Box Score
FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University men's soccer team (7-1-1, 2-0 SAC) took a hard fought 3-2 win over rival Northwood University (3-4, 0-1) at Martin Field on Friday.  The game was the first ever Sooner Athletic Conference contest for both teams.
 
In spite of a lopsided 14-3 foul count favoring the Knights, 22nd ranked Texas Wesleyan grabbed the early lead when Abdi Mahdi scored off an assist from Ivan Kovacevic in the 34th minute.
 
The action heated up in the second half.  David Hagen headed in a cross from Marin Kovacevic in the 66th minute, but Northwood's Guiherme Sampio converted  a penalty kick just over a minute later.  Then, in the 79th minute, Alejandro Rivas hit Edvaldo Pedro for a score to give the Rams a two-goal cushion.  That proved to be important because NU's Ulysses Mendoza scored a free kick from the far right wing in the 82nd minute.
 
The Wesleyan defense tightened up and did not allow a shot in the final 8:51 to hold onto the 3-2 win.
 
For the game, the Rams outshot the Knights 17-11.  Both teams took five corner kicks.  Arnold Martinez (6-1-1) made three saves in the win, while Zakre Silva made seven stops for the Knights.
 
The Rams will return to action on Tuesday, when they host Oklahoma Baptist University.  That game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start at Martin Field.