RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Men's soccer kicked off the 2013 season in style with a 2-0 shutout victory over St. Xavier (Ill.) Sunday afternoon. The win marked the second time in three seasons that the Bears have started off their season with a victory but just the second time in program history that they have started off a season with a shutout victory. The other season where this occurred came in 1996 when that squad started its year with a 1-0 blanking of Kentucky Christian.
As the newly appointed lone team captain, junior Tanner Hopwood led by example Sunday as he recorded a pair of first-half goals to jumpstart the season. The goals were the second and third of his career after playing a more defensive role in his previous two seasons. Today marked his first goal since his freshman season when he scored against Pikeville. His first goal today would end up being the game winner, the first of his career, as senior Thomas Carbonari stopped 11 shots in goal to pick up his fourth career shutout and fifth win overall.
For his goal-scoring output, Hopwood was named the Portsmouth Pizzeria Man of the Match. This award is selected by the Shawnee State coaches at the end of each home game this season.
Right out of the gates, the Bears put some early pressure on the St. Xavier defense and had their first real chance at the nine minute mark when Avery Patton got behind the defense but was called offside. From the 10 minute mark through the 20 minute time frame, St. Xavier controlled the possession of the game but five saves from Carbonari would halt any scoring chances.
After settling down, SSU regained the possession and would work the ball into its offensive third. St. Xavier was then called for a foul about 25 yards out and to the keeper's right. Shawnee State would send the set piece to the far post where it found Nick Dowdell who feed Joseph Webster before it ended up in front of Hopwood for the close range goal to go up 1-0 in 22nd minute. Webster and Dowdell were both credited with assists on the play.
Shawnee state kept the pressure going and would be rewarded in the 30th minute when it earned a throw in deep in St. Xavier territory. Danny Parsons would then put a deep throw into the box and once again Hopwood was there for the finish, this time on a header and put the Bears up 2-0.
After being called on to make eight saves in the opening half, Carbonari stopped three more shots in final 45 minutes as St. Xavier took 10 shots, eight on goal, in the opening half but finished with just 16 shots, 11 of which were on goal.
As a team, the Bears finished with 22 shots and put 13 of those chances on frame. Webster finished with a game-high four shots in the contest, while seven other players finished with multiple shots.
Men's soccer will be back on the road next Saturday as it travels to Mount Vernon Nazarene on August 31. That game will get started at 2 p.m.
Notes: Today's game marked the fifth time the Bears have won their season opener … Today's meeting was the first-ever matchup between these two squads and was the 69th different team SSU has played all-time … Joseph Webster's assist was the eighth of his career and ties him 10th all-time in program history … Nick Dowdell's assist was his second in as many seasons, he has four career points … Today's starting lineup featured two seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and two freshmen … Seven different players made their Shawnee State debuts on Sunday.
