ENMU Triumphs in Home Opener, 2-0
Holman’s two goals lead Greyhounds to first conference win

PORTALES, N.M. — The Eastern New Mexico University men’s soccer team (3-3-1 overall, 1-2-0 Southwest Soccer Conference) came away with a resounding victory in the first home contest in the history of the program, defeating conference foe St. Edward’s University (1-4-2, 1-4-0 SSC) 2-0 on Friday, Sept. 17. Sophomore forward Jonathan Holman (Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho HS) scored a pair of second half goals for the Greyhounds, who registered their first conference win with the victory.

Holman scored his first goal of the game and third of the season just over six minutes into the second half. The sophomore beat the opposing defender on the left wing side and swung in wide of the goal. He brought the ball deep in the zone and chipped it over SEU goalkeeper Scotty McNabb from an extreme angle and into the far top corner to give Eastern a 1-0 lead.

The ENMU defense held strong throughout the second half, maintaining the slight edge in the contest. The Greyhounds then sent a long clear ahead of the defense, and Holman bolted in, kept his balance, and dribbled the ball past McNabb to all but put the game on ice for the home squad.

ENMU outshot St. Edward’s 13-9 in the game, and put eight shots on net in the contest. Eastern’s team defense was extremely impressive on the afternoon, keeping all Hilltopper shot attempts wide of the cage. Leif Craddock (So., GK, Amarillo, TX/West Texas A&M Univ.) played the first half for ENMU, while Grant Shanahan (Fr., GK, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) manned the goal in the second half.

The game was a chippy contest between the two conference foes, with a total of 37 fouls being called and seven yellow cards being handed out between the two squads.
St. Edward’s entered the weekend ranked ninth in the NSCAA/adidas Midwest Region Poll.

The Greyhounds are in action again on Sunday, Sept. 19 when they play host to nationally-ranked Midwestern State University. Game time between Eastern and the 10th-ranked Indians is set for 1 p.m. at the ENMU Soccer Field.