Lions soccer rolls past Screaming Eagles 8-0

August 23, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

TOCCOA FALLS, Ga. — With seven different Freed-Hardeman Lions finding the back of the net, the Lion offense was in midseason form as they defeated the Toccoa Falls (Ga.) Screaming Eagles 8-0 in the season premiere. 

The Lions (1-0-0) split their goals evenly with four in the first half and four in the second half, sparked by Joao Pedro firing the campaign's first goal off of the cross pass from Jared Hill at 9:13.

Ian Matheus kept the momentum surging toward the men in maroon by heading Jack O'Riordan's beautiful corner kick past the diving TFC (0-3-0) keeper to put FHU ahead 2-0.

At the 18:20 mark, after Thabo Mahlaha dribbled past the Screaming Eagle defenders, Maciej Gorzynski took his wall pass and launched a ball that threaded the needle of the top-right corner on the net to push the FHU lead to 3-0.

In what exemplified team play, all 11 Lions on the pitch worked their way from touch line to touch line before Mahlaha took control at midfield, lofting a pass to Gorzynski, who in turn sent a low cross toward the center, where Rodrigo Tostado Escarrega tapped in the final goal before halftime at 22:09.

O'Riordan showed off his two-way skills at the 73:17 mark by stealing the ball from a Toccoa Falls defender and dribbling past the keeper for his first goal of the match, putting FHU ahead 5-0. Another lengthy possession for Freed-Hardeman ended at 76:14 when Avery Flener recorded his first collegiate goal off Luis Aragon Sosa's low pass to put FHU in the lead 8-0. 

The Valbonne, France, native O'Riordan collected his second goal of the match at 83:42 when the senior booted a shot into the top-left corner of the goal after Gorzynski launched a through ball to beat two defenders. Tyson Campell would put a bow on FHU's fantastic season opener with seconds to spare, firing a low shot past the TFC keeper off of Malachi Albrecht's pass to give FHU their final tally with an 8-0 victory.

Omer Shifris and Nicolas Bastos split the time between the pipes for Freed-Hardeman, with Shifris earning the victory despite Bastos recording the only save.

Up Next

A short reprieve awaits Coach Jason Elliott's Lions who await a trip to the Yellowhammer State where FHU will line up against Faulkner (Ala.) University on Saturday, August 27, kicking off at 4:30 p.m.