FENTON, Mo. – A second-half goal from Tom Walton proved to be the difference as the top-seeded Webster University men's soccer team defeated fifth-seeded Lyon College, 1-0, Thursday afternoon in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Tournament semifinals at Worldwide Technology Soccer Park.
The Gorloks improved to 9-2-4 on the season and advanced to Saturday's SLIAC Tournament Championship match.
Webster controlled possession and generated scoring opportunities throughout the opening half, outshooting Lyon 15-1 while putting seven attempts on goal. Despite the offensive pressure, the Gorloks were unable to break through, sending the teams into halftime scoreless.
The breakthrough came in the 54th minute when Vladimir Sennikov delivered a ball into the box off a set piece, finding Walton for a header that put Webster ahead 1-0. The goal marked Walton's third of the season and ultimately stood as the game-winner.
Webster continued to apply pressure throughout the second half, finishing with a commanding 23-2 advantage in shots, including an 11-1 edge in shots on goal. The Gorloks also held a 10-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Alberto Duque Gonzalez led Webster with seven shots, including two on goal, while Scott Price recorded three shots, all on target. Elmin Lemes and Mauro Bustamante added three shots apiece as the Gorloks kept the Lyon defense under pressure.
Defensively, Webster limited Lyon to just two shots over 90 minutes. Goalkeeper Jakub Samelko recorded one save to earn the shutout, while Lyon goalkeeper Henrique Arruda Santos Megale finished with 10 saves in the loss.
The Gorloks will return to Worldwide Technology Soccer Park on Saturday, November 7, for the SLIAC Tournament Championship at 5 p.m. against the winner of Greenville and Spalding.
