WC men close season with 4-1 victory

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In the final game for a pair of seniors, the Wilmington College men’s soccer team sent the duo out with a bang.

The Fightin’ Quakers scored a season-high four goals in beating Heidelberg Saturday, 4-1, in Ohio Athletic Conference action at Townsend Field in Williams Stadium. It also was the most goals the Student Princes have allowed this season.

“Maybe it was just our time today,” said Wilmington head coach Bud Lewis. “The guys played well. We didn’t start off strong. We were very tentative. Niklas’ goal really got us going. We really needed him to step up and direct the team. I thought he played an outstanding game.”

Sophomore Niklas Martensson seemed to break the ice with free kick goal in the 24th minute. From just outside the box, Martensson beat the four-person wall and slid the goal past the keeper near post. It was his team-leading eighth goal of the season.

Martensson played a part in the team’s second goal assisting on the freshman Carl Bergstrom goal in the 37th minute.

Heidelberg had a chance early in the second half to trim its deficit in half, but the Student Princes hit the post less than three minutes into the second 45-minute period. Moments later, WC had three goal lead.

Freshman Bradley Burden played a long ball to freshman Anton Holmqvist, who beat a defender and found sophomore Daniel Kappelin in the middle of the box. Kappelin did the rest, beating the keeper for the game’s third goal.

The visitors finally got on the board in the 61st minute, but sophomore Treshaun Pate extended the WC lead back to three with his first goal of the season in the 77th minute. Freshman Roman Kirschner had the assist on the play.

“It was great to see the quality of goals,” said Lewis. “They were all well designed and players finished well. It wasn’t that Heidelberg didn’t anything wrong, we just played well. The movement up top was pretty good tonight. It was about as good as we have had, putting the balls where the players were and at the same time finishing our chances.”

Senior Nick Baker finished with five saves on six shots in his final collegiate game. Senior Alec Rivers started and played in his final game.

“Nick Baker finished out with a very strong game today, I was really happy for him,” said Lewis. “He has developed more than any player I have coached from the time of his first year here to his senior year. Alec Rivers has been an amazing leader in our program. He is selfless, always thinking of the team first. We have been very fortunate to have his leadership in the program.”

Wilmington finished the season 5-11-2 overall and 2-7 in the OAC.

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