Jakob Strandsäter scored three goals for Radford University in the 5-1 win over Campbell.
Radford University’s men’s soccer team opened Big South play in dominating fashion Saturday night as five different players tallied goals in a 5-1 victory over Campbell as the Highlanders improve to 9-0-1 in their last 10 Big South openers.
After falling behind five minutes into the match, Radford scored five unanswered goals off the boots of Kieran Roberts, Fraser Colmer, Myles Yorke, Sivert Daehlie and Jakob Strandsäter.
The five goals were all assisted on as Neil Martorana and Strandsäter led the way with two assists apiece. Radford now has 19 goals and 17 assists through eight matches.
Before the five unanswered goals, Campbell got on the board as Samuel Orisatoki threw a ball into the box from the left side. The ball was headed by Yorke, who attempted to clear the ball, however it bounced into possession of Carel Kayembe. Kayembe took the bounce and finished to left post from seven-yards out on the Highlander defensive miscue.
Some say the best tool an athlete has is their head and Radford exemplified that as the Highlanders first three scores came via headers.
Following two blocked shots in the 31st minute, Roberts got his chance to even the match in the 36th minute as the redshirt-junior headed in a beautiful cross off the boot of Martorana from near side just inside the touchline. Standing inside the seven-yard box, Roberts put a strong touch on the ball to right post.
The Highlanders wasted little time in taking the lead in the second half after earning a corner kick in the 52nd minute. Strandsäter launched a corner into the box, finding the head of Colmer for his first goal on the season.
Seventh minutes later, Strandsäter was at it again, this time sending a free kick from the left side into the box. Yorke made up for the earlier bad touch off the head by flicking in his own header goal, finding the back of the net for the first time in his career.
Radford’s next shot attempt found net as Martorana sent another cross from the right side into the box to Daehlie, finishing off with a one-touch to near post, increasing the lead to 4-1.
Trailing by three scores and time winding down, Campbell received four strong looks on frame between the span of the 79th minute and the 83rd minute. Radford’s defense squandered the opportunities as Nicolas Mertzokat stopped three of the attempts.
As the 90th minute mark approached, Strandsäter finished off his strong night with his second goal on the season. The junior received a pass from Szklennik on the near side, taking a few dribbles, before firing a shot from 15-yards out to beat Matthew Mozynski to the right post.
Responsible for three goals on the night, Strandsäter’s goal closed out the 5-1 conference opening win and the most goals by the Highlanders since 2015.
The last time Radford scored five goals came in a 5-0 win over Gardner-Webb on Oct. 23, 2015.
Radford took a season-high 22 shots, eight coming on frame.
The Highlanders earned a season-high nine corner kicks, taking six in the second half.
Entering the game with only five different players scoring goals on the season, Radford increased that mark to seven in the match.
Making their presence known on both sides of the pitch, defenders Fraser Colmer and Myles Yorke tallied their first goals of 2017. The goal marked the first of Yorke’s career, while Colmer now has career goals.
Continuing to creep up the NCAA leaderboard in goals, Kieran Roberts tallied his conference leading eighth goal.
Roberts has scored four goals in the last three matches and now has a goal in all but two matches, increasing his career mark to 18.
Taking eight shots in the match, Roberts outshot Campbell 7-5 in the first half.
Sivert Daehlie increases his scoring streak to five straight matches, collecting his sixth goal.
Jakob Strandsäter scored his second goal on the season, increasing his career total to nine, while moving his career assist total to 13.
Facing five shots on frame, Nicolas Mertzokat recorded four saves for the second straight match.
“We started off a little slow but I give the group credit for responding the way they did in the second half. I’m very happy with us getting this result and the way we did it, now we get some time to train for next Saturday’s match versus UNC Asheville.” ~ Radford head coach Bryheem Hancock
Radford will receive a week off, not returning to action until Sept. 30, hosting UNC Asheville for the Big South home opener.
The Highlanders hold a 34-11-4 edge in the all-time series.
Radford collected a 3-0 win on Nov. 2, 2016 over the Bulldogs to capture the outright Big South Regular Season Championship.
–RU Athletics
