Marshall University Athletics
Thursday, August 22
Huntington, W.Va.
7:15 PM
Marshall University
1-0-0, 0-0-0
3
vs
0
Cal State Fullerton
0-1-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Cal St. Fullerton
0
0
0
Marshall
1
2
3
No. 8 Herd Men’s Soccer Blanks Titans to Open 2024
8/22/2024 11:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Sordo, Vukovic each tallied a goal
Box Score (PDF) | Coach Grassie Postgame Interview | Championship Fund
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The No. 8 Marshall University Men's Soccer team (1-0) opened the 2024 season with a 3-0 shutout of the Cal State Fullerton Titans (0-1) on Thursday. It was the team's 13th shutout in its last 22 games.
"It was okay. I think we struggled with the concept at times, we're definitely not at our best," Herd Men's Soccer Head Coach Chris Grassie said after the match. "We're missing a few weeks on our legs. I think as the season goes on, three weeks from now we'll be a completely different team, more polished and sharper. Sordo was amazing with the first goal. Vukovic, we wanted to get a set piece with him being bigger and his goal was pretty good. Then (we had) Ryan Holmes running into the channels, interpreting space. It was fantastic."
Marshall outshot Fullerton 3-1 in the first 15 minutes, including a shot on goal by Alex Bamford that was saved by the opposing keeper. After the Titans went down a man in the 16th minute with a red card, The Herd continued to ramp up its offensive attack.
In the 38th minute, Marco Silva fired a shot on target that was saved, but Aymane Sordo was there to put home the rebound for the opening goal.
18 minutes into the second half, Alexander Stjernegaard sent in a corner, which Takahiro Fujita headed back across goal. The ball found Aleksandar Vukovic, who tallied his first goal in his Marshall debut to make it 2-0.
"It was amazing," Vukovic said about scoring his first goal. "I have been visualizing it the last couple days. I was visualizing Alex taking the corner and Taka heading it back to me, and me scoring. Like I already lived through it, thinking about it so much. I wanted to start the season well and I couldn't have had a better day, with the 3-0 win."
Six minutes later in the 69th minute, Ryan Holmes sent the ball off a Cal State Fullerton defender's head and into the net for an own goal to give MU a 3-0 lead.
Cal State Fullerton had its lone shot on goal in the 72nd minute, but Aleksa Janjic was there to keep the visitors off the board for his first shutout at Marshall.
POSTMATCH NOTES
In addition to Janjic and Vukovich, Thiago Apolinario, Rohin Kapila, Tarik Pannholzer and Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos all made their Thundering Herd debuts.
Taimu Okiyoshi, Silva and Stjernegaard each had a match-high three shots, with Silva leading the way with two on target.
NEXT UP
No. 8 Marshall is back on the pitch on Thursday as it goes to Xavier for its first road contest of the season.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall men's soccer, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall men's soccer team.
For all the latest information about Marshall men's soccer, follow @herdmsoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The No. 8 Marshall University Men's Soccer team (1-0) opened the 2024 season with a 3-0 shutout of the Cal State Fullerton Titans (0-1) on Thursday. It was the team's 13th shutout in its last 22 games.
"It was okay. I think we struggled with the concept at times, we're definitely not at our best," Herd Men's Soccer Head Coach Chris Grassie said after the match. "We're missing a few weeks on our legs. I think as the season goes on, three weeks from now we'll be a completely different team, more polished and sharper. Sordo was amazing with the first goal. Vukovic, we wanted to get a set piece with him being bigger and his goal was pretty good. Then (we had) Ryan Holmes running into the channels, interpreting space. It was fantastic."
Marshall outshot Fullerton 3-1 in the first 15 minutes, including a shot on goal by Alex Bamford that was saved by the opposing keeper. After the Titans went down a man in the 16th minute with a red card, The Herd continued to ramp up its offensive attack.
In the 38th minute, Marco Silva fired a shot on target that was saved, but Aymane Sordo was there to put home the rebound for the opening goal.
Right place, right time for Aymane Sordo! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/ajRE4lHxOL
— Marshall University Men's Soccer (@HerdMSoccer) August 23, 2024
18 minutes into the second half, Alexander Stjernegaard sent in a corner, which Takahiro Fujita headed back across goal. The ball found Aleksandar Vukovic, who tallied his first goal in his Marshall debut to make it 2-0.
"It was amazing," Vukovic said about scoring his first goal. "I have been visualizing it the last couple days. I was visualizing Alex taking the corner and Taka heading it back to me, and me scoring. Like I already lived through it, thinking about it so much. I wanted to start the season well and I couldn't have had a better day, with the 3-0 win."
Great play off the corner and Aleksandar Vukovic doubles the lead! pic.twitter.com/Z21MAEavt9
— Marshall University Men's Soccer (@HerdMSoccer) August 23, 2024
Six minutes later in the 69th minute, Ryan Holmes sent the ball off a Cal State Fullerton defender's head and into the net for an own goal to give MU a 3-0 lead.
We'll take it! 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/DIv9GQpR0t
— Marshall University Men's Soccer (@HerdMSoccer) August 23, 2024
Cal State Fullerton had its lone shot on goal in the 72nd minute, but Aleksa Janjic was there to keep the visitors off the board for his first shutout at Marshall.
POSTMATCH NOTES
In addition to Janjic and Vukovich, Thiago Apolinario, Rohin Kapila, Tarik Pannholzer and Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos all made their Thundering Herd debuts.
Taimu Okiyoshi, Silva and Stjernegaard each had a match-high three shots, with Silva leading the way with two on target.
NEXT UP
No. 8 Marshall is back on the pitch on Thursday as it goes to Xavier for its first road contest of the season.
To donate to the Championship Fund for Marshall men's soccer, please click HERE. All proceeds go directly to the Marshall men's soccer team.
For all the latest information about Marshall men's soccer, follow @herdmsoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
---HerdZone.com---
Team Stats
CSF
MAR
Goals
0
3
Shots
4
17
Shots on Goal
1
7
Saves
5
1
Corners
6
4
Fouls
10
5
Scoring Plays
Aymane Sordo (1)
Assisted By: Marco Silva
GOAL by MAR Sordo, Aymane Assist by Silva, Marco.
37:41
Aleksandar Vukovic (1)
Assisted By: Takahiro Fujita , Alexander Stjernegaard
GOAL by MAR Vukovic, Aleksandar Assist by Fujita, Takahiro and Stjernegaard, Alexander.
62:26
0
GOAL by MAR TEAM.
68:51
Game Leaders
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's SoccerM
/ Men's SoccerD
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