Box Score
By Chris Riley
Jackson, Tenn.--Shorter played their second game of the weekend Sunday afternoon on the campus of Union University; defeating the Bulldogs, 1-0.
The win improves the Hawks to 2-1-1 on the season, and 2-0 in Gulf South Conference play.
The first ten minutes were cagey as each team felt the other out with much of the play coming in the middle third of the field.
Nicolas Ferrigno was the first 'keeper to be called upon, and made two saves early in first half as Union looked to capitalize on some sloppy defending by the Shorter back four. Shorter continued to struggle throughout the first half, giving away possession and looking unrecognizable from the team that had played so well the previous weekend.
The half time break gave the Hawks a chance to come in and regroup. After some stern words from Coach Neto and a tactical alteration the team went back out for the second half knowing that they had not put in their best work, but that they were still more than in the game; which remained scoreless to this point.
After the half time tactical switch Shorter asserted itself and with some neat combinations between
Francisco Miranda,
Ryan Horn and
Lucas Cavenco the confidence began to grow.
The beginning of the second half was one way traffic with
Balazs Horvath settling the play down from his midfield role the Hawks used the big pitch at Union to involve their fullbacks and get some balls into the box. Shorter got their reward ten minutes into the second half as Cavenco found Miranda in space at the back post; taking the ball down well on his chest, he drove the ball in low between the keepers legs for the first goal of his college career. All was going well for the Hawks as Cavenco again threatened, before receiving a red card.
The man advantage spurred on Union as they looked to get level in the game in the last twenty minutes. Shorter, though, stood firm and Ferringo in goal for the Hawks was commanding inside his penalty area just as on Friday night; keeping his second clean sheet in a row and now going over 225 minutes without conceding a goal. The Hawks managed the final few minutes well and came away from Jackson, Tenn. with the 1-0 win.
Coach Neto was understandably happy with the win as he said after the game "This was a fantastic win for our program, rewarding the boys for their hard work so far. The boost of confidence we needed to elevate our game to the next level. The game was literally a tale of two halves, played poor in the first half but after adjustments completely dominated the play in the second. Without underestimating Union which is a class program, I feel that if it was not for the red card midway through the second half we could have scored more goals. All the credit to the boys for their winning spirit".
Shorter is now 2-0 in GSC play and will look to continue the winnings ways on Friday night as the Hawks come back to Rome to face Delta State. The game will be the first ever Friday Night Futbol at Shorter and should be a great family event at Ben Brady Field.
