Cougars Secure No. 2 Seed With Senior Day Win

Columbia, Mo. – Goals by seniors Luke Sowerby and Travis Smith led the No. 24-ranked Columbia College men’s soccer team to a 5-0 win on Senior Day over University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy Saturday at R. Marvin Owens Field.
 
Prior to the game, Columbia honored its 10 seniors – Guy Baskerville, Nick Brandt, Nathan Durdle, Dylan Hammond, Steven Marion, Caden McLagan, Karsen Schweikert, Smith, Sowerby, Lindo Zwane.
 
Columbia improved to 9-4-4 (5-1-1 AMC) with the win, while UHSP fell to 3-10-3 (0-5-2 AMC). The Cougars are 4-0-3 at home this season and extended their unbeaten streak to 15 games dating back to the 2022 season.
 
The Cougars controlled play early in the contest but it was UHSP goalkeeper Jack Wolfe who made three saves in the opening 20 minutes of play to keep the game scoreless.
 
In the 26th minute after a scrum in the box, Sowerby fired a shot that was heading into the back of the net until Pietro Martano stepped in and cleared the ball of the line. A minute later Zwane Lindokuhle nearly made it 1-0 but his shot deflected off the crossbar.
 
The Cougars finally broke through in the 34th minute with some fresh legs on the field after Sowerby finished a cross from Joshua Peterson to make it 1-0.
 
Columbia outshot UHSP 18-2 in the opening 45 minutes of play, putting five shots on goal.
 
The Cougars got the much-needed goal in the 56th minute after Smith buried a corner kick from Miguel Gonzalez to make it 2-0. The goal for Smith was the first of his career.
 
Columbia put the game out of reach in the 76th minute after Colin Gann sent a cross into the box that Gonzalez headed past the UHSP goalkeeper to make it 3-0. Gann added a goal in the 79th minute and Nedim Sarajlija scored in the 88th minute to round out the scoring. 
 
Columbia outshot UHSP 38-6 and the Cougars had a 14-1 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Ryan Garner made one save in his first career start in goal for the Cougars.
 
Columbia secured the No. 2 seed in the 2023 AMC Tournament and will host a first-round game on Saturday, November 4 at 1 p.m. against Hannibal-LaGrange. The Cougars are in search of their conference-best 13th AMC Tournament Championship.
 
NOTES: Columbia is 9-0 all-time against UHSP … The goal for Gann was the first of his career.