Quick Answers Highlight Senior Celebration Day

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/23/22)---The fans came early to see the Senior Day celebration, and were then treated to an offensive showcase.

Concordia honored the eight seniors on the team in a ceremony before its game with Wis.-Whitewater, and then went back-and-forth on the scoring sheet with the Warhawks before finally losing 5-3.

The eight total goals in the game is the most in any contest this season for the Cobbers. The three goals scored by CC ties for the most in a single game this year

Concordia also answered Whitewater goals within 90 seconds on three different occasions during the game.

The game also featured the fastest goal to start a half in Concordia program history. Yousif Alshihmani netted a goal at the 9-second mark of the second half. Senior Telvin Vah took the opening tap, went through several defenders and dropped off a perfect through pass to Alshihmani. Alshihmani ran on to the ball behind the Whitewater defense just inside the top of the right side of the penalty area, and hammered a shot into the top right corner of the net.

The previous record for fastest goal to start a half was 13 seconds. That came in 1995 at start of the game in the Cobbers' 8-0 win over Hamline.    

The game also finishes off the non-conference schedule for the year for Concordia. CC is now 3-12-1 overall. Whitewater wins for the fifth time in the last six games and moves to 11-5-1 on the season.

The scoring barrage started early in the game when the Warhawks netted the opening goal at the 39-second mark. They would double the lead in the 25th minute of play, and appeared to be cruising to a win.

The Cobbers got back in the game, and set the stage for the back-and forth scoring barrage when sophomore Mason Weninger tapped in a rebound off the shot of Alshihmani for his second goal of the year. The strike came only 85-seconds after Whitewater opened the 2-goal lead.

From that point forward the game turned into an end-to-end affair which dispelled the myth of soccer being a low-scoring, defensive game.

Whitewater regained their 2-goal lead with only 1-minute to play in the first half, but then Alshimahni's response 9-seconds into the second period meant that CC had countered another Wahawks strike within 90 seconds.

The 3-2 score line lasted only 11:05 when the Warhawks scored for the fourth time, and pushed their lead to two goals for the third time.

Once again Concordia's response would be quickly given. It took the Cobbers only 41-seconds to get to within one. CC was awarded a free kick from 40 yards out. Vah lofted a serve into the UWW penalty area that bounced just inside the 6-yard box. Alshimahni was the first player to the ball and tapped home his second strike of the day.

The goal was Alshihmani's sixth of the season. That is tops for Concordia, and tied for 10th most in the MIAC. Vah's second assist of the game was his ninth of the year which is second best in the conference.    

The goal spree came to a halt in the final 24 minutes of play with the well-coached Whitewater team getting the final goal of the contest at the 70:17 mark.

Concordia outshot the Warhawks 14-10 in total shots for the game. Whitewater held a slim 8-7 edge in shots on goal. Alshihmani and Vah both had a game-high five shots with Alshihmani having a team-best three shots on frame.

Sophomore goalie Jensen Waltz made a pair of saves in the game.

UP NEXT: Concordia will finish off the season with a pair of games next week. The Cobbers will host Bethel on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m. and then play at Hamline on Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m.