by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Unbeaten Crowder rallied in the second half to hand Kansas City Kansas Community College its first soccer loss of the season 4-2 Wednesday night.
The loss dropped the Blue Devils to 0-1-1 heading into a home clash Sunday with Iowa Central at 2 p.m. The game will follow a noon kickoff between KCKCC and Iowa Central’s women’s teams,
KCKCC held a 2-1 halftime lead against Crowder only to have the Roughriders (2-0) take advantage of two fouls to tie the game and then go ahead. The go-ahead goal came on a free kick that was deflected once or twice crossing the goal.
Crowder took a 1-0 lead 14 minutes into the game but sophomore Leonardo Bonelli took a pass from Marcos Cabral and drove a kick behind goalkeeper Anthony Garcia while falling to the turf for the tying goal with 28 minutes into the half. Three minutes later, sophomore Marcus Kawah rifled a go-ahead goal past Garcia from 20 yards out. The spectacular goal came on an assist from freshman Javier Blanco.
Freshman goalkeeper Bosco Pery was credited with three saves on shots on goal while Garcia had two for the Roughriders, who controlled the contest much of the way,
“We played well the first half, not as well the second half,” KCKCC assistant coach Burke Slusher said. “The two fouls really hurt because both led directly to Crowder goals. We just have to keep getting better starting Sunday against Iowa Central.”