KNIGHTS

KNIGHTS

KNIGHTS

Hickory Christian academy

Hickory Christian academy

Hickory Christian academy

Knights

Hickory Christian academy

Boys Varsity Soccer


Game Summaries & Headlines.

Boys Varsity Soccer vs. University Christian School


5.0 years ago @ 9:40AM
Game Date
Oct 2, 2018
Score
: 4
UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: 0

KNIGHTS HAVE A STRONG FIRST HALF AND SCORE A SHUTOUT IN 4-0 WIN OVER CONFERENCE RIVAL UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN;12-2-0 Overall, 5-0 Southern Piedmont Athletic Association (SPAA) 

 

HICKORY, NC- The two cross town rivals squared off at St. Stephens Lutheran on an unseasonably warm afternoon to the delight of a good size crowd. The Knights would take the victory, somewhat spoiling the Barracudas senior night festivities that saw three seniors receive recognition for their contributions to the soccer program. 

 

The Knights were focused on the task at hand, realizing the importance of the outcome of the contest and having a sense of urgency. Seniors Wil Lehman, Jack Zaliagiris, Aedan Arnot, Luke Ikerd, Owen Duncan and Gabe Walker would be playing in one of their final three regular season games of their careers and vowed to have no regrets, leave it on the field and to walk off exhausted physically as well as mentally. 

 

Now to the game recap...

  

As expected the grudge match between these schools was a feisty but clean match with each side battling the first 15 minutes without many opportunities for goal by either team. That is, until sophomore Garrison Mullis found senior Gabe Walker on the left side and the leftie proceeded to pound the ball in the back of net giving the Knights a 1-0 advantage at minute number sixteen.

 

Then at minute number twenty-six, senior Wil Lehman was kind enough to lay a perfect assist to sophomore Wyatt King who then proceeded to move the score to

2-0 in favor of the Knights.

 

With the first half fast approaching Walker took a determined route to set himself in position to power the ball past a diving goalie giving him his second goal of the contest and increasing the Knights margin by a score of 3-0.

 

During halftime, there was not much needed for strategy but a focus on keep on doing what you are doing, don’t let up and finish strong. 

 

Both teams came out aggressively and the fans were able to view a strong battle defensively on both sides as no goal would be scored through the first thirty-two minutes of half number two. In fact, the only score of the 2ndhalf came by way of penalty kick. Senior Gabe Walker found himself inside the eighteen and was fouled. Walker then chose sophomore Caleb McMurray to kick the penalty shot. McMurray did not disappoint as he smashed a score in the upper left side of the net giving the Knights their final margin of victory, 4-0. 

 

The goal was not only an important to secure the victory it was the sophomore’s first goal of his career. McMurray is a full time defensive player. 

 

During the post-game talk, Coach Josh Walker presented the defense as the recipients of the HCA Battle Ball, a HCA tradition after each game awarded to the player with the best effort, attitude, performance and all-around impact on the outcome of the contest. Defensively, the Knights secured their second shutout over the last three games and fourth on the season. Wil Lehman, Owen Duncan, Luke Ikerd, Jack Zaliagiris, Aedan Arnot, Caleb McMurray, Spencer Burton and Nate Walls all contributed to the shutout. 

 

The Knights return to the pitch on Monday October 8 against Statesville Christian @ Henry Fork Park with a 4:00 start time. With a win the Knights would wrap up first place in the SPAA and likely secure a top five spot in the 2-A NCISAA state playoffs. 

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