Box Score
(LEBANON, Ill., September 3)- Sophomore midfielder Kavel Smith (Kingston, Jamaica) and freshman forward Anthony Grant (Kingston, Jamaica, Jamaica College) each had two goals on Saturday to lead the McKendree University men's soccer team to a 5-3 win in its season opener over Maryville University.

The Bearcats improved to 1-0 overall on the season, and have now won seven straight home openers. They will return to the pitch to host Avila University at 3 p.m., on Sunday, September 4th.

Smith did all his damage in the first 6:24 of the game, scoring the first goal of the season for the Bearcats in the third minute on an assist by redshirt senior defender Sam James (Southampton. England, Tauntons), and then followed with an unassisted score at the 6:24 mark to give his team a 2-0 lead. The Saints were undeterred by the two quick scores, and cut their deficit in half seven seconds later on a goal by Kory Dowell on an assist by Erik Carretero.

The pace slowed down after the fast start and McKendree struck again in the 26th minute on a goal by Grant, the first of his collegiate career, on an assist by senior midfielder Tom Ward (Frodhsam, England). Ward then scored a goal of his own in the 35th minute on an assist by freshman forward C.J. Cerna (Collinsville, Ill., Collinsville) to give McKendree a commanding 4-1 lead. Maryville cut their deficit in half again in the 42nd minute on a goal by Matt Bearley off a pass from Nick Doherty to make the score 4-2 heaidng into the half.

Grant scored again off a pass from Smith in the 61st minute to put the Bearcats up 5-2, but Bearley scored his second goal of the game in the 70th minute on an assist from Carretero to bring the Saints to within 5-3, but McKendree didn't allow anymore scoring over the final 20 minutes of play to earn its first win of the season.

Senior goalkeeper Joe Sagar (Oldham, England, Hulme) improved to 1-0 on the season with the win in goal. He played all 90 minutes and had five saves, while allowing three goals.