ABILENE, Texas – The McMurry University men's soccer program used a balanced attack to defeat The University of Texas – Permian Basin, 5-2 on Monday evening at Edwards Field. A total of eight War Hawks registered at least one point, with five different players notching a goal in the game.
 
It took just 12 minutes into the first half for the War Hawks to strike the first blow. Colin Lund played a great ball to the feet of Olawole Odesanya who then struck from 40-yards out into the top of the net for his first goal of the season to put McMurry up 1-0.
 
UTPB would not go away as they scored the next two goals, just seven minutes apart. Logan Sharp scored the first goal for the Falcons at the 23-minute mark, and Tyler Gibson found the net off an assist from Jose Anchondo in the 30^th-minute to put UTPB up 2-1. McMurry would come right back just a minute later when Antoine Freitas, Jr. beat the defense to a ball deep in the Falcons zone. He then played a beautiful cross to Juan Isacura, who took a hit on the play, but finished by beating the keeper to knot the game at 2-2. The teams would go into the half with the same score.
 
In the second half, all of the scoring belonged to the Maroon & Black. McMurry once again got on the board quickly as Zachary Luhring gathered his own deflected shot to beat the keeper, and put the War Hawks ahead 3-2. Then, in the 73^rd minute, Jordan Miller was the beneficiary of a cross from Desmond Williams. which he calmly placed behind 3 Falcon defenders and the keeper to extend the lead to 4-2.
 
The final nail in the coffin would come from Lund. On a great hustle play, Leo Pessanha deflected a ball that the UTPB goalie was trying to clear. The deflection went right to Lund, who put the ball in the open net with 40 seconds to play, to round out the scoring at 5-2.
 
Offensively, the War Hawks were led by Lund's three points; two points apiece from Odesanya, Isacura, Miller, and Luhring and a point apiece from Freitas, Jr., Williams, and Pessanha. Keeper Neil O'Sullivan also had a strong day for McMurry, posting nine saves, including three in the second half to help sustain the lead.
 
The five goals scored by McMurry marks the best offensive output by the program since the team amassed five goals on September 2, 2007 against Bethany College. With the win, McMurry improves to 6-10 on the year.
 
McMurry will finish out the season with a two-game road trip. The first game will be on Thursday, October 25, when they travel to Wichita, Kansas to take on Newman University. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start.