Capers Secure 3-1 Victory Over Mounties in Front of Home Crowd

SYDNEY – The Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (3-0-2) defeated the Mount Allison Mounties (1-5-0) 3-1 in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's soccer action on Saturday evening at Ness Timmons Soccer Field.

Early in the first half, for a crowd of 300 fans, the hometown Capers pressured the visitors, but the offense could not solve the Mount Allison defense and goalkeeper Rhys Chambers (Windsor Junction, NS). 

After the opening minutes, despite a handful of corner kicks – the Capers finished with 10 in the first half – the match stayed scoreless. 

In the 14th minute – on their first shot of the contest – Damon Gordon (Moncton, NB) got behind the CBU defenders but he could not solve Caper keeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, ENG), who dove to his right to make the save. 

With the Capers continuing to flex their offensive muscles, first-year wing Harvey Hughes (Southampton Hampshire) left-footed a quality cross to striker Owen Sheppard (St. John's, NL), whose header went wide of the far post. 

Midway through the first half, Gordon took advantage of a CBU turnover and had a scoring opportunity from just outside the top of the box but Lilian Benjamin (Rodez, France) blocked it.

Moments later Liam Clark-Black (Dartmouth, NS) got in front of a hard strike from Sebastian Cochrane (Toronto, ON) of the Capers to help keep the battle scoreless.

CBU captain Max Piepgrass (Calgary, AB) – the Subway player of the match – broke through in the 40th minute to give his team a 1-0 edge. After winning a battle for possession, forward Nikolai Scheurenbrand (Nebringen, DE), feathered a pass to the dynamic midfielder, who scorched a strike from 30 yards away that tucked under the crossbar behind Chambers. 

In the final couple of minutes before the intermission, Elijah Le (Vaughan, ON) finally made a CBU corner kick pay dividends when he headed a corner kick from Cochrane into the net to double the Caper advantage. 

CBU led 2-0 at halftime. 

Early in the second half, the Capers continued to pen in the Mounties, but they could not add an insurance marker. 

In the 58th minute, Daniel Amarouche (Quispamsis, NB) – the Mounties player of the game - had a golden opportunity to slice the Caper lead in half, but Clarke soared to his right to make a stellar save to maintain his shutout. 

With Mount Allison trying to rally, Piepgrass – in the 70th minute – tallied his second goal of the match on a free kick to make it 3-0. 

Chambers, in the 83rd minute, made a dazzling save on left-footed strike from CBU midfielder Nickolas Shifrin (Netanya, Israel), and then stoned Ryan Wadden (Sydney, NS) on the rebound to keep it a three-goal deficit. 

In the final seconds, the Mounties were awarded a penalty kick and Taheil Davis (Dieppe, NB) tucked a strike inside the right goal post to make it 3-1, but the visitors could not get any closer.  

CBU will be back on the pitch Saturday, Sept. 21, when they visit Les Aigles Bleus de Moncton, while Mount Allison will host the UPEI Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 22.  

Each match is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. 

RECAP BY: Corey LeBlanc/CBU Athletics 

PHOTOS BY: Vaughan Merchant/CBU Athletics