SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. -- It was the senior show on Senior Day as Ryan Williams converted an early penalty kick and finished with two goals and two assists and Santiago Vanegas piled up a career-best four assists in the John Brown University men's soccer team's 7-1 trouncing of Southwestern A.G. (Texas) on Saturday (Oct. 27) afternoon to close out the regular season at Alumni Field.
Senior Giovani Bejarano added a header goal off a Vanegas corner kick, and senior Conner Haney added a goal and an assist as the Golden Eagles (8-7-1, 5-4-0) solidified sixth place in next week's Sooner Athletic tournament.
Freshman Micah Herrmann came off the bench to contribute two goals, and freshman Goncalo Verissimo added a goal and an assist in the onslaught.
JBU and senior Britt Wisener were denied their fourth clean sheet of the season when SAGU's Mazvita Chidarara ripped a left-footed curling shot from 25 yards out with just 13 seconds left in the contest.
After Williams' penalty kick in the seventh minute provided some dramatics on the sidelines, Herrmann doubled John Brown's lead in the 21st minute when he capitalized on a loose ball in the box that was served in by Vanegas by side-kicking an attempt past SAGU keeper Jose Ladoriel in the box.
Sporting a 9-5 shooting advantage and a 2-0 lead at the intermission, John Brown put up a five-spot on the Lions, including three goals in the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Bejarano's goal in the 64th minute increased the SAGU deficit to three, and Herrmann struck again nine minutes later. Herrmann headed in a line-drive Vanegas free kick from the goal line just outside the box, posting his sixth goal of the season.
The goal chased Ladoriel from the Lion goal as Chris Thorman made a relief appearance for the final 18 minutes of the contest.
Williams added his team-leading eighth tally of the year by unleashing a 22-yard rip from the middle of the field found the upper shelf past Thorman. Haney redirected a Vanegas corner service into the middle of the field where Williams ran on and let go the technical strike in the 81st minute.
Less than a minute later, Verissimo continued the header parade by directing in a long Vanegas cross from the left flank for his second of the season.
Finally, Haney chipped in his sixth of the year via the head that completed an impressive passing play through the midfield. Williams sent a long ball up the right side to Verissimo who, in turn, crossed to the far back post to an oncoming Haney. Haney got low and dove for the attempt that took a sharp bounce and popped up high past Thorman.
After the final whistle, JBU honored its 12 seniors — Giovani Bejarano, Axel Betancourt, Ashby Clark, Amilcar Gonzalez, Conner Haney, David Moots, James Pollard, Collin Smith, Santiago Vanegas, Ryan Williams and Britt Wisener.
Now with the regular season concluded, John Brown will hit the road for a quarterfinal contest on Saturday (Nov. 3). Official matchups will be announced by the conference office early in the week.
