CAPERS defeat Huskies 4-1 in AUS men’s soccer action
By Corey LeBlanc
SYDNEY – The Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (6-0-2) scored a 4-1 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies (6-4-0) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's soccer action on Sunday afternoon at Ness Timmons Soccer Field.
In the battle of perennial rivals, the home side garnered the first dangerous scoring chance, when team captain Max Piepgrass (Calgary, AB) laced a strike off the underside of the cross bar. On the rebound, defender Andre Beecher's (Brampton, ON) header drifted wide of the right post.
CBU opened the scoring in the 25th minute on a penalty kick by Owen Sheppard (St. John's, NL), the Subway player of the match, who made no mistake in besting Saint Mary's keeper Ryan Davis (Lake Loon, NS).
Just more than two minutes later, on a second consecutive marker from Sheppard, the CAPERS doubled their edge to 2-0. On the scoring play, Beecher found first-year wing Harvey Hughes (Southampton, Hampshire) down the left side, who one-touched a cross to Sheppard, who volleyed the pass under the cross bar.
The CAPERS made it 3-0, in the 32nd minute, when Hughes – after making a great run through the midfield – fed Piepgrass, who ripped a strike behind Davis from 22 yards out.
CBU lead 3-0 heading to the locker room.
In the second half, the CAPERS extended their edge to 4-0 on the first AUS regular season goal for Evan Cunningham (Lancashire, ENG), who headed home a sensational cross from Hughes, who collected his third assist of the match.
In the 58th minute, the Huskies ended the CAPERS' shutout bid on a strike from Saint Mary's player of the game Colby Mercer (Beaverbank, NS), who benefitted from a great set-up from Tonye Ogon (Bayelsa, Nigeria), after he fought off a pair of CBU defenders, to make it 4-1.
The best chance for the visitors to slice the lead in half came in the 64th minute on a penalty kick from Mercer, whose mishit on the shot was corralled by CAPER keeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, ENG) before it slid inside the right goal post. The Huskies earned the opportunity after Ogon was hauled down in the 18-yard box.
Both teams return to action Sunday, Oct. 6, when the CAPERS host the Acadia Axemen, while the Huskies will welcome the UPEI Panthers to Huskies Stadium in Halifax.
Game time for both match-ups is 3:15 p.m. ADT.
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