McKendree opened the game with heavy pressure, out-shooting the Cardinals 16-3 in the first-half however the goalkeepers were the difference. William Jewell keeper Andy Shields made five saves in the first-half and 11 in the game while McKendree keeper Santiago Hampton (Buenos Aires, Argentina/St. George's) (Buenos Aires, Argentina/St. George’s) made four saves in the game including a save with 12-minutes remaining in the first-half that kept the game scoreless.

 

            The Bearcats got on the board with 10-minutes remaining in the first-half when Cole Harres (Belleville, Illinois/Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) buried a shot after the ball rebounded off the keeper from a Nicloas Mosca (Buenos Aires, Argentina/San Luis Gonzaga).

 

            McKendree grabbed a 2-0 lead early in the second-half when Jarius Holmes (O' Fallon, Ill./O' Fallon) (O’ Fallon, Ill./O’ Fallon) set up a scoring opportunity. Holmes juked past a defender and let go a shot that was tipped away by the keeper but Kris Vaughn (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville East) was there to put the ball in the net.

 

            The Bearcats had a chance to put the Cardinals away when Mosca stepped in for a penalty kick with 25-minutes remaining in the game, but the Cardinal keeper dove to his left to make the save. William Jewell took the momentum and scored two goals to tie the game at 2-2 with just four-minutes remaining.

 

            Just 37-seconds after William Jewell tied the game, Bearcat Ryan Miller (Sycamore, Illinois/Sycamore) (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) netted a goal from 15-yards out and giving the Bearcats a 3-2 lead. The Bearcat defense held on for the remainder of the game as McKendree picked up their first win of the season.

 

            McKendree will be in action again next Friday, September 8 at home when they face Oklahoma Christian University. Game time is set for 4 p.m.