Sondgeroth's Goal Leads Scots Past IC on Tuesday

Monmouth shuts out MWC rivals for crucial win

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (10/18/2022) — The Monmouth College men's soccer team grabbed a goal in the second half and knocked off Midwest Conference rival Illinois College 1-0 on Tuesday afternoon. The home win moves the Scots to 3-9-2 overall and 1-4 in MWC play while IC drops to 8-6-2, 1-4-1 in MWC play.

The game was scoreless through the first half in cold and windy conditions. IC took three shots in the first 45 minutes while the Scots took two.

Early in the second half, the Scots won a foul in IC territory, Jaxon Coleman (Washington, Illinois) played it short righ after the whislte to Nico Esparon (St. Denis, France). Esparon played a give-and-go with Hiroto Monden (Sapporo, Japan) and then sent a left-footed ball into the box to a wide open Reid Sondgeroth (Mapleton, Illinois). Sondgeroth turned and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner to give the Scots a 1-0 lea with 38:53 to play.

The Scots defense didn't allow the Blueboys to get even. Illinois College ended up with six shots on goal, but freshman keeper Dennis Turdean (Chicago, Illinois) denied them all to preserve the shutout. Turdean, Coleman, Esparon and Monden were four of the six players who played all 90 minutes in the win for Monmouth. James Azzi (Sydney, Australia) and Tanner Viren (East Peoria, Illinois) also played tne entire game. In addition to Sondgeroth's goal. Wyatt Mayor (Galesburg, Illinois) and Zachary Browning (Ogden, Utah) also had shots on goal for the Scots.

The win keeps the Scots alive in the race for the MWC Tournament. The top four teams qualify and the Scots will have to win out and get some help to finish in the top four. The next game is on the road, Saturday at 11 a.m. against Beloit College. The Scots then head to Cornell next Tuesday before hosting Lawrence at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 in the regular season finale and Senior Day.