CALDWELL, Idaho – Ben Culpan scored two of his three goals in the first half, helping Concordia erase an early College of Idaho lead and outlast the Coyotes, 7-4, at Simplot Stadium.
It marked just the second time in program history that C of I (4-3, 1-2 CCC) scored four-or-more goals and did not win the match, equaling a 4-4 draw vs. Northwest Nazarene in 1998.
The Yotes started quickly, blitzing the Cavaliers (4-2, 3-0) net – taking six shots in the opening 20 minutes, taking the lead in the 12th minute when Luis Gomez played a ball to Joe Bolin in the right corner of the box, tapping a through-ball to Nate Hunt, who slotted home his fifth goal of 2014.
CU took the lead with a pair of Culpan goals in a two-minute stretch of the period. In the 22nd minute, Brady Sanders drew C of I keeper John French out of the area, playing a ball to Culpan who flicked the ball into the right corner of the net. In the 24th minute, Timur Zhividze chipped a ball to Culpan in the box, collecting the ball and driving a shot into the net.
The Yotes pulled even in the 33rd minute, as Hunt held a pass at the right corner of the box, made a quick dribbled to the left and blasted a bender into the upper right corner of the net.
Defensive miscues by C of I gave CU the lead for good late in the half. Kevin Fischer stole the ball from a Coyote defender in the 38th minute and played a ball to Corbyn May, who one-timed a shot into the net from the top of the 18. Off another turnover in the 42nd minute, May drew French out of the box, touching a ball to the waiting Zac Naylor at the back post for an easy tally and a 4-2 lead.
Sam Carmichael made it 5-2 in the 62nd minute, heading home a May corner kick, while Fischer got into the scoring column in the 64th minute, taking a ball away from a C of I back and beating back-up keeper Grant Billings.
A Tyler Lawton penalty kick in the 65th minute and a nifty Bolin goal off a Lawton pass in the 72nd minute got C of I within 6-4, but Culpan put the game away in the 73rd minute after being fouled in the box and converting the resulting penalty kick.
CU held a 21-13 edge in total shots – including 16 shots on frame – and added a 5-4 lead in corner kicks.
The Coyotes return to action on Saturday, traveling to Oregon Tech.
