Frostburg State University Athletics

WHEELING, W. Va. – The Frostburg State men's soccer team collected its first Mountain East Conference win of the season on Wednesday evening, defeating Wheeling 3-1.

Fresh off their first-ever ranking in the United Soccer Coaches poll, FSU looked to continue their unbeaten streak, applying pressure early and taking four shots in the first 10 minutes of play, but unable to beat goalkeeper Alberto Madail. Still keeping up the attack, senior Brian Gomez sent a long throw into the box that was headed across the box by freshman Abdallah Soulemana for a bicycle kick finish from sophomore Spencer Davis into the top left corner of the goal. Soulemana then headed a ball wide while junior Dom Good missed a curled effort over the next 15 minutes. The Cardinals had their first effort since the second minute with time ticking down, with the shot going well wide of the net. 

Continuing to hold the upper hand, sophomore Frank Stare put a shot on goal in the fifth minute of the second half, then sophomore Christ Fopossi had a follow-up go wide. Good then tried his luck but shot too close to Madail before Stare doubled the advantage six minutes later. Off a free kick, graduate Mateo Cuadros took it quickly and fed Stare down the right channel, cutting inside on his left foot before bending in a shot from the edge of the box at the far post to make it 2-0. The Cardinals responded immediately, using a set piece of their own that was headed twice before being put in the back of the net.

Sensing a momentum shift, WU kicked into high gear, with graduate Josiah Emerson forced into a save before a scramble in the box resulted in a goal-line clearance to preserve the lead. After another Cardinal effort missed wide, the Bobcats were gifted a corner at the other end, as Stare lofted it to the middle of the box, where Soulemana hit a high header into the to left corner of the goal, making the score 3-1 FSU. As Wheeling went in search of a way back into the match, Emerson made his third save of the night with two minutes left, with two more efforts going wide of the mark before the buzzer sounded on the two-goal victory. 

With the win, Frostburg moves to 3-0-2 on the year and 1-0-1 in MEC play, while Wheeling is now 1-3-0 and 0-2 in the conference. The Bobcats will have a week off before hosting West Liberty on Wednesday, September 16 for a 7 p.m. start in Bobcat Stadium. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.