DURHAM, North Carolina - Despite the tough loss in the home opener, the Salem Tigers men's soccer team needed to regroup and focus on the long season ahead of them. Their first opportunity to do just that was in the form of a trip down to Durham, North Carolina to face off with fellow NCAA Division II and USCAA Division II dual affiliate Shaw. Salem took care of business from the opening kick, and earned a definitive 4-1 victory over the Bears.
To open the first half, Salem hit the ground running as they controlled possession early on. That ball control yielded the first score of the contest for the Tigers about 25 minutes into the period off the foot of Aldair Cardenas, who was assisted on the play by Mauricio Aguilar Renovales. Shaw responded and drew level with a score of their own towards the end of the period, and the game went into the halftime break 1-1.
In the second half, the Tigers unleashed an offensive attack that the Bears simply had no answer for. Mauricio Aguilar Renovales broke the deadlock with a goal just minutes into the half for his second point on the day, and then Aldair Cardenas added a second goal to his already impressive performance shortly thereafter. With a 3-1 lead just minutes into the second half, Salem still had a long way to go to seal the victory. Felipe Gonzalez Maldonado added one last goal in the 68th minute to give the Tigers plenty of advantage to cruise to the hard work early season win.
On the stats sheet, it was Aldair Cardenas who logged his first 2 goals as a Tiger who led Salem offensively. Mauricio Aguilar Renovales was just behind him with a goal and an assist, and Felipe Gonzalez Maldonado logged 1 goal as well. In goal, goalkeeper Josh Hills logged a lone save for the Tigers. Additionally, this win marks the first at the helm for the Tigers for Head Coach Greg Gilmore since taking over the program after last season.
Salem will not have long to enjoy this victory, however. Salem plays host to local rival Davis & Elkins on Wednesday, September 11th at 8 PM at The Bridge Sports Complex in Bridgeport, West Virginia.
