WHEATON, Ill. - The Kalamazoo College men's soccer team played a neutral site game against Principia to begin the 2023 season. The Hornets scored early and often as all three goals were hit the back of the net within the first 34 minutes of play in the 3-0 win.
Kalamazoo had an experienced starting lineup, as 10 of the 11 played significantly last season. Gavin Houtkooper, Colin Halloran, Shun Yonehara, Aidan Gillig, Michele Alia, Paul Kearis, Henry Plumstead, Emilio Romo, Chad Ewing, and Jake Lynett all played at least 11 games in 2022. The other starter was newcomer Antoine Kondracki.
The Hornet offense quickly got to work by forcing a foul in the box in the second minute of the contest. Alia stepped up to take the penalty kick that the Panther goalkeeper initially saved, but Alia got the rebound and put away his first goal of the season to the side of the goal. Jordon Larco came on as a substitute in the 28th minute and brought a spark to the field by putting away the game's second goal in the 30th minute, unassisted. Romo capped off the scoring in the 34th minute as his first goal of the young season was assisted by Ewing.
There were a lot of substitutions in the second half as the heat was starting to wear on the players, and the coaches wanted to get guys playing time in the first game of the season. Kalamazoo took seven more shots in the second, but only three had a chance to score and were saved. Houtkooper turned in his first clean sheet of the season by finishing with three saves.
Kalamazoo held advantages in shots (15-6) and corner kicks (9-0), while the Panthers finished with more saves (4-3).
The Hornets will be back in action with another neutral site game in Wheaton, Ill., tomorrow (Sept. 2), beginning at 5:30 p.m., against Wisconsin-Platteville.