on the road against the Bulldogs of Drake University. It was a windy game on a soft grass field. The Reivers had the wind advantage in the first half and were able to take advantage in the 25th minute. After a series of set pieces red-shirt freshman Fitzroy Cummings was able to get on the end of a cross from freshman Mauricio Dos Santos. Dos Santos took the free kick following a foul deep in the corner. His cross curled in at the back post where Cummings was left 1v1 with his marker. Cummings was able to outjump his mark to nod past the keeper from six yards out. The Reivers kept up the pressure with freshman Fernando Zaragoza having two opportunities miss just wide. The first was created with a quick counter attack through freshman forward Mateo Mendez Schroeder. He made his way into the Bulldogs box before turning around under pressure from the a Drake defender. the ball eventually fell to Zaragoza who took a one time effort that had the keeper at full stretch, but the ball sailed harmlessly wide in the end. Within minutes Zaragoza had another attempt dribbling in from the left flank. His curling effort needed an extra push from the wind as hit the far post and trickled out for a goal kick. The Bulldogs answered back before the half with two good chances of their own. The first was a well worked play that ended with the Drake attacker running at freshman keeper Georgios Sampatakos from the right channel. Sampatakos was quick off his line to knock the initial shot down and quickly smother. The second good chance from the Bulldogs came from a stray pass that allowed the attacking player through the middle of the field to get his shot away from 20 yards out, but it only found the hands of Sampatakos again.
The second half brought the challenge of playing against the wind. The Reivers were forced to defend a number of corners as the Bulldogs tried to level the score, but the Reivers were able to keep them at bay. The closest the Bulldogs came was a shot hit with real pace from distance. Substitute keeper Daniel Bermingham had his fingertips grazed by the shot that came back off the bottom of the cross bar and was eventually swept to safety. Bermingham came up big again saving a 1v1 situation from 10 yards out to keep the clean sheet for the Reivers.
Iowa Western Men's program will play its final game of the term in a rematch against the Mavericks of UNO on April 18th.
