Development Academy Finals Week: SLSG Missouri uses strong second half to defeat PA Classics in U-16 opener
St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri’s U-15/16 team controlled from start to finish and erupted with three second-half goals on Tuesday to beat PA Classics 3-0 in both teams’ opening match of Academy Finals Week at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
SLSG Missouri’s Tommy Barlow, Mark Segbers and second-half sub Brett Hodges all found the back of the net as St. Louis took the lead in Group 2 after CSA Wolves and D.C. United drew 1-1 in the other match.
“In the second half, we tweaked a couple things, got some guys forward a little more and it paid off,” SLSG Missouri head coach Tim Leonard said. “I really pushed the guys at halftime – especially those three up top – to really try to cause some havoc, and they did.”
SLSG outshot PA Classics 8-2 in the first half with a 3-0 shots on goal advantage during the first 40 minutes, yet the teams went into halftime scoreless.
The St. Louis defense played without Curtis Schillingsford, who served a one-game suspension from a red card issued during the team’s Academy Playoffs win against Players Development Academy. SLSG Missouri held PA Classics without a shot on goal for the entire first half.
The best scoring chance for PA Classics was the team’s first shot on goal, when Joseph Julius struck from the right side in the 46th minute. His attempt was stymied by SLSG goalkeeper Jake Leeker, keeping the match scoreless before St. Louis’ offense got going approximately 10 minutes later. Leeker made two saves in collecting the shutout.
SLSG Missouri’s offense finally broke through the PA Classics defense, beginning with a penalty kick opportunity early in the second frame. SLSG Missouri’s Austin Panchot drew a foul against PA Classics’ Brian Nana-Sinkam in the box, setting up Barlow’s penalty kick attempt in the 55th minute. Barlow shot left and PA Classics goalkeeper Brent Arnold dove in the opposite direction as SLSG took the 1-0 lead.
In the 59th minute, SLSG’s Segbers scored off a rebound from Keegan McHugh’s original strike. PA Classics goalkeeper Brent Arnold got a piece of the shot but not enough to keep it out of the back of the net, and St. Louis garnered a two-goal cushion.
“Keegan got the ball and played it with a nice shot,” Segbers said of the sequence. “I knew the grass was damp, so I just followed up and it came right to me, and luckily it went in.”
SLSG Missouri’s Hodges got into the scoring act during his 11 minutes on the field, pouncing on a rebound to increase the lead to 3-0 in the 76th minute that would hold until the final whistle.
SLSG Missouri faces the Crew Soccer Academy Wolves in their second Group 2 game at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, July 19, and PA Classics takes on D.C. United at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Both games are at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
-Development Academy Finals Week Match Report-
Match: PA Classics vs. St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri
Date: July 17, 2012
Competition: 2012 Development Academy Finals Week – U-15/16
Venue: Houston Amateur Sports Park; Houston, Texas
Kickoff: 9 p.m. CT
Attendance: 85
Weather: 83 degrees, mostly cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
PAC 0 0 0
SLSG 0 3 3
SLSG – Tommy Barlow (penalty kick) 55th minute
SLSG – Mark Segbers 59
SLSG – Brett Hodges 76
Lineups:
PAC: 1-Brent Arnold; 13-John Philbin (10-Kody Eberly, 67), 8-Brian Nana-Sinkam, 41-Bryce Cregan, 11-Shawn Morrison (4-Keegan Wilson, 67); 21-Austin Kuhn (17-Drew Mahoney, 61), 14-Andrew Skundrich, 5-Shawn Peterson (16-Ian McManness, 50); 3-Connor Maloney, 44-Joseph Julius, 32-Alec Sensenig (12-Andrew Mannon, 61)
Substitutions Not Used: 15-Callen Wendler
Head coach: Steve Klein
SLSG: 1-Jake Leeker; 19-Blake Gonzalez (8-Matt Steurer, 80), 5-Jordan Klipsch, 2-Justin Graham, 11-Jason Pesek; 6-Austin Ledbetter (4-Brett Hodges, 70), 13-Austin Panchot (22-David Stoll, 77), 10-Keegan McHugh; 27-Mark Segbers, 15-Nick Jones (20-Stephen McMillian, 61), 12-Tommy Barlow (16-Zachary Kavanaugh, 67)
Substitutions Not Used: 30-Edward Starr
Head coach: Tim Leonard
Stats Summary: PAC / SLSG
Shots: 7 / 15
Shots on Goal: 2 / 9
Saves: 6 / 2
Corner Kicks: 0 / 3
Fouls: 4 / 5
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
SLSG – Stephen McMillian (caution) 69th minute
Officials:
Referee: Cedric Adams
Assistant Referee 1: Eduardo Mariscal
Assistant Referee 2: Kip Jackson
Fourth Official: Juliana Duncan
ussoccer.com Man of the Match: Austin Panchot
