Cougars rout Eagles to earn fourth conference shutout

Conference opponents haven’t been able to hold back the Columbia College soccer team.

With their 12-0 win against Williams Baptist College on Thursday at Owens Stadium, the Cougars earned their fourth shutout in American Midwest Conference play in as many games. Steve Williams earned the shutout.

The Cougars improved to 8-2, 4-0 in conference play, and the Eagles are 3-9, 0-5.

During the second half, a Columbia College soccer fan stood up in the bleachers and yelled, “It’s a blowout.”

Seven Cougars scored and had 10 assists. Columbia College had 32 shots on goal to the Eagles’ three.

“We were more happy about the shutout than the goals,” Columbia College coach John Klein said. “You always like a big win, but the shutout is the most important.”

Forward Ben Boehner opened the scoring with goals in the eighth and ninth minutes.

Boehner headed the first into the top right corner of the goal off a Juan Pagoda corner kick.

On the second goal, Stephen McMullen passed the ball across the front of the goal to Boehner, who shot a low ball into the bottom left just past goalkeeper Jeff Medcalf.

Boehner said he wanted the hat trick.

“I have no one to blame but myself, sometimes the ball just doesn’t roll your way,” Boehner said.

McMullen had the third and the fifth goals. Gustavo Lopez-Cesarego also scored in the first half, which ended 5-0.

In the second half, the Cougars remained on the offensive half of the field for the majority of the time.

Juan Pablo Irrera, the team’s leading goal scorer, got his 12th goal of the season in the 69th minute.

Steven Reineke had two goals and one assist in the second half. Ryan Lynch, Morten Crosby and Pagoda also had goals.

“The score isn’t anything I’m proud of,” Klein said. “I couldn’t tell the guys not to score who are getting playing time.

“It’s difficult for a team to keep heart in a game like that, but they kept a smile on their face and kept playing.”