Men's Soccer Cruises Past Central Arkansas, 3-0

Wednesday, October 24

Memphis, Tenn.

7:00 PM

University of Memphis

8-2-4, 3-0-3 c-usa

Central Arkansas

6-7-0

CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Memphis TIGERS

Ryan Ruble continues to impress as the freshman notched his fourth goal of the season.

Oct 24, 2007 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 24, 2007

Box Score

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - With the steady downfall of early autumn showers, the men's soccer team earned its eighth win of the season in a 3-0 drubbing of Central Arkansas tonight at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Central Arkansas managed just eight shots during the match and only three on goal, while Memphis pounded 19 attempts at the net and struck three times to snap the Bears' four-game winning streak.

"The lads got about their jobs very well tonight," said Memphis coach Richie Grant of his teams first performance on a wet but impressively clear playing surface.

Ryan Ruble struck first for Memphis as he folded Kevin Walsh's feed past Bear keeper Tyler Beckerle for the game winner. Ruble's goal was his fourth of the season and makes him the third Tiger with a points total in double digits.

Returning from the break with a 1-0 lead, the Tigers kept up the pressure. Ruble nearly scored his second goal of the match as he drilled a header from Tripp Harkins' cross off the crossbar in the 52nd minute. Jared Britcher did open the lead to 2-0 14 minutes later with a knock from the top of the box that slipped through Beckerle at the net.

Unwilling to relax with a two-goal lead, the Tigers continued to dominate both sides of the ball and put pressure on Central Arkansas. The relentless attack broke through for a third goal when Jordan Lynn took a Bear pass from midfield to the top of the box and stuck it past the keeper for his third goal of the year and handed UCA its worst loss of the year, only the second time the Bears have allowed three scores and the first time in 11 games.

While offense was easy to come by, the real story of the match was the Tiger defense. Allowing only three shots on goal, Memphis pitched its fifth shutout of 2007 by dominating the ball at midfield. Michael Coburn continued his solid play in the back as the rest of the defense continually closed on the ball to stifle any chance UCA had to get a good look.

"I think it was very important that we didn't concede," said Grant, "especially when we were a goal ahead. We felt like we had control of the match. We had a lot of chances in the first half that we didn't really capitalize on. So in the end we are pleased with three (goals), but always pleased with our squad to keep a shutout."