Grant Woodard injured in Eutectics loss to Evangel

(Photo courtesy of Makenzie Ness)

ST. LOUIS, MO – The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy was looking for their first goal of the young season along with their first win of the campaign coming into their second-ever match with the Evangel Valor on Wednesday night. The failed in both those efforts as the visiting Valor notched a 6-0 win at St. Louis University High.

Evangel came out firing, scoring the opening goal less than five minutes in. Eneh Chibozor proved to be a problem all night for the Eutectics with his speed and ball control. He opened the scoring at 3:53 to get the visitors on the board with his fourth goal of the year. Evangel controlled most of the opening 20 minutes of the first half and threatened to add to their lead with two prime scoring chances. Both times for the Eutectics, it was Caden Grither to the rescue. Twice in a five-minute span, the Valor had chances at a wide-open net as they were able to work around UHSP netminder Wyatt Taylor with crossing passes that led to an almost certain goal. Both times, Grither was able to scramble to make an incredible play on the ball to prevent it from crossing the goal-line for a score. The Purple and Gold were energized by the play of Grither and were slowly able to build some offensive chances. UHSP was never able to completely solve the EU defense and put one past netminder Ryan Garner. It stayed a one goal game until the Valor broke it open late in the first half scoring three goals in a 15:45 span. Juyong Kim scored off a feed from Chibozor with 18:48 remaining. Then Raphael Sende made it 3-0 with a goal at 40:37 on an assist from Igor Ovcarevic. Ovcarevic then capped the first half with a penalty kick goal that just eluded a diving Taylor Midfielder as the Valor went up 4-0. It was the final goal of what turned into a chippy first half which would be a sign of things to come in the second half.

The final set of 45-minutes featured more yellow cards than goals, and it was not close. The intensity and frustration from both team boiled over into a half that featured seven yellow cards, four of which were issued to the home team. Both teams fell victim to losing players to what may turn out to be serious injuries as UHSP's Grant Woodard and Evangel's Sende both had to be helped off the field with leg injuries and did not return. The Valor added to the lead with 36:39 left on a beautiful shot, a missile from Franco Cuevas that made it 5-0. Akari Sydney capped the scoring off an assist from St. Louis-native Caleb Burton with 20:55 remaining.

Evangel's high press and offensive creativity were too much for UHSP as they struggled to generate quality scoring chances. UHSP's defense faced an uphill battle getting outshot 18-8 including 14-5 in shots on goal. Wyatt Taylor made six saves before leaving with 31:20 left in favor of Ivan Maldonado. Maldonado allowed the final Valor goal while make two saves, the final one a tremendous save on a leaping dive to his right. Garner played the first half in net for Evangel making four saves with Fernando Villasenor playing the second half and turning aside the lone shot he faced. The game featured a total of 30 fouls between the two clubs.

The Eutectics are now 0-2 all-time against the Valor after dropping a 5-0 contest last season in their only other meeting. UHSP (0-3) continues a four-game homestand on Sunday when Illinois College (1-1) comes to town for a 1:00p kickoff at SLUH. Blackburn will come to St. Louis to finish out the homestand on Wednesday with UHSP's next road contest scheduled for Tuesday, September 17 at Fontbonne.