By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Cleveland, OH---Nickyle Webber's three goals and two assists led the No. 15 Express men's soccer team in a 9-2 rout of Cuyahoga Community College on the road Wednesday.
After goals from Glenroy Miller and Brandon Cruz put the Express up 2-0 in the game's first 20 minutes, the Challengers answered back with goals in the 25th and 33rd minute to tie it up.
That's when the Express scored seven unanswered goals, including three in the final five minutes of the first half, to secure the win.
In the 42nd minute, Juavanie Cole put the Express up 3-2. Webber then scored in the 43rd and 44th minutes to make it 5-2. His second goal came on a free kick.
The Express kept the pressure up with three more goals in the first 12 minutes of the second half. Miller scored in the 49th minute, Vijay Gentles scored off a header in the 55th minute and Webber scored the team's eighth goal in the 57th minute.
At that point, the Express pulled the majority of their starters. Then, in the 71st minute, Caleb Vespi put the Express up 9-2 with his first goal of the year.
Gentles assisted on the game's first goal, while Cole assisted on the goal from Cruz and Webber's first goal. Webber's two assists came on the sixth and seventh goals for Owens, while Blake Niemiec and Virgil Garcia picked up the other assists.
Webber's final goal was unassisted as he wrestled the ball away from a couple Cuyahoga players in front of the net.
Joshua Kleinow started in goal for the Express and made two saves, while Jeff Harding played the final 38 minutes and picked up three saves.
With his two goals today, Miller (21) now has the sixth most goals in a single season in program history. He broke his tie with Sean Brown (19, 2002) today. Next up is Fabio Cardoso's total of 24 goals in 2000.
Additionally, Miller broke his tie with Rodcliff Hall (35 goals, 2009-10) and moved into sole possession of third place in career goals scored. He now has 37, and next on the list would be Sean Brown's total of 44 from 2001-02.
Meanwhile, Webber improved his status as the nation's top assist producer with his 12th and 13th assists of the year. That ties Michael Hamouda's total from 2009 for third place for most assists in one season. He is two away from tying Anthonio Briggs (15, 2005) and five away from passing Jeff Brown (17, 2001) for most in one season.
Additionally, his 18 career assists ties him for third place in career assists with Simi Wakawa (2002-03) and Sean Brown (2001-02). Jeff Brown (22, 2001-02) and Hamouda (24, 2009-10) are the only two people standing in Webber's way of becoming the program's all-time leader in assists.
Webber now has nine goals and 13 assists this year. He is second on the team in scoring to Miller, who's 21 goals and two assists give him 44 points.
The 9-2 win marked the largest margin of victory Owens has ever achieved against Cuyahoga. It ties the largest margin of victory in the series history with Cuyahoga's 9-2 win in 1998 over Owens.
The Express are now 10-2-1 overall and 4-0 in the OCCAC. They have now scored 27 goals in their past three matches, which has helped them achieve a four match win streak and eight wins in the past nine matches.
Owens will attempt to get revenge on one of their only two losses this year with a 1 p.m. matchup against Ancilla College at home on Saturday. They will follow that up with a 1 p.m. home matchup against Muskegon Community College on Sunday.
