SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— Southwestern College men's soccer made a loud statement Wednesday night in Springfield, taking control early and never letting go in a 2–0 road win over Evangel University at Coryell Field.
Jack Bagley-Etheridge set the tone in the 37th minute, racing onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Marcos Benavidez. With defenders closing in, Bagley-Etheridge coolly slipped past Evangel goalkeeper Davide Marzoli and buried the finish for his 15th goal of the season, giving the Moundbuilders a 1–0 lead heading into halftime.
Just five minutes into the second half, the Builders struck again. After a sharp cross from Bagley-Etheridge and a scramble in front of goal, Bernabe Lopez was in the right place at the right time, slotting the loose ball past Marzoli to double the lead at 2–0.
From there, it was all about defense and discipline. Goalkeeper KJ Masso was rock-solid, making six key saves to secure the clean sheet as the back line shut down every Evangel push. Both teams finished with six shots on target, but Southwestern's composure made the difference.
Evangel's night got tougher in the 65th minute when Philip Mason was sent off with a red card, leaving the Crusaders a man down for the final stretch. Southwestern kept its foot on the gas and closed out the win with authority.
The victory lifts the Moundbuilders to 9-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play as the regular season winds down. Evangel dropped to 6-3-3 and 2-3-3 in the league.
Southwestern now turns its attention to McPherson College, where the Builders will look to keep their momentum rolling on Saturday, Oct. 18, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. in McPherson, Kansas.
