SMU midfielder Scott Corbin (17) and Bradley defender Stephen Brust (7) fight to gain control of the ball in the second half of last night’s game at Westcott Field. (John Schreiber)
The No. 5 SMU men’s soccer team beat former Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley University 1-0. The Mustangs improved to 12-3-2 overall with the win, while Bradley dropped to 11-5-3.
The Mustangs controlled the ball nearly the entire first half and got on the board first in the 16th minute of the game. Junior forward Scott Geppert scored his sixth goal of the season off a Scott Corbin free kick.
SMU was awarded a free kick after Bruno Guarda was fouled just outside the box. Corbin took the kick from about 22 yards out and found a streaking Geppert on the far side of the goal. It was Corbin’s third assist of the year.
After missing the first five games of the season, Geppert has scored six goals in 12 games and propelled the Mustangs to a 10-1-1 record during that span. SMU coach Schellas Hyndman said that having Geppert in the lineup helps the entire team because “he is a true finisher with the feet and with the head.”
Geppert, along with Dane Saintus and Richard Oliva, gives the Mustangs depth at the striker position. Hyndman believes that Geppert is “one of the better strikers we have had here at SMU.”
The first half ended with the Mustangs on top 1-0. SMU had numerous scoring opportunities, as evidence by its eight shots in the half, but could not turn that into a second goal.
Part of the reason the Mustangs had trouble scoring was because of the 3-5-2 defense that Bradley played. Bradley’s extra midfielder shadowed Guarda nearly the entire game. The constant attention in the midfield limited Guarda’s touches and scoring opportunities throughout the game.
The second half featured tough, physical soccer. In spite of the back and forth action which gave both teams a number of chances to score, neither team could put any points on the board.
In the 63rd minute, it looked like the Braves were going to score the equalizer. However, SMU goalkeeper Steve Sandbo saved a shot rocketed off of the foot of Braves’ midfielder Grant Campbell who broke through the backline on a through ball.
In regard to that save, Sandbo said, “the shot came out of nowhere. It was at point-blank range and luckily I got my hands up to stop it from going into the back of the goal.”
Last night’s shutout over the Braves was Sandbo’s fifth of the season. This is undoubtedly a great personal achievement, but Sandbo was quick to credit the SMU backline. Sandbo credits his personal stats to “the guys on the backline that make my life easier. Our goal every game is to shut out the opposing team.”
Overall, Hyndman was “pleased that we came away from the game with a win and did not allow a goal after a tough loss at Kentucky.” The games leading up to the conference tournament are important because they give SMU momentum going into the games.
The Mustangs play again on Friday at 7:30 p.m at Westcott Field against Central Arkansas. It is the Mustangs final regular season game for seniors Ben Shuleva, Adrian Chevannes, Scott Corbin and Steve Sandbo.
