Southern West Virginia King's Warriors News Release -- www.wvkingswarriors.org
Monday, June 2, 2014
BLUEFIELD, W.V. -- The Southern West Virginia King's Warriors played USL PRO's Charlotte Eagles in a friendly on Monday night at the East River Soccer Complex and came away with a 3-1 victory. The King's Warriors got goals from Jeremy Payne, Jorge Mackenna and Sam Blackman, and a complete-game performance in goal by Alex Guyer who made his first start of the season for Southern West Virginia. Tyrone Hall scored the lone goal for the Eagles.
King's Warriors Head Coach Scott Reitnour was able to use 20 players in the friendly against Charlotte as the substitution rules were relaxed "We were thrilled to be able to go that deep into our roster and get them experience against an outstanding organization in a game at the next level," Reitnour said.
The King's Warriors scored first on a beautiful cross by Gideon Asante in the 32nd minute. Payne, playing in his first game for Southern West Virginia, settled the cross off his chest and then buried his finish past Charlotte Eagles starting goalkeeper Doug Herrick.
Payne, who recently joined the King's Warriors after a returning from a missions' trip in South America, talked about his first action with the team. "It felt good just to be able to go out there with the guys," he said. "I've only trained with them three times so just being thrown out there I was a little bit nervous. I thought it went well and some good things happened." Payne helped lead Messiah College to the NCAA Div III National Championship this past fall.
Charlotte countered in the 43th minute as Hall had a solid individual effort to put it into the King's Warriors' goal from just inside the box and the game was tied at 1-1. A minute later, however, Southern West Virginia regained the lead as a ball was sent into the Eagles' penalty area. The ball deflected off Herrick and landed on the foot of Mackenna, who easily knocked the ball into the open net to give the King's Warriors a 2-1 advantage at the break.
At the start of the second half Southern West Virginia subbed in nine new players to give everyone on the team some action in the friendly. The second-team Warriors held their own against Charlotte, and even scored an insurance goal late on a tally by Blackman to ice the victory.
Guyer went the entire way in goal for the King's Warriors while Herrick and Kyle Renfro split time in net for Charlotte as the Eagles played a number of their second-line players in an experimental line-up put out by Coach Mark Steffens.
Steffens was impressed with what he saw from the King's Warriors, and said he beleived there were players who could be useful additions in USL PRO. "Gideon Asante and Itode Fubara tried out for us and we liked them a lot," said Steffens. "I think they both can play at the next level."
The King's Warriors return to PDL action this Thursday when they'll travel to Louisville, Ky. to meet the River City Rovers at 7:30 p.m. This Saturday Southern West Virginia will continue its' two-game road trip with a match in Cincinnati against the Dutch Lions at 7 p.m.
The King's Warriors next home game will be Saturday, June 14 when Southern West Virginia will host the SC United Bantams for a second time this season at 7 p.m. at the East River Soccer Complex.