East Peoria, Ill. - After a brief one-match getaway down in Godfrey, coach Gabe Carreno's ICC men's soccer team was right back on the home pitch on Wednesday afternoon, hosting Parkland in a Region 24 rivalry affair from the CougarPlex. The Cougars were able to hold tough defensively in the first half, with the visiting Cobras holding a mere 1-0 lead after 45 minutes. ICC would score two goals in the second half, but Parkland would score three, ultimately coming away with the 4-2 victory. 

Parkland scored the match's lone first half goal at the 38-minute mark. Come time for the second half, the combined five goals would all come within 28 minutes. 

For the Cougars, Yahir Meza scored an unassisted goal at 61:00 for his second score of the season to tie the match at 1-1.

Parkland would counter and pull ahead with three goals, including a penalty kick, to take a 4-1 lead. 

ICC would cap the scoring for the night when Zac Le Starvi found the net with only about a minute remaining to set the 4-2 final score. 

The Cougars will stay home for a battle with the Lincoln Trail Statesmen at the CougarPlex on Sunday, October 8th at 1PM. Of note, each of the last four meetings between the Cougars and Statesmen have been decided by two goals or fewer, including a 2-1 Lincoln Trail winner earlier this season.