Late tally pushes Men’s Soccer past Doane in high scoring season opener 4-3

CRETE, Neb. – Four different Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes scored a goal, none bigger than Kevin Benitez (SR/Garden City, Kan.)’s 80th minute score that gave the Coyotes a 4-3 win over Doane in the season opener on Sunday at Al Papik Stadium.

 

Doane took an early lead in the 19th minute, and the score remained 1-0 until the 44th minute when Ivia Gutierrez lit the lamp for the Coyotes. Gutierrez scored easily as a Doane defender tried to play the ball back to the keeper, but missed leaving the goal wide open and an easy tap-in for Gutierrez.

 

The Tigers quickly grabbed the lead back in the second half, scoring in the 48th minute, but three minutes later, the Coyotes had another equalizer.

 

David Bellin (SR/Berlin, Germany) scored the goal in the 51st minute on a give-and-go play with Brandon Oaks (SO/Salina, Kan.) freed up Bellin to score over the middle.

 

Oaks put the Coyotes ahead for the first time in the 62nd minute. Wesleyan had a corner played in right in front of the box from Alfonso Lopez (SR/Fontana, Calif.) to Oaks for the goal.

 

Doane found its own equalizer in the 69th minute.

 

The Coyotes took the lead on Benitez’s goal in the 80th minute. Adonis Arevalo (SR/Sylmar, Calif.) sent a ball into the box on the right side to Havier Zaragoza (SR/Hacienda Heights, Calif.) who found Benitez open in the middle of the box for the score.

 

Wesleyan’s defense then tightened for the final 10 minutes for the win.

 

Doane outshot the Coyotes 17-15 in the match. Steven Moya (SR/Whittier, Calif.) led the Coyotes with five shots, while Lopez had four. Oswaldo Diaz-Lopez (SO/Bryan, Texas) got the win in goal for the Coyotes with four saves.

 

Wesleyan is back in action on Wednesday at No. 12 ranked Bellevue in Bellevue, Neb. The Coyotes then open the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, hosting Oklahoma City University at the Graves Family Sports Complex.