Men's soccer wins SLIAC opener; falls to Rhodes Sunday

St. Louis, Mo. - Fontbonne men's soccer rolled over the MacMurray College Highlanders in their St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener 8-0. The win marks just the second Griffin win of the season.

Fontbonne freshman Alex Phillips scored the game-winner and his first collegiate goal. The Griffin was moved from the backline to the frontline and Phillips scored three goals on the night.

Fontbonne was awarded a free kick, which was headed backwards. After a Griffin misstep, Phillips sent the ball in 20 yards to the far left side. Shortly after, Nate Spiess sent a cross through two Highlanders to hit senior Tim Menzel in the middle of the box for his second goal of the year. Menzel then sent a Griffin corner kick into the box, which was deflected by MacMurray's goalkeeper. Phillips found the rebound and shot the ball into the goal near the right post. Senior Phil Gangloff dribbled around his defender to score his first goal of the year just a minute later to end first half scoring. Joey Mirth made a great save near the 30 minute mark and MacMurray's free kick bent around the Griffin wall.

Menzel passed to Gangloff on the left side who sent the ball into the box. The ball rebounds off of Tim Varnum's chest and Phillips is there for his third goal of the game.

Ryan Dudley scores Fontbonne's sixth goal of the game and his first of the season from a pass by Varnum. Dudley was all alone on the right side and sent the ball into the opposite corner.

After a MacMurray yellow card, Varnum took the free kick, initially hitting the MacMurray wall, then sent his own rebound into the far left side of the goal near the 20th minute.

The Griffins scored their final goal on a long cross by Ryan Dudley to Alex Lamoreau. Lamoreau was all alone on the far side of the field, jumped and shot a lofty ball over the MacMurray goalkeeper and into the right top corner.

On Saturday the Griffins recorded 27 shots to MacMurray's three. Phillips scored three goals and Varnum scored one goal and added two assists. Gangloff, Menzel and Dudley totaled one goal and one assist each while Alex Lamoreaux scored one goal and Nate Spiess tallied one assist.

The Griffins hosted Rhodes College on Sunday for their second matchup of the season. Alec Rhodes found the back of the net from an Eric Ly corner kick 15 minutes into the game. Fontbonne's Phillips answered the Lynx near the 50th minute on a pass from Ryan Dudley. With five minutes left, Alec Rhodes found the back of the net once again for the Rhodes College 2-1 win.

Rhodes totaled 20 shots to Fontbonne's seven and held the 7-1 corner kick advantage as well. Mirth recorded six saves in the loss.

The Griffins return to the pitch Saturday at Blackburn at 3pm.