Louisville Edges Alumni 3-2 to Open Preseason – Boys Soccer
Louisville 3, Alumni 2
The Louisville Leopards Boys Soccer Team opened the 2018 preseason with a 3-2 victory over the Louisville Leopards Alumni Saturday at Louisville Leopards Stadium.
Once a year all the Louisville Leopards Boys Soccer greats return to their old stomping grounds for a reunion. This year’s Alumni family featured players that graduated in the class of 2007 all the way up through recent graduates from last year’s squad.
The Alumni wasted no time in getting on the board in the 4th minute of play. Walsh University Goalkeeper Jarrett Zwick delivered a beautiful right to left cross to recent Muskingum Soccer graduate Harrison Raub in the box. Raub used his left foot to cross it back into the top right corner of the net to put the Alumni ahead 1-0.
The Alumni held that advantage until the Leopards scored twice in a span of less than two minutes. In the 17th minute, Hunter Foley stole a goalkeeper throw in and found the back of the net immediately after. Next, Riley Adams delivered a corner kick into the box. Foley redirected it to Kyle Mayle who booted it into the open right side of the net to give the current Louisville squad the lead. Playing thirty minute halves, the Leopards would take this 2-1 advantage into the break.
LHS extended their advantage to 3-1 during the 40th minute of action. Adams dazzled the Alumni defense with some moves, flipped the ball up into the box to himself, and hammered it home past the charging goalie off one hop.
Endurance usually becomes a factor in the second half for the Alumni during this annual contest, but that was not the case this year. The Alumni continued to create scoring chances throughout the second half and broke through when Raub scored his second goal of the contest in the 49th minute. Recent Leopard graduates Bailey Adams and Jack Strzyzynski help setup the play. Adams delivering a pass to the oncoming Strzyzynski. He slipped the ball through a crowd of defenders to Raub who went left to right again into the net for the score.
The Alumni continued to threaten over and over again, but Louisville Goalie Clayton McLaughlin denied several shots on goal. The Alumni’s best chance to knot it up came on a cross from right to left just in from of a wide open net. The shot clanked off the post and the Leopards survived the final few minutes to down the Alumni.
Louisville has now defeated the Alumni in their last three meetings and now leads the all-time series over the Alumni 4-1-1. Their only loss to the Alumni came in the first annual matchup in 2013
Donate to Leopard Nation
UP NEXT: The Leopards will next host the Rootstown Rovers in a scrimmage on Tuesday, August 7 starting at 7:00 PM.
Louisville Leopards Boys Soccer Alumni Game Pictures
Cover Photo and Gallery Photos Taken By Jim & Laura Photography
View & Purchase Louisville Leopards Pictures on the Jim & Laura Photography Website
