Eureka Comes Back, Knocks Off Principia, 2-1

ELSAH, Ill. – After falling just shy of coming out on top three times last season, the Eureka men's soccer team finally broke through and knocked off Principia on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils came from behind in the second half and notched a 2-1 victory over the Panthers to open St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play in thrilling fashion.

The win was the EC men's second over the Panthers in program history and the first since 2016.

Eureka senior striker Khalil Alleyne (Diego Martin, Trinidad/Fatima College/Lincoln) put away the match-winning goal to break a 1-1 tie in the 82nd minute, and the Red Devils held the home team off the rest of the way.

The goal came in the aftermath of a Eureka corner kick. The Panthers attempted to counter back the other way, but senior Isaac Noriega (Chicago, Ill./Muchin College Prep/Lincoln) poked it away from a Principia player in the midfield and played a perfect ball right through the back line. Alleyne timed his run to barely stay onside and raced into the box for the finish.

Earlier in the half, it was Noriega who leveled the score after the Red Devils fell behind.

In the 56th minute, Principia's Parker Boyce placed a free kick from 25 yards out into the top right corner of the frame, sailing it over both the wall and the goalkeeper.

Less than six minutes later, Noriega delivered the equalizer on an acrobatic effort following a scrum in the box on a corner kick. Noriega and Alleyne, former teammates at Lincoln College and second-year Red Devil leaders, now each have a team-high three goals on the season.

The Panthers put a lot of pressure on the Red Devils' defense throughout the second half, but Boyce's free kick ended up being the only one that got through. Eureka goalkeeper Brecken Cady (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) came away with three saves in the win, including two big ones down the stretch.

The home team posted 10 shots to Eureka's seven and both teams put four shots on frame. The Red Devils just found a way to rise to the occasion and take advantage of their opportunities when they needed to most.

Tuesday was Eureka's second straight dramatic win in a conference opener under Coach Ryan Woodside. Last year, Jake Edmondson (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) netted the match-winning goal in the 84th minute of a 3-2 win over Blackburn at McKinzie Field.

The Red Devils (3-3-2, 1-0 SLIAC) will next return to its home turf to host Central (3-3-2) in non-conference play on Thursday at 4 p.m.