ST. LOUIS – The Maryville men's soccer team set an NCAA Division II program record for goals in a match, defeating Southwest Baptist 10-2 at Lonnie Folks Field. Six different Saints scored in the overwhelming victory, led by
Omar Cilic's first career hat trick. Fellow St. Louis native
Ahmed Suljagic joined him with a multi-goal performance, scoring the second and third goals of his career.
The 10 goals are the most Maryville has scored in NCAA Division II competition and the program's highest total since a 13-0 victory over St. Louis Christian College on Sept. 6, 2005. The win also marks the Saints' largest margin of victory over SBU, surpassing their 7-2 win in the teams' first meeting in 2014.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cillic got going early, converting a cross from
Jan Fulnek in the fourth minute for his first goal of the afternoon. He added his second 10 minutes later, finishing a similar feed from
Yayo Mutombo to quickly build a 2-0 lead for the Saints.
Not to be upstaged by his fellow St. Louis native and Bosnian teammate, Suljagic notched his first goal in the 21st minute. Defensive miscommunication by the Bearcats followed shortly afterward, as a ball played back toward the goalkeeper instead found the net for an own goal.
The Saints scored twice more before halftime, with
Axton Anom and
Jose Vilela both converting their chances. Maryville ended the first half with 15 shots, including 10 on goal.
Petter Hanssen opened the second-half scoring as the Saints' offensive barrage continued. Shortly after stripping a Bearcat of the ball,
Henry Atkinson sent a pass deep into SBU territory. Hanssen faced a 2-on-1 situation that was not in his favor but fired into the upper-left corner for Maryville's seventh goal of the match.
A short-lived lull followed as the Saints went 10 minutes without scoring for just the second time all afternoon. Suljagic broke the silence and matched Cillic with two goals, finishing at the back post for his first career brace.
Lautaro Oliveira scored his first career goal shortly afterward before SBU finally found the back of the net.
Chasing his first career hat trick, Cillic reentered the match for the final 10 minutes and took advantage. Oliveira delivered a perfect ball for Cillic to head home for the Saints' 10th goal of the match.
UP NEXT
The Saints battle McKendree at home on Saturday at 12 p.m.Â
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