EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE men's soccer scored twice in the first eight minutes and went on to a 3-0 win in the first-ever meeting with UTRGV Sunday at Korte Stadium.
The win coupled with a Lindenwood loss at USI Sunday moved the Cougars back into a tie for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference at 4-2-1. SIUE improved to 6-6-2 overall.
UTRGV fell to 3-5-3 overall and 1-3-2 in the OVC.
Ben Perkins scored the eventual game-winner just 51 seconds after the opening kick, when he got his head to a corner kick from Grant Locker.
Locker got his own goal, the first of his SIUE career, when he blasted a one-timer past UTRGV goalkeeper Alberto Yanez in the eighth minute. Locker's goal came after Amos Boum Nlend slid a pass across the top of the box.
The Cougars took the 2-0 lead into the break and made it 3-0 in the 68th minute.
Ryley Gibbs netted his team-leading sixth of the season to seal the win. Mikey Lay slid a through ball into the right side of the box, and Gibbs buried a shot far post for the three-goal advantage.
UTRGV outshot SIUE 18-16 overall. The Cougars put eight shots on target, compared to five for the Vaqueros.
SIUE goalkeeper Louis Krueger made five saves on his way to his first career shutout.
The Cougars will return to the road for a Saturday matchup at Southern Indiana. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
