Dubuque Outburst Sinks Eureka, 9-1
DUBUQUE, Iowa – Eureka College senior forward Cody Halstead (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods H.S./Illinois Central) scored a goal for the third consecutive contest to force a tie early in Wednesday night's non-conference match at Dubuque, but the host Spartans answered with an offensive flurry to pull away for a 9-1 win over the Red Devils.
After Dubuque's Nick McDonald broke a scoreless tie with his third goal of the season in the 16th minute, Halstead beat UD goalkeeper Nicholas Kasper with his third goal of the season at the 23:29 mark of the first half. Senior Derek Johnson (Leland, Ill./Leland H.S.) and sophomore Kirby Wagner (Roanoke, Ill./Roanoke-Benson H.S./St. Ambrose) were credited with assists on the play.
Pablo Martinez regained the lead for the Spartans moments later with a goal, igniting an eight-goal outburst by the hosts to close the match. Dubuque carried a 5-1 lead into intermission and eventually added four more insurance goals in the second half.
McDonald and Brandon Wiley each scored two goals in the win for the Spartans. Sam McKee, Jesse Hanes and Jack Stefanski each tallied a pair of assists.
Junior goalkeeper Nathan Mullins (South Duxbury, Vt./Harwood Union) started for the second time this season and set a new career-best with 11 saves. He was relieved by freshman Stanley Murphy (Peoria, Ill./Manual H.S.) in the 80th minute, his first career appearance in goal.
Eureka will return home to Traister Field this Saturday when it hosts Midwest Conference member Lake Forest at 3 p.m.
NOTES: The assists on Halstead's goal were the sixth career assist for Johnson and the first career assist for Wagner … Eureka is now 0-4-0 all-time against the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 0-2-0 in road games versus IIAC foes.
