STERLING, Kan. — Southwestern College picked up its first Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference victory of the season Saturday, Sept. 26, defeating Sterling College 2-0 on the road. The win moved the Moundbuilders to 1-3 in conference play.
After a scoreless first half, Southwestern broke through in the 59th minute. Adrian Gimenez scored the opening goal off an assist from Cooper Bates to give the Moundbuilders a 1-0 advantage. Gimenez was active throughout the match, finishing with four shots and three shots on goal.
Southwestern added to its lead in the 79th minute when Christian Banda found the back of the net. Eamon Shaw and Bernabe Lopez were credited with assists on the goal, giving the Moundbuilders a 2-0 advantage. Banda made an impact off the bench with four shots and three shots on goal.
The Moundbuilders held the advantage offensively, outshooting Sterling 18-11. Southwestern also produced 11 shots on goal and recorded 12 of its 18 total shots in the second half.
Franco Guazzotti helped secure the shutout in goal for Southwestern, playing all 90 minutes and keeping the Warriors off the scoreboard.
Sterling's Michael Kyalo led the Warriors' attack with five shots, including two on goal. Juan Gomez Carvajal added three shots with two on target, while goalkeeper Cassidy Kelly faced pressure throughout the match and recorded seven saves.
Southwestern's defense stayed strong through the final minutes to preserve the 2-0 road victory and give the Moundbuilders their first conference win of the season.
The Moundbuilders will return home for another KCAC matchup Wednesday, Sept. 30, when they host No. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan University at Richard L. Jantz Stadium in Winfield. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Southwestern will look to carry momentum from the Sterling win into the matchup with the highly ranked Eagles.
