X-Men soccer earn tie, win in AUS action

The StFX soccer X-Men earned a win and tie at Oland Stadium over the weekend.

Sunday, player of the game Martin Vlk scored twice (eighth and 56th minute) to lead the blue and white to a 3-0 victory over the visiting Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus.
 
Vlk, a second-year X-Man from the Czech Republic, took a header pass from freshman Serge Dossou and ripped a shot by Moncton keeper Samuel Charron in the first half.
 
On his second tally, Vlk chipped a shot over a charging Charron.
 
Vlk had two other golden opportunities for the hat-trick marker but he could not capitalize, with Charron making two great saves.
 
Dossou added an insurance marker in the 78th minute, when he showed a soft touch in lofting one past the Aigles Bleus’ keeper.
 
Fourth-year X-Men keeper Andrew MacDonald earned the shutout with six saves, while Charron turned aside 10 blue-and-white shots.
 
Saturday, the X-Men battled the CIS #3 ranked and AUS first place Saint Mary’s Huskies to a 1-1 tie.
 
Danny Bachar put the Huskies on the scoreboard in the fourth minute of the back-and-forth physical battle between the long-time rivals.
 
Fifth-year X-Man Ryan Casey knotted the match at 1-1 on a penalty shot in the 55th minute.
 
Both sides had opportunities to break the deadlock, including a Vlk header off a Randy Ribeiro pass that bounced high in the air, but Huskies’ keeper Adam Miller was able to tip in over the cross bar.
 
In the 88th minute, the X-Men hit the goal post twice during a scramble along the Huskies’ goal line.
 
MacDonald made four saves for the X-Men.
 
There were 47 fouls called in the match, with 11 yellow and one red card issued.
 
The X-Men (2-5-2) return to action this weekend when they travel to St. John’s for a pair of matches versus the host Memorial SeaHawks.