Apparently, a disappointing ride home after a loss in Arkansas over the weekend didn't sit well with the Wayland Baptist men's soccer team.
The Pioneers came up with what coach
Robert Ssejjemba called a "perfect" response to Saturday's setback to John Brown as Wayland bounced back with a convincing 4-1 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over Southwestern Christian
on Tuesday night at Hilliard Field.
"After that tough loss at John Brown, I thought today's response was perfect," Ssejjemba said.
Stefano Pesce,
James Westfield,
Lucas Travis and
Erik Luzanilla all scored goals for Wayland, which improved to 7-2-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference. Southwestern Christian fell to 7-7, 5-3.
Pesce got the goals going when he netted his third goal of the season 22 minutes into the match on a deflected ball that he hammered home from 10 yards out.
Westfield notched his team-best 13
th goal in the 39 minute as the senior dribbled more than half the field and past at least two defenders before punching it in.
Westie scored a goal that I haven't seen in a long time from his dazzling run from the midfield," Ssejjemba said.
The Eagles made it 2-1 almost 13 minutes after halftime, but it took less than three minutes for the Pioneers to get it back when Travis, a first-year junior transfer, produced his first goal as a Pioneer. Westfield broke free up the right side before passing into the box where Travis took care of the rest.
"Lucas was brilliant for us up top, holding the ball well and putting good pressure on their backline. His hard work was rewarded with a goal," Ssejjemba said.
Just six minutes later in the 61
st, Luzanilla, a senior, put in his first goal of the season after a free kick by Jovanny Cortez.
"We talked about the need to get our momentum back and the guys understood what the moment required," Ssejjemba said. "Our backline was tight and midfield very strong in possession and won the ball back immediately after we lost it.
"
Javier Perdomo was very solid for us in the midfield intercepting passes and linking up well with our attack."
The Pioneers play their final regular-season home match
at 3 p.m. Saturday against the Oklahoma City (6-8, 1-5) Stars, who are experiencing a rare down year. OCU, which hosted No. 19 Mid-America Christian
on Tuesday night, defeated Southwestern Assemblies of God,
3-0, on Saturday to snap a five-match losing skid.
Wayland ends the regular-season with road games against Texas Wesleyan (4-11 3-3) and USAO (8-5-1, 3-3).
