Washington University’s Sergio Rivas works past a Webster defender on his way to score the goal that sealed the Bears’ victory over the Gorloks, Tuesday night at Francis Olympic Field. (Photo courtesy: WashU Athletics)

Final12T
WEBSTER UNIVERSITY (2-1)011
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (3-0)123
Scoring Summary
1st Half
44:30 – WASH. U. GOAL – Sergio Rivas (3), PENALTY KICK.
2nd Half
48:50 – WASH. U. GOAL – Owen Culver (2), assisted by Eugene Heger.
52:29 – WEBSTER GOAL – Carlos Llamas (1), assisted by Aamahn Murvin.
74:29 – WASH. U. GOAL – Sergio Rivas (4), unassisted.

by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

The Washington University men’s soccer team won its third game in a row to begin the new season, Tuesday night at Francis Olympic Field. The Bears defeated crosstown rival Webster University, 3-1, an entertaining contest that featured a number of exciting plays and scoring chances.

The victory marked the first time since 2016 that Wash. U. men’s soccer began its season with three straight wins.

The game began with Webster controlling the ball most of the first half, as the Gorloks, who also came into the night with a 2-0 record, looked to get ahead quickly. Fortunately for Wash. U., none of Webster’s chances produced a shot on goal.

The game then changed with just 30 seconds left in the first half, when a Webster player was called for a foul inside the goalkeeper’s box. That meant Wash. U. would be awarded a penalty kick, which was taken by forward Sergio Rivas.

The junior from Eden Prairie, Minn., wasted no time, as he buried a a shot inside the top-right corner of the Webster net, for an easy goal that gave Wash. U. a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Wash. U. went to work quickly and scored to make it 2-0, in the 49th minute, when sophomore Owen Culver blasted home his second goal of the season on a sharp pass from freshman Eugene Heger.

Webster responded just minutes later, when Carlos Llamas scored on a short crossing pass from teammate Aamahn Murvin to make the score 2-1. The Gorloks got a number of chances to tie the score, including one shot that hit the crossbar and two others that sailed wide.

But the Bears were able to put the game away, thanks to a brilliant insurance goal by Rivas in the 75th minute. After securing a loose ball inside the Webster zone, Rivas worked his way past two Gorlok defenders and fired a rocket past Webster goalkeeper Jacob Klevorn to give Wash. U. a 3-1 lead.

The goal was Rivas’ team-leading fourth of the season, and came just hours after he was named University Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week.

The Bears will be back in action on Saturday, when they’ll host the third game of a three-game homestand at Francis Olympic Field, against No. 12-ranked North Park.

That contest will be the second game of a doubleheader with the women’s team, who will host Loras College at 1 p.m. The men’s game will begin at 4 p.m.

Wash. U. Bears Men’s Soccer Upcoming Schedule
Sat., September 11 — vs. #12 North Park — 4 pm
Wed., September 15 — at Hope — 3:30 pm
Sat., September 18 — vs. Wheaton — 11 am
Mon., September 20 — at Greenville — 7 pm
Fri., September 24 — vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater — 7 pm
Sat., October 2 — at Rochester — 1:30 pm
Sun., October 10 — vs. Emory — 1:30 pm
All Wash. U. home soccer matches will be played at Francis Olympic Field