FT. WORTH, Texas -- In a match that saw 24 fouls and four cautions, the John Brown mens soccer team (11-5-1, 7-1-0 SAC) received a game-winner from freshman Kelvin Omondi in the 60th minute to defeat Texas Wesleyan (8-7-1, 2-5-1 SAC) on Thursday (Oct. 29) night at Martin Field.
Omondis tally was his fourth of the season and his first-career game-winner.
The Golden Eagles have now locked up second place in the upcoming Sooner Athletic Conference tournament, by virtue of having defeated Southwestern Christian (Okla.) in a head-to-head matchup, 4-1. Even if JBU falls in its final contest of the regular season, the Golden Eagles will face the No. 7 seed at Alumni Field on Friday (Nov. 7) evening.
Also, with six wins in seven attempts so far in league play, the Golden Eagles guarantee its best-ever conference finish in program history. John Browns previous-best came back in 2000, when it finished league play with a 7-3-0 (.700) mark.
"Our guys looked very sharp early in the game today," admitted head coach Scott Marksberry. "We did well to create space in a very tightly defended half of the field. We dealt with their counters well, but we still need to work at putting the game away when we get a lead, but it is great to escape Ft. Worth with three points."
Freshman keeper Britt Wisener made his first collegiate start and collected a pair of saves on three shots against to notch his first victory. Alexis Yanez (0-3-0) remains winless on the year and yielded a pair of goals on seven shots against in defeat.
The Golden Eagles struck first in the 39th minute when sophomore Collin Smith posted his third goal of the season. After a pretty passing play in the box that featured junior Marco Cardona and freshman Ryan Williams, Williams let a shot go that was stopped by Yanez, but Smith was there to fire in the rebound for a 1-0 lead. Williams notched his team-leading sixth assist of the year on the goal.
Taking a 1-0 lead into the half, JBU doubled its advantage in the 60th minute when Omondi turned on the afterburners through the Ram back line. After a pair of deflections carried the ball to Omondi, he broke in and bested a TWU defender 24 yards out and unleashed a shot just inside the box past Yanez for a 2-0 lead. Smith landed his fifth assist of the season on the goal and his third point of the match.
Wesleyan would spoil Wiseners shutout bid in the 76th minute when Shaun Miltner headed in a corner kick from Alex Ellis at the back post.
Now with 11 wins on the year and a .647 win percentage, JBU has claimed the best mark of any Golden Eagle mens soccer program since the 2003 season where John Brown finished the year 13-5-2 (.619).
With one match remaining in the regular season, the Golden Eagles will travel to Waxahachie, Texas, to take on Southwestern A.G. (Texas) on Saturday (Oct. 31) at 3 p.m. Inclement weather is expected to pass through the area and game official may move the time and location of the event.
