BLINN MEN’S SOCCER USED FIRST-HALF OUTBURST TO TOP JACKSONVILLE FOR FIRST REGION 14 VICTORY

The Buccaneers travel to region foe Northeast Texas on Friday, Sept. 5

The Blinn men’s soccer team got into the win column in Region 14 with a 3-1 home win over Jacksonville College on Saturday at Rankin Field in Brenham, Texas.

The Buccaneers jumped to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in region matchups. Blinn also earned its seventh consecutive victory over the Jaguars.

All of Blinn’s offense came in the first half, starting with a nifty shake-and-shimmy, one-on-one conversion from sophomore midfielder Sam Sebagabo in the 16th minute. Freshman forward Jack McGivney and freshman midfielder Jordan Franco assisted on the play.

In the 25th minute, sophomore defender Alek Melo sent a free kick to freshman forward Shefe Odojukan, who sent a header into the Jaguar net for a 2-0 advantage.

Freshman midfielder Jorge Patino made it 3-0 in the 39th minute when he gathered a give from freshman forward Joseph Udedi and scored on a deflection off the Jacksonville goalkeeper.

“In the first half, we started off well by keeping the ball and putting Jacksonville under pressure, and obviously we got our results,” Sebagabo said. “I think we played well and we kept moving the ball well, we just need to keep the same intensity through an entire match, and I think we struggled a little bit with that today.”

Jacksonville ended the shutout with a goal in the 64th minute.

Blinn out-shot the Jaguars 22-6, including a 14-2 margin in the first half. The Bucs also had 12 corner kicks.

Blinn head coach Michael McBride said he was pleased with the victory, but said his team failed to bring its positive first-half play into the second half.

“It was a good result but a desperately disappointing second half,” he said. “This is proving to be a tough start to the season, and we have to get better and get better quickly.”

Defensively, sophomore keeper Noah LeMaster worked the first half and earned the win, while sophomore Brenden Ferguson made his collegiate debut and made one save in the second half.

Blinn returns to the pitch when it visits region foe Northeast Texas Community College at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5, in Mount Pleasant, Texas.  

Story Courtesy of:
Joe Alberico     
Blinn Sports Information Specialist