Andrade’s second game winner caps perfect weekend

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – In a game that featured a second-half offensive flurry, the Concordia University men’s soccer got the game winner from freshman Kevin Andrade on the way to a 3-2 victory over host Johnson & Wales University at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., on Sunday afternoon. All three Bulldog goals were courtesy of players who came off the bench.

Eighth-year head coach Jason Weides’ squad moved to 5-2 overall this season by handling the Wildcats, an NAIA Independent.

“We showed great focus the entire weekend,” Weides said. “It can be tough playing back-to-back days, especially when you’re not used to the altitude here. Our guys gave full effort at all times. Every guy stepped in and added something productive whether playing 90 minutes or five minutes. I’m proud of the entire team. We responded to several challenges in this game and showed mental resolve.”

Despite a combined 19 shots (11-8 Wildcat advantage) in the first half, neither team found the back of the net until Bulldog senior Dean Stevens notched a 50th-minute goal. From that point on, both sides traded tallies until Andrade emerged with the deciding goal in the 83rd minute.

The Nebraska prep national leader in goals last season at Lexington High School, Andrade came through just 25 seconds after Johnson & Wales equalized (2-2) on Concordia’s misstep that resulted in an own goal. Andrade broke away from the defense and delivered a well-composed shot in the clutch.

Andrade capped a 2-0 weekend in which six of the team’s seven goals were produced by reserves.

“It shows the depth of the team,” Weides said. “They were clutch goals, too.”

Playing in his second contest as a Bulldog, Lewis Rathbone, a transfer from Evergreen Valley College, surfaced with his first goal of the season in the 57th minute. Rathbone connected on a strike from roughly 22 yards out to provide a 2-1 advantage at the time.

The Wildcats (3-4) finished with a 19-16 edge (9-9 in shots on goal) edge in total shots. Junior Mark Horsburgh made six saves in goal for the Bulldogs. Johnson & Wales had one final shot attempt that came in the 90th minute, but Dalton Pando missed left of the goal.

The lone individual to score for the Wildcats was Ben Flannery Bartlet, who capitalized on his only shot of the day by finding the back of the net in the 52nd minute. Bartlet headed in a free kick from Mitchel Erickson.

The Bulldogs have nearly a week off from competition until traveling to Northwestern (4-3, 0-0 GPAC) on Saturday (Sept. 26) for the GPAC opener for both teams. Kickoff from Orange City, Iowa, is slated for 7:15 p.m.