The Concordia University, Nebraska men's soccer team picked up their first win of the season and in a big way on Thursday night, downing Midland Lutheran College, 3-1. The Warriors came into the game ranked No. 25 in the latest NAIA Poll and second in NAIA Region III.
All of Bulldogs (1-6, 1-1 GPAC) offense came from the foot of Arturo Vega. The freshman from El Paso, Texas finished the contest with a hat trick, his first as a Bulldog. Midland (6-1, 0-1 GPAC) falls for the first time this season.
Vega got the Bulldogs on the board with a goal at the 40th minute thanks to a well placed pass by sophomore Richard Rattray. Rattray fed the ball through on a short pass, finding Vega alone in the middle with an empty net in front of him.
Rattray also had a hand in the second goal, feeding Vega on an outlet down the sideline. Vega then went to work, driving towards the net, but pulled up and fired strike from 18-yards out that bent perfectly to the far top corner. Vega's final goal came on a free kick after yellow card was handed out on Midland, just outside the box. The kick was very simliar to his second goal, bending to the top shelf out of reach of the keeper.
Not to be overshadowed by Vega's hat trick is the play of Bulldog goalie, freshman Anthony Reichwaldt. Midland outshot Concordia on the night finishing with 23 shots, 11 on goal, compared to just 11 shots (six on goal) for the Bulldogs. But Reichwaldt came up with big saves time after time. In all he totaled 10 saves.
The lone Midland goal was scored by Danny Zuckweiler with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Concordia continues conference play this weekend, traveling to Orange City, Iowa to take on the Northwestern College Red Raiders in a 3:30 p.m. contest.