Box Score
SEARCY – The University of the Ozarks men’s soccer team scored two early goals and held on for a 2-1 victory over Harding despite playing most of the game a man down. It was the Eagles fifth straight win over the Bisons.
Ozarks improved to 4-2-1 overall, winning its second straight overall. Harding remained winless at 0-6-0, falling for the fourth time this year by a one-goal margin.
Ozarks’ junior defender Jason Caskey headed home Shaun Renfro’s corner kick in the 14th minute for his first goal of the season. It was the fifth time in Harding’s first six games that the opposition has scored first.
The Eagles strung together a series of passes before freshman midfielder Brandon Cain fired in his second goal of the season in the 25th minute. Dylan Evans and Brandon VanCleave provided assists to give Ozarks a 2-0 lead.
The momentum of the game changed in the 29th minute as Ozarks junior defender Darren Clark received a red card after throwing a punch during a battle for possession of the ball. Harding took advantage only five minutes later as Brock Williams received a lofted pass from Chase Fowler in the box and scored his team-leading fourth goal of 2006.
The goal gave Williams 32 career points in three seasons at Harding, tying him for fifth on the Bisons’ career list.
Leading 2-1 at halftime, Ozarks played defensively in the second half and did not give up the game-tying goal. The Bisons outshot the Eagles 11-5 in the period and 24-17 for the game. It was a season-high shot total for Harding and the first time this season the team held a shot advantage over an opponent. Williams had a team-high six shots for the Bisons.
