TYLER, Tx. – LSU Eunice scored three unanswered goals to take down No. 4 Tyler JC, 3-1, on the road Tuesday at the Pat Hartley Complex. The 17th-ranked Bengals (9-1) captured the first win over a NJCAA Top 5 team in LSUE's two-year program history.
LSUE handed the Apaches just their fifth home loss in the last five years.
"Our guys showed resolve tonight to come back from the early deficit and elevate their level of play," LSU Eunice men's soccer head coach Josh McReynolds said. "Tyler is the standard bearer for junior college soccer and I could not be prouder to leave there with a result."
Tyler JC was first to score in the 35th minute after the Apaches made LSUE pay for a
Zaykeese Smith (Charlestown, St. Kitts & Nevis, Charlestown Secondary School) yellow card. The goalkeeper had to come out of the game for a Thaabit Baartman set piece as he smashed a near side shot to make it 1-0 TJC.
Angelo Fabricio (Jundiai, Brazil, St. Amant HS (LA)) would equalize five minutes later, intercepting an errant clearance and beating the TJC goalkeeper for his sixth goal of the season. The game would go into halftime tied 1-1.
Noah Wagner (Corpus Christi, TX, Veterans Memorial HS) continued his goal streak early in the second half, connecting on a 48th minute goal to give Bengals their first lead of the game, 2-1. It was his 19th goal of the season.
Wagner's seventh game winning goal was set up by a terrific run by
Tanner LaPorte (Lafayette, LA, Acadiana HS). The freshman defenseman intercepted a ball in the LSUE end, weaving through a pair of TJC defenders before heading a pass to Wagner who eluded both the goalkeeper and a defender for a point blank shot.
LSUE would net an insurance goal on a set piece connect of
Nicolai Small (Harbour View, Jamaica, Camperdown HS) to
Jamison Angelle (Lafayette, LA, Acadiana HS) in the 79th minute. It was Angelle's first goal of the season and second of his LSUE career.
The Bengals return home Sunday for a doubleheader against Mountain View with men's action slated to start at 7:00PM.
