East Peoria, IL - The sun deceptively beamed down on a cloudless day at the CougarPlex, as the 18th-ranked Illinois Central College men's soccer team (4-0-1) took on 14th-ranked Lewis & Clark (3-1-0) in a hotly contested Region 24 and NJCAA Top 20 battle. Both teams would get a flurry of shots on goal by the end of the game, but the Cougars would find the net on two of them, remaining unbeaten and getting a 2-0 ranked win to wrap up a three-game homestand. 

FIRST HALF RECAP 
ICC would win the pregame coin flip to decide what direction they would like to defend in the first half, and it would pay off - electing to defend at the sun and save that favor for the visiting Trailblazers until the second 45 minutes. 

Lewis & Clark would get perhaps the best early chance of the game, with a header in towards the goal roughly seven minutes in, but Alejandro Acosta would clear it away from danger. With possession trading hands, it would be eight minutes later that the Cougars got an incredibly close chance at the goal, when they got a point-blank deflection in front of the Trailblazer keeper, but the keeper would reach out and tuck it in just in time before an ICC player could rush in and get the goal. 

From there, the Cougars would continue to go on the attack, missing a shot just wide left at 16:12, just part of ICC having multiple chances at goal. Although it hadn't reflected itself on the scoreboard, the chances the Cougars were getting were still instilling confidence. 

With Jack Foster in goal for ICC, he would make a save on a close-range touch from Lewis & Clark at 22:15 and snag another save off a Trailblazer header at 24:09 to keep the clean sheet in tact. 

At around the 27 minute mark, a golden opportunity would present itself for the Cougars. Edgar Ludena would narrowly miss a header, but to his delight, the play was ruled a penalty against the Trailblazers on the defense, and Ludena would convert the penalty kick for a 1-0 lead at 27:11.

It wouldn't take long, however, for the Trailblazers to try to snag back momentum, finding open field on a breakaway at 30:02, but Foster would block a shot on goal, and the Trailblazers would be unable to find the net off the ensuing deflection. 

Ludena would nearly score again, finding air for a header at 41:34, but it would be to no avail. Alas, the Cougars would take their 1-0 lead into the half. 

SECOND HALF RECAP
The intensity would crank up in the back half of the game, with Foster needing to make a save just 1:44 into the half. The Cougars would litter a couple shots over the next 10 minutes, with Yahir Meza just missing high and right, and Acosta knocking a shot off the left post. 

A close nature of Acosta's shot off the post was perhaps a sign of things to come on the attack, as just 36 seconds later, Lewis & Clark would miss on an attempt at clearance, and Jay Patel would find the ball for a header goal and a critical 2-0 advantage at 62:42. 

The Cougars would nearly make it 3-0 on a header at 65:25, but it would not find the net. After that, there were yellow cards here and there, but nothing to speak of on the scoreboard. 

ICC had two chances at goal late, with Kristian Istocki breaking ahead for a one-on-one with the keeper, but a deflection off of that keeper would roll just left of the goal. A couple minutes later, Jeanpierre Carvajal would get a shot on goal, but the Trailblazers would make a kick save to the right and the game would end in the 2-0 Cougar victory. 

HE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM COACH GABE CARRENO
On the physical nature of the match, coupled with second half goal for 2-0 lead
"Top 20 matchups are always difficult. It's about management. We're out here playing level-headed, and it's manifesting itself in goals." 

On the coin flip decision to reverse what direction they attack in the first half from "normal"
"That's just anticipating simple elements. It's a decision that me and the captains discussed. We all agreed that having the sun against them in the second half was a bigger advantage for us." 

On the significance of Jack Foster's efforts in goal to maintain the clean sheet
"Jack's growth throughout the season has been significant. He has become a good asset to the back line and his adaptation has helped us. We currently have two goals against in five games. That speaks for itself."

On the unbeaten start and what's stuck out with this team
"It's the chemistry between the staff. The chemistry between the players. I think it's a big family. The soccer IQ level this year is great." 

On one thing he would like to carry into their next match
"Culture. Passion. Commitment. That capacity to deal with the adversities the way that we did today." 

HE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM JACOB TURNER
On how critical it was to get a multiple-goal advantage, given the match's intensity
"Yeah, it was great to get that second goal. In those types of games, being one goal up, any team can come back. I thought we handled it well, regardless of the second goal. We defended the box well." 

On the contrasting vibes of the physicality and shots on goal, but low final score
"Especially against a quality rival like them, we matched it. We looked after each other out there. We're a tight-knit team." 

On what leaps out about the successful unbeaten start to the season
"This group, they just want to work hard. They love the game. They love football. We're just trying to get better every session. There's still a lot of hard work to do." 

HE SAID IT - QUOTE FROM EDGAR LUDENA
"I'm so happy for my team. It was a difficult game, but the guys played a really good match and made a great effort. I'm glad to have gotten my fifth goal of the season and for that to help my team win."

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
@ Jefferson College Vikings
Wednesday, September 11th - 4:30 PM
JC Soccer Field - Hillsboro, Missouri
Watch Live (YouTube)