HOOPS DOMINATE IN 5-2 VICTORY OVER THE STARS

Nick Strack and Alex Garner, who haven’t been scored on as a pairing on the back line, were determined to right the wrongs of Friday night’s loss.

“I like playing with him,” said Strack. “We gel really well and communication is really easy for us.”

Despite giving up two goals, head coach Nate Miller saw improvement on defense in a 5-2 victory over the Michigan Stars.

“Defensively we were good, to be fair because we had the ball so much. A big part of what we wanted to do today was increase possession,” said Miller.

At the 14th minute Tumi Moshobane took a free kick that caused confusion on the Michigan Stars defenders. Brad Centala, a former Stars player, slid in for his first career goal.

Moshobane collected a pass from James DeCosemo in the 28th minute and got behind the defenders, slipping the ball in at the far post for his third goal of the season.

“As soon as I saw James control the ball and gave me the eye, I just looked into the space and I just ran for the space,” said Moshobane. “He’s a great player, great passing, I saw myself in front of the keeper and just started between his legs, which was a great goal.”

In the second half, the Stars cut the lead to one. Keeper Jimmy Hague pulled down Austin Ricci who converted the penalty kick at the 53rd minute. That marked the first Stars shot on goal in the match.

Not long after, the Hoops regained the two-goal advantage when Rafa Mentzingen carried the ball into the box and scored his seventh goal of the season. The leading scorer in the Great Lakes Conference found the net in his fifth straight appearance.

At the 63rd minute, Mentzingen got tripped up by a Stars player resulting in a United penalty kick. Captain DeCosemo took the kick, which went to the left side of the net giving United a 4-1 lead.

At the 85th minute the Stars cut the lead to two with a goal from David Depoce before super sub Kebba Nyang closed the scoring in the 94th minute with an assist to Strack.

“Communication was a lot better from front to back,” said Strack “It’s always fun to get up there and get on the score sheet so yeah, it felt good.”

“This first month weren’t going to be high profile games, but we need to come out and get points because the latter half of the season there are big time matches,” said Miller. “We’re in the position we want to be in.”

The Hoops are on the road on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. where they will travel to Grand Rapids FC.