by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College got the 2019 Jayhawk Conference soccer season off in workmanlike fashion Saturday, posting a 2-1 win over Neosho County in Chanute.
The win boosted the Blue Devils’ record to 2-1-1 heading into the home conference opener against unbeaten Cowley College Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. KCKCC’s women will open the evening with a 5 p.m. kickoff against Cowley.
Copenhagen sophomore Alejandro Maillet, who scored the winning goal in a 2-1 win over Iowa Central, got the Blue Devils in front 1-0 27 minutes into the game.
“There was a bit of a scramble in front of the goal and Marcus Kawah was able to direct the ball back to Alejandro, who finished at the goal,” KCKCC Assistant Coach Burke Slusher said.
Samba Gnokane, a freshman forward from Verona, Italy, then scored what would prove to be the winning goal on a free kick from 23 yards out nine minutes into the second half.
“Samba curved it over the wall of defenders into the left corner of the net,” Slusher said.
Meanwhile, the KCKCC defense held Neosho scoreless until the final nine minutes.
“Our defense played well,” Slusher said. “Bosco Pery had a very good game in goal, making a couple of key saves in the first half. Neosho’s best chances came on counter attacks but our defense stayed solid:”
A freshman from Madrid, Spain, Pery had four saves in goal while the Blue Devils were launching seven shots.
Cowley College will come into Wednesday’s contest with a 4-0 record including a 7-1 thumping of Allen County in the Tigers’ conference opener .
“A tough conference battle,” Slusher said. Other wins have come at Rose State 5-1 and 3-1 home wins over Northeast Oklahoma A&M and Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa.