Soccer starts strong

Men’s soccer starts the season with promising win over VMI

 

Liberty Men’s Soccer (2-1) defeated Virginia Military Institute (0-1) 3-0 Tuesday, Aug. 29,  at Osborne Stadium.

 

Coach Jeff Alder said the momentum that came from Tuesday’s game was produced by players coming off of the bench.

 

“I think our non-starters energized us,” Alder said.

 

“Momentum shifted to them, giving us instant energy.”

 

Alder said the team made it a goal to close out games better, which is exactly what happened during the game.

 

“Last year we were in every game and we ended up losing seven one-goal games,” Alder said.

 

“Instead of finding out how not to get them, we are finding out how to get them.”

 

Liberty’s captain and defender, Nico Bellarde, said he wants to see the team start the game quicker, like they did in the second half.

 

Liberty was up 1-0 in the first half after Tresor Mbuyu shot the ball in from the left at the 32nd minute.

 

Mbuyu juked VMI’s defender, leading him to make the lower
far shot.

After the end of the first half the teams came back on the field fearlessly fighting for either a first goal or second to clinch
the game.

 

“We were up by a goal and trying to find a way to get a second goal, they ended up making a mistake from us pressuring them,” Alder said.

 

“That led to us making a second goal and then a third, to close out the game.”

 

The second goal was scored by freshman forward Trent Tarnstrom, who shot it in at the 71st minute.

 

Virginia Military Institute’s keeper mishandled the ball, setting up a messy shot for Liberty.

 

“It was the ugliest goal I have ever seen, but the best goal I have ever seen,” Alder said.

 

Bellarde said he knew how important it was going to be to get that second goal so they could lock in the game.

 

He was impressed by the high energy coming off the bench from Tarnstrom.

 

Tarnstrom said he wants to focus on starting stronger as well, but he knew keeping the other team from scoring was more important.

 

He said teams must win even when they are not playing their best.

 

Soon after the second goal, Liberty’s junior midfielder, Shaun Stocker, scored at the 75th minute from a free kick.

 

The fans went crazy after the shot slammed the top of the bar and swooped down into the net.

 

Liberty ended the game with 19 shots, more than doubling VMI’s 9.

 

Defense did not even give Virginia an opportunity to get down to the goal for a shot.

 

Liberty’s keeper did not have one save throughout the entire 90 minutes of the game.

 

Tarnstrom said the team has a great brotherhood and he sees the enthusiasm in practice.

 

He said he admires Bellarde’s great leadership toward the team and was proud of Stockers “pretty goal.”

 

Liberty’s next home game takes place Sept. 16 at noon against East Tennessee State University.

 

Deutsch is a sports reporter.