GRAYSON, Ky. — Joost Hermeling recorded a first-half hat trick as WVU Tech men's soccer scored a season-high 10 goals in a 10-0 River States Conference victory over Kentucky Christian University Thursday night at Knights Stadium.
The Golden Bears picked up their second consecutive win and improved to 5-2-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
Tech needed just over four minutes to get started. Myron Bentil set up Gonzalo Sabeh at 4:02, and Sabeh finished for his sixth goal of the season. Hermeling followed with three goals over the next 21 minutes, scoring at 11:43 off assists from Sabeh and Theo Ratat before finding the net again at 16:36 with Sabeh and Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman providing the assists.
Hermeling completed the hat trick at 24:33 when Ratat found him for his third goal of the match and seventh of the season. Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman added an unassisted goal less than two minutes later, and Wilfredo Briceno finished a play set up by Francisco Mustra and Colman at 35:19 to send Tech into halftime with a 6-0 advantage.
The Golden Bears added four more after the break. Iñaki Sacramento scored his first goal of the season at 52:45 off a Mustra assist before Mustra found the net at 57:13, with Rasmus Jakobsson providing the assist. Sabeh scored his second of the night at 77:09 off Ratat's third assist, and Mustra closed the scoring at 88:53 from Mathews Mandere.
Hermeling finished with three goals on three shots, putting all three on target. Sabeh recorded two goals and two assists, while Mustra also finished with two goals and two assists. Ratat supplied three assists, and Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman had one goal and two assists. Briceno and Sacramento each added a goal.
WVU Tech controlled the match from start to finish, finishing with a 35-1 advantage in shots and putting 17 attempts on goal. The Golden Bears also held a 5-0 edge in corner kicks.
Ramon Ferrari played all 90 minutes and made one save as Tech recorded its fourth shutout of the season and second in conference play.
Through 10 matches, WVU Tech has scored 30 goals and is averaging 3.00 goals and 16.6 shots per match.
What's next
WVU Tech returns home Saturday, Oct. 10, to face Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in River States Conference action. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the YMCA Paul Cline Memorial Sports Complex in Beckley.
Season leaders
- Record: 5-2-3 overall, 2-1 RSC
- Goals: Gonzalo Sabeh and Joost Hermeling, 7; Wilfredo Briceno, 5; Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman, 3; Francisco Mustra, 2
- Assists: Gonzalo Sabeh, 7; Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman, Francisco Mustra and Theo Ratat, 3; Myron Bentil, Oliver Bonning, Joost Hermeling, Rasmus Jakobsson, Linus Kleinewiese, Mathews Mandere, Benjamin Niles and Derren Sanchez, 1
- Points: Gonzalo Sabeh, 21; Joost Hermeling, 15; Wilfredo Briceno, 10; Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman, 9; Francisco Mustra, 7
- Shots: Gonzalo Sabeh, 33; Wilfredo Briceno and Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman, 20; Kai Cooper and Joost Hermeling, 16
- Shots on goal: Gonzalo Sabeh, 16; Joost Hermeling, 14; Wilfredo Briceno, 13; Gonzalo Gorostiza Colman and Kai Cooper, 10
- Goalkeeper saves: Ramon Ferrari, 31; Enrico Reginatto, 1
- Goals-against average: Ramon Ferrari, 1.27; Enrico Reginatto, 0.00
- Save percentage: Ramon Ferrari, .721; Enrico Reginatto, 1.000
