TYLER, Texas -- Eduardo Cerna scored his first goal of the season, and
Gavin Scott scored a needed insurance goal as No. 18-ranked Midwestern State defeated UT Tyler, 2-1, Wednesday night at Citizens 1st Bank – Perkins Soccer Complex.
Mere Escobar set up the first goal of the game in the 53rd minute as he weaved his way toward the top of the box on the left side and delivered a short pass to his right. Cerna turned from inside the penalty arc and placed his shot perfectly to the lower-left corner past Asier Vegas. The diving goalkeeper was unable to get a finger on the ball, and the Mustangs took a 1-0 lead.
With time winding down Midwestern State took advantage of an opportunity to increase its lead.
Max Gonzales, who had just checked into the game with a little more than two minutes remaining, won the ball just inside the penalty box. The sophomore forward approached the goal and was pulled down by a Patriot at the top of the 6-yard box. As Gonzales was going to the ground he managed to center a pass for
Gavin Scott, who buried his chance into the middle of a wide-open goal.
In the final minute of the match, UT Tyler capitalized on a free kick after Scott drew his second yellow card of the game. Scott delivered a hard foul that planted Rodrigo Mendes into the turf after the freshman forward chested down a clearance for the Patriots outside the penalty box. Brajdi Cekrezi scored directly off a straight-away free kick from 25 yards out. Cekrezi bent his right-footed shot perfectly around a four-man wall to the lower left corner of the goal.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Adam Braman made one save in his ninth start for the Mustangs and allowed just his sixth goal of the season.
Midwestern State evened its conference record to 2-2-0 with its second-straight victory and is 8-2-2 overall this season. UT Tyler sunk to the bottom of the LSC standings with a 0-3-1 conference record and is 5-4-2 overall.
MSU returns home to Stang Park for a match on Saturday night against Texas A&M International, which is seeking its first win since defeating UT Tyler, 2-0, in Laredo on Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Dustdevils have played back-to-back scoreless draws against West Texas A&M and Oklahoma Christian.
--MSU Mustangs.com--
