Red Devils Blank Finlandia, Move to 2-0-0

EUREKA – Adam Newell (Morton, Ill./Morton H.S.) delivered the match winner in the 10th minute and James Bowen (Homer Glen, Ill./Seneca H.S.) added a pair of insurance tallies, vaulting the Eureka College men's soccer team to a 3-0 non-conference victory over Finlandia, Thursday afternoon at McKinzie Field.

The victory improved Eureka to 2-0-0 for the second time in program history. The Red Devils have also won consecutive non-conference matches against NCAA Division III opponents for the first time in program history.

Newell's goal at 9:45, his first of 2018 and the third of his career, was all the offense the hosts would need. Bowen was credited with an assist on the play. Bowen scored his first of two goals at 21:13, finishing a pass from Ignacio Gutierrez (Madrid, Spain/El Prado). Bowen later added his 29th career goal in the 58th minute to finish the scoring for the Red Devils.

New goalkeeper Moises Aldana (Spring Valley, Ill./Hall H.S.) and the EC back line produced a clean sheet. Aldana made three saves to earn the first 90-minute shutout by a Eureka keeper since Daniel Johnson blanked Emmaus Bible on Oct. 6, 2017.

Thursday's win was Eureka's second straight win on the FieldTurf at McKinzie Field, as well as the Red Devils' first-ever shutout on the artificial surface.

Eureka will take its first road trip of the 2018 season Saturday at 1 p.m. at Monmouth.