Halstead's Strike Lifts Eureka Over Knox, 4-3
EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College senior forward Cody Halstead (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods H.S./Illinois Central) netted the game-winning goal in the 81st minute and junior goalkeeper Nathan Mullins (South Duxbury, Vt./Harwood Union H.S.) moved into a three-way tie for the top spot on the all-time Eureka wins list, lifting the Red Devils to a 4-3 non-conference win over Knox, Wednesday afternoon at Traister Field.
After a 66th minute tally from Knox reserve Tonald Tchopya forced a 3-3 tie, the Red Devils quickly regrouped. Eureka put two shots on frame and earned a corner kick in the 15 minutes following Tchopya's strike before finally breaking through. Halstead took a feed from freshman Gerald Barnett (Peoria, Ill./Peoria H.S.) and raced on a long run down the right side of the pitch. His right-footed shot sailed past Knox goalkeeper Franz Huebner with just 9:02 left in the match, Halstead's first goal of the season and 11th goal of his Eureka career. The assist was credited to Barnett, the first of his career.
Eureka jumped to an early lead on a goal just 106 seconds into the match. Senior Derek Johnson (Leland, Ill./Leland H.S.) was awarded a penalty kick in the second minute after being taken down during a scramble in the Knox penalty area. He buried the ensuing penalty kick to give the Red Devils an early 1-0 lead.
The advantage held up until a Eureka defensive miscue allowed the visitors to tie the match. Knox's flick toward Mullins from just outside the box grazed off the top of the head of a Eureka defender, sailing into the net just over the reach of Mullins for an own goal and a 1-1 tie in the 25th minute. Knox took its first advantage of the match less just over 20 minutes later when Maxwell Gatyas beat the dwindling clock and the Eureka defense on a run down the right side for a goal and a 2-1 advantage with just 5.1 seconds left before halftime.
Eureka forced the second tie of the afternoon in the 55th minute on Johnson's second goal of the match, a gorgeous shot from approximately 40 yards away. Johnson snagged a loose ball off a Knox turnover before spinning and firing the deep strike that glanced off the far post and settled into the cage.
The Red Devils regained the lead on another lengthy shot less than two minutes after Johnson's tally. After Knox was whistled for its 13th foul of the match, sophomore defender Tom Moody (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey H.S.) boomed the ensuing free kick over the head of Huebner from nearly the same spot as the previous goal. The tally was the second of Moody's career.
Making his first start in goal since Oct. 29, 2009, Mullins made eight saves in the full 90 minutes. The win was the fourth of his career, moving him into a three-way tie with former Eureka keepers Jay Linsley (2009-10) and Justin Horrer (2008) for the all-time Eureka lead.
The Red Devils will return to the road this Saturday, traveling north for a non-conference match against Northern Athletic Conference member Rockford at 3 p.m.
NOTES: Eureka's win is the 15th in program history and ninth at Traister Field ... Head coach J.L. Zapushek is now 2-0-0 in non-conference home games ... The victory marked the second time in program history the Red Devils rallied from a halftime deficit to win ... Knox committed 22 fouls, the most by a Eureka opponent since Fontbonne committed 22 fouls on Oct. 2, 2010 ... Eureka now owns a 3-2-0 advantage in the all-time series and has outscored Knox 17-4 during the Red Devils' current three-match winning streak over the Prairie Fire dating back to 2009.
