Maksimovic's hat trick leads Thresher men's soccer over Bulldogs
The Thresher men move to 4-2 in conference play with the win over McPherson
The Bethel men were coming off a win against Southwestern, and on Wednesday, they continued their win streak with a 3-2 win over the McPherson Bulldogs, thanks to a hat trick from the star striker, Filip Maksimovic.
Maksimovic said, “It feels good as long as the team is winning; I think it's important how we finish the season; how it started doesn't matter.”
The game had many ups and downs, giving the home fans a roller coaster of emotions. Bethel gained the early advantage, going up 2-0 in the first 47 minutes, courtesy of the sophomore striker from Belgrade, Serbia, Maksimovic. His first goal landed in the 10th minute, and once more in the 47th minute, this time taken from the penalty spot.
Head coach Luka Milicevic stated, “Filip had an amazing game last night. I think our game with Southwestern was so big for his confidence. He didn’t score in that game, but he was everywhere for us. Yesterday, he was everywhere again, but he got rewarded for it big time.”
McPherson would also put themselves on the scoreline in the 65th minute, making the score 2-1. Not long after this goal, the game would go to a complete standstill, as a Bulldog attacker had an extremely hard collision with Kazimir Kromwijk, a junior goalkeeper from Dierdrik, Netherlands, who were both attempting to go for the same ball. The game was immediately stopped and did so for twelve minutes. Medical personnel took to the field, then let players and staff know the player was okay and responding.
After this stoppage, it was obvious that McPherson now had the upper hand with motivation and momentum. Even with the shift in momentum, though, the Threshers weren't giving up their lead. One player to thank was a sophomore midfielder from Robertsdale, Ala., Kevin Zavala. Zavala was playing a more defensive role in this game in the absence of Aleksa Oborina, another sophomore midfielder. However, Zavala managed to step up his game and fight for his team until the end, putting in battles on both sides of the pitch.
“I am feeling great about the win and how our team is gaining confidence after every game. Playing in a more defensive role was challenging, but we, as players, know that we have to step up to keep the team successful,” added Zavala. “I have been very satisfied with my performances lately and helping the team to keep winning along with keeping our form to a high standard. The team has just set this bar of excellence, which makes us players work hard and perform at our best every game.”
There would be two more goals in the game, as Maksimovic would earn his ninth goal of his season in the 83rd minute. McPherson would also grab a goal after a rebounded penalty, first saved by Kromwijk; however, the Bulldogs managed to put the ball in the back of the net eventually.
“This game was not a top-tier performance, but winning a game when not playing well is a trait of quality teams,” Milicevic said. “We had 2-0 and 3-1, realistic situations in which we need to do a better job at securing the game, but things happen in soccer, which is why we all love it.”
The Bethel men will have another home game at Thresher Stadium, taking on Evangel. The Valor are sitting at 3-3 in the conference, making this a must-win game for both teams. The two will play this Saturday at 1:30 p.m.