On Thursday, September 12, the Gibson Southern men’s soccer team won 1-0 against Mt. Vernon.
The Titans maintained possession for 64% of the game, limiting the Wildcats’ chances to move close to the goal. This strong possession led to many scoring opportunities, with the Titans taking 17 shots on goal.
“We possessed the ball really well that game,” head coach Andrew Dunkel said. “We got in many shots on goal, around 17. That means we are working hard to try to score.”
One key moment in this game came when Mt. Vernon received a red card, leaving them with one less player on the field.
“Our boys kept calm and didn’t act out towards that player,” Dunkel said. “Those situations can turn the atmosphere quickly.”
Dunkel made some important changes throughout the match, allowing the team to adapt and create more opportunities for them to win this game.
“We changed some of the players to different positions throughout the game,” Dunkel said. “Moving some players around changed the game because different players see the game differently from other players.”
While the Titans were able to take so many shots in Mt. Vernon territory, the win was clenched by senior team captain Brayden Reynolds.
“Brayden Reynolds taking his penalty kick to win the game was a huge turning point,” Dunkel said. “It can be a lot of pressure knowing this could be your only chance to score. We knew he would keep calm and put the ball in the back of the net.”
Junior Landon Elpers tended goal for the Titans. During the game, he made five saves to keep the Wildcats from scoring.
This win against Mt. Vernon was a redemption for the Titan squad.
“In general, I was very pleased with that game,” Dunkel said. “We played our game how we have been practicing. Mt. Vernon has been a tough team throughout past years. We lost to them the year before, so this was a success for sure. Hopefully, we can improve on that game and just try to get better towards Sectional.”
