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Smoky Mountain booters claim key conference win over Tuscola
Smoky Mountain took a 2-0 lead early in the game Friday en route to a 3-1 Mountain Athletic Conference soccer victory over Tuscola at Carr Hooper Stadium/Babe Howell Field.
"That was a big step toward our goal of finishing in the top three in the conference," Coach Dolphus Brown said.
The Mustangs (11-4, 6-3) scored first when Bryan Mand connected with an assist from Eddie Noell five minutes into the game.
Smoky Mountain's Eddie Noell battles a Tuscola player for possession of the ball in SM's 3-1 win Friday.
"Eddie had received the ball on the right side and beat his defender," the coach said. "Bryan took the pass, settled it and turned and shot it right on the ground."
SM went up 2-0 at the 12:30 mark as P.J. Arkansas scored off a free kick by Kirk Childress from 40 yards out.
The Mountaineers cut the gap to 2-1 when Heyward Smith connected on a penalty kick after a foul in the box midway through the first half.
The Mustangs extended the margin to 3-1 at the 71-minute mark on Grant Schallock's goal off assists from Noell and Coleman Corzine. Noell started the play with a corner kick, and Corzine sent the ball to Schallock, who one-touched it with his left foot.
The Mustangs had a 12-5 advantage in shots. SM's Bryan Newbold made three saves, and Tuscola's Greg Munoz had seven.
"Tuscola is a solid club although they're not quite as skilled as they have been," Brown said. "When you play Tuscola, you have to be ready to play a physical game. I felt like we were the better team."
He noted the game ended a tough stretch of four contests that the Mustangs were able to split.
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