Semoball

Notre Dame converts corners, breakaways to beat Poplar Bluff soccer team

Poplar Bluff's Jon Grimaldo, right, avoids a Notre Dame player during the first half Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, at Mules Stadium in Poplar Bluff, Mo.
DAR/Brian Rosener

The Poplar Bluff soccer team was shut out for the eighth time this season Tuesday night.

The Mules, who scored seven times in their last two games, had a handful of scoring opportunities but couldn’t break through in a 4-0 loss to Notre Dame at Mules Stadium.

“We don’t make the same run every single game and we defeat ourselves,” Mules coach Rusty Crafton said. “We’ve got to get better at that.”

The Mules (3-13) played out of system with long balls trying to generate offense instead of the runs they practice, Crafton added.

Notre Dame (9-3-1) scored in the seventh minute on a second-chance opportunity after a corner and got a pair of breakaway goals six minutes apart early in the second half before another goal off a corner.

Will Dodson scored twice and Colton Neumeyer had a pair of assists for the Bulldogs. Drew Vandeven opened the scoring after Poplar Bluff keeper Dawson Vaughn made a stop on a headed ball off a corner. Vandeven pounced on the loose ball near the post to break the scoreless tie 6 minutes, 51 seconds into the game.

Notre Dame had four more chances from the corner in the first half while the Mules got a corner chance in the 14th minute. Hayden Pinderski got a head on the ball but the Bulldogs back line was able to knocked it down and clear out.

Zak Lipsey took a long shot from the middle in the opening minutes of the second half but the Notre Dame keeper stopped it.

Jack Floyd scored in the 47th minute after Neumeyer’s pass put the senior on a break.

Neumeyer sent in Dodson on a break for a goal in the 53rd minute for a 3-0 lead.

Vaughn stopped Dodson a minute later on another breakaway chance but Dodson scored off a corner with 7 minutes left on a ball sent in by Andrew Mueller.

“Some unlucky goals there,” Crafton said.

Poplar Bluff’s game scheduled for Thursday has been canceled and Senior Night will be Oct. 22 against Farmington.

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