Principia Edges Eureka Late, 1-0

ELSAH, Ill. – The Eureka men's soccer team went toe-to-toe with a strong Principia squad on the road on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils held the home team scoreless until the 56th minute, when Matheus Dos Santos Reis found just enough room in EC's defensive third and on the right side of the goal to make it 1-0. Eureka outshot the Panthers 9-7 the rest of the way, but the equalizer never came and the result stood.

For most of the night, it was an evenly-matched contest in which the Panthers just managed to maintain control. They finished with 21 shots to Eureka's 17 and only had one more shot on goal than the Red Devils.

Eureka played defensively-minded soccer, dropping most of the team into its defensive half, but the visitors showed a propensity for mounting dangerous counterattacks.

Khalil Alleyne (Diego Martin, Trinidad/Fatima College/Lincoln) and Isaac Noriega (Chicago, Ill./ Muchin College Prep/Lincoln) each posted a pair of shots on goal, while Jake Edmonson (Monticello, Ill./Monticello) and Jordan Pierre (Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy/Lincoln) both contributed one as well. Principia's Matheus Dos Santos Reis produced three of his team's seven shots on goal.

Freshman goalkeeper Brayton Strawkas (Buffalo, Ill./Tri-City) recorded six saves, including a couple of very tough stops off dives in the first half.

This was the fifth time that a Eureka-Principia match has been decided by one goal. 

Eureka (3-4, 1-2 SLIAC) will next head to Spalding on Saturday for another SLIAC road challenge. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT.