Soccer Game Report
Hesston vs. Bethel, Aug. 31, 2001, Hesston

Bethel 3 - Hesston 0

Coach Sharp's Comments
      Hesston College men’s soccer team opened up the 2001 season with a 3-0 loss at home Friday night against their neighbors to the south, Bethel College. The BC Threshers jumped on the Larks early, getting a corner kick in the first minute of the game. However, the Larks were able to withstand the early push by BC and hold their own in the first half of play. The second half was a different story as the Threshers took advantage of some defensive miscues to score three unanswered goals by Matt Steinmetz, Tim Nussbaum and Nick Mackey. For the game Hesston finished with three shots on goal to BC’s 11. Ogi Marjanovic made eight saves in goal for HC to the Thresher keeper’s three.
      Bethel dominated play in the very beginning of the game, but the Larks were able to match the effort and able to turn the table for the final 20 minutes of the first half. HC showed spurts of brilliant play in the first half and was able to match play with their opponent for the most part. However, the second half found a much more experienced BC squad dominating the young inexperienced Larks.
      The Threshers' first goal came about 20 minutes into the second half off of a corner kick. The Larks failed to clear the ball which found its way to the front of the goal conveniently for Steinmetz to poke into the net. The second came just 10 minutes later when a defensive break down gave BC a quick counter attack on goal. A nice heel ball in the penalty area gave Nussbaum the space he needed to put the Threshers up 2-0. Mackey finished off the scoring five minutes later when he blasted a shot from outside the penalty area past a diving Marjanovic. Hesston’s best chance to score came in the waning minutes of the game when Clint Miller blasted a shot from 25 yards out just past the left upright.
      Hesston’s next game will be at home Tues night 7:30 p.m. against Region VI powerhouse Cloud County Community College.