SEWARD, Neb. – As the Concordia University men’s soccer team and visiting McPherson College (Kan.) headed for overtime tied, 2-2, Jack Arra had a message for his team. They weren’t going to wait any longer. It had to be tonight. Arra made it happen. His golden goal in the 94th minute sewed up the 100th head coaching victory for Jason Weides as leader of the men’s soccer program.
The 3-2 overtime victory on Wednesday night (Sept. 12) pushed the Bulldogs to 3-2 overall this season. It’s difficult to sum up 11 seasons as head coach into a few sentences, but Weides expressed gratitude to all those who have contributed to what has transpired since he was promoted to his current role prior to the 2008 campaign.
Said Weides, “It’s nice to get that mark. The tough thing for me is I haven’t kicked a ball in a really long time. None of those wins resulted from me doing anything on the field. It’s many, many players over many years performing really well and helping to build our program. I think about 100 wins and I just start to think about all the memories throughout the years.”
The latest victory may not have been the cleanest during Weides’ tenure, but it likely ranks up there as one of the more exciting. Having already produced perhaps the highlight reel goal of the year, Arra put the game away with a hustle goal. After watching Carlos Ferrer’s sharply angled shot from right to left get deflected by the keeper, Arra raced to the ball and drilled it into the net from just a few yards away. Game over.
A native of Ennis, Ireland, Arra inspired both of the loudest roars of the night. He deserves extra credit for degree of difficulty on his goal in the 62nd minute. It didn’t even appear that Concordia was really threatening at the moment. Ferrer flicked a pass from right to left into the box. Arra readied himself and then successfully executed a bicycle kick to beat the keeper, who dove to his right. The game was suddenly knotted, 2-2.
Said Weides, “It was just a magnificent goal. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
Added Arra, “In the moment, you can’t plan for those. It’s nothing you plan for. You see it with the professionals. It just happens. I’m not comparing myself. It just happens. You go to sleep dreaming of scoring goals like that.”
Concordia also got a header goal in the 49th minute by Carlos Orquiz, his first career goal. Ferrer assisted on all three host Bulldog goals. Each one was obviously crucial on an evening when Concordia faced deficits of 1-0 and 2-1. It wasn’t unlike the situation three days earlier at Kansas Wesleyan University when Concordia came back for a win by an identical 3-2 score.
On the other side, tough luck continues for McPherson (0-3-1), which still hasn’t won in 2018. Also nicknamed the Bulldogs, McPherson got a pair of goals from Chris Kelly (10’ | 58’). McPherson has a draw with 15th-ranked Bellevue on its record.
One of the only downers on this night was that Jack Bennett came up gimpy at the end of regulation and could not continue into overtime. In goal, freshman Callum Goldsmith saw the first action of his career. He never faced a shot. For the game, McPherson edged Concordia in shots, 16-13.
The Bulldogs will be back in Kansas for the second Saturday in a row. This time around Concordia will be at Friends University (2-2) in Wichita for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member Falcons own one win over a GPAC opponent, a 3-1 decision at Midland.