Plair Ends Greyhounds Scoring Drought against Midwestern State in Season Finale

PORTALES, N.M.—  Senior defender Dreaux Plair (Alamogordo, N.M./Alamogordo HS) and Michael Stewart (So., D, Katy, Texas/Cinco Rancho HS) scored for the Eastern New Mexico University men’s soccer team (8-8-2; LSC 2-5-1), but the Hounds dropped a 3-2 decision in Lone Star Conference action to second-ranked Midwestern State (15-0-2; LSC 6-0-1), Friday afternoon at Greyhound Field.

Plair’s goal was the first for ENMU against Midwestern State since a meeting in the opening round of the Southwest Soccer Conference tournament on October 26, 2006, ending a span of 714:53 against the Mustangs without a goal. It also marked the first time Eastern had scored multiple goals against MSU and the first goal at home against Midwestern State since October 14, 2005.

Nathan Fitzgerald fired a shot from about 40 yards out, that went off the hands of diving ENMU goalkeeper, Chris Sheridan (Fr., Spring, Texas/Kein Oak HS) and rolled into the net, 6:20 into the match. VcMore Eligwe scored on a header less than 25 minutes later to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage. Midwestern State held a 7-3 edge in shots in the opening half.

Early in the second half, Diego Santos (So., M, Natal, RN, Brazil / Universidade Federal de Rio Grande de Norte) launched a corner kick towards the MSU goal, but Andy Wilkinson’s (Fr., M, Lewes, East Sussex, England / Sussex Downs 6th form college) header bounced off the post and Kal Herbert (So., M, Willaston, England / Neston High School) header went wide. A rebound from Herbert’s attempt went to Plair, allowing him to head the ball into the Mustang net. Less than 20 minutes later, the Hounds scored on another header, when Jehmaine Brooks (Fr., D, Toronto, Ontario, Canada / Notre Dame Catholic Secondary) found Stewart with a pass in front of the Mustang net to tie the game.

Freshman goalkeeper Orlando Rodriguez (Plano, Texas/Plano HS) made a save on a Chris Dwyer shot with 5:45 left in regulation, but David Freeland netted the game-winning goal for MSU, just 1:20 later, after taking a through pass from Dean Lovegrove.

Midwestern State held a 15-8 edge in total shots and a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal. Sheridan and Rodriguez each had two saves for the Greyhounds.

With the loss, the Eastern New Mexico University men’s soccer team has concluded its 2010 season.