Box Score MARSHALL, Texas – The East Texas Baptist University men's soccer team pulled away in the second half, but controlled most of the match en route to a 3-0 win over Howard Payne University. ETBU moves to 8-5 overall and 3-2 in American Southwest Conference play. HPU drops to 1-8-1 overall and 0-5 in ASC play.
It was a quiet first half until Daniel Rutter converted a penalty kick in the 31st minute to give ETBU the lead and they did not look back from there on. Joel Botello scored his second goal of the season 26 seconds into the second half on an assist from David Jackson to give ETBU a 2-0 lead. Jackson would take a pass from Jose Vega and drill a 40 yard shot off the cross bar and into the back of the net to close out scoring for ETBU, and extend the lead to 3-0.
HPU was led offensively by Alex Sanchez who had four shots and three shots on goal. Daniel Lemus, Reid Longabaugh, and Dylan Person each contributed the other shots on goal with one each. Nicholas Panameno took the loss in the net for HPU with three saves and three goals allowed.
ETBU was led offensively Jackson who had one goal on four shots and three shots on goal. Botello added one goal on three shots and two shots on goal, and Rutter finished with one goal on one shot on goal. Bryant Botello notched his seventh win of the season to improve his record to 7-5, and recorded his fifth clean sheet of the season.
Head coach Chris Crawford after tonight's ASC win, “I am so proud of how the guys responded this week in practice and transitioned it to the game today. Every player tonight gave ETBU Soccer all they had that is what we have to do every day. Now we take the positives from tonight, fix some things, and try to keep building on this night.”
ETBU returns to action against UT Dallas tomorrow night at Cornish Field. The match will follow the conclusion of the women's match around 7:30 p.m.
