By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---Sophomore Ahmad Jarrar (Hendersonville/Hendersonville, N.C.) produced two goals and an assist to lead the Owens Community College men's soccer team past Lakeland 6-0 at the Owens Soccer Complex today.
Against the wind in the first half, Owens picked up a goal from Jamison Foos (Norwalk/Norwalk, Ohio) at the 20:24 mark to take a one goal lead into the break.
A flurry of goals over a five minute stretch to open the second half then put the game away for the Express. Austin Combs (Anthony Wayne/Maumee, Ohio) scored 45 seconds into the half, followed by back-to-back goals from Jarrar. On the first of his two goals, Jarrar received a pass from Combs before depositing it into the net. On the second, Jarrar bent a corner kick into the net untouched to put his team up 4-0 just 49:24 into the game.
With his team down 4-0, Lakeland's starting goalkeeper Rogelio Zaragoza went down with an injury, leaving the goalkeeping duties to an inexperienced Cheikhou Sao, who illegally touched two balls - leading to a pair of goals off indirect free kicks in the box.
On the first one, at the 72:29 mark, Alejandro Salinaz (Crestwood/Dearborn Heights, Mich.) scored off a pass from Bjion Campbell (Coconut Creek/Margate, Fla.). On the second one, Campbell scored at the 86:47 mark on a pass from Ian Richey (Kalida/Kalida, Ohio).
Reiss Liggitt (Seminole/Birmingham, England) picked up the team's other assist on the goal by Combs to open the second half.
Ryan Wicher (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) started in goal for the Express and played the first 65 minutes before being replaced by Talal Farhan (Whitmer/Toledo, Ohio) for the duration.
The win marks the third consecutive victory for the Express, which improved to 8-4-1 with the win. The team will hit the road this weekend for matches at Monroe (N.Y.) Community College on Saturday and Mercyhurst North East Community College on Sunday.
Notes
With his two goals and one assist today, Jarrar now has eight goals and six assists this year. He is two goals away from reaching 20 goals and 10 assists over his two-year career. If he should reach 20 goals, he would become one of only 10 players in the program's 17-year history to achieve that mark. Additionally, his 21 points puts him just two points behind Matt Almester (St. John's Jesuit/Toledo, Ohio) for the team high.
Liggitt's assist was his fourth of the season...Campbell's assist was his team-high eighth of the season, while his goal was the third of the season for him...The goal from Foos was his first of the season...Salinaz now has four goals this year...Combs now has seven goals this year. It was his first goal since Sept. 19...Richey's assist was his first of the season, just one game after picking up his first goal of the season in game-winning fashion.