The Rockhurst men's soccer team claimed a 1-0 victory over crosstown rival William Jewell on Wednesday (Oct. 21) at Bourke Field, giving the Hawks the upper hand in the Kansas City Crown rivalry series. The victory in Rockhurst's final home match of the regular season improved the Hawks to 5-6-4 (4-4-4 GLVC).
Tommaso Silanos delivered the game-winning goal just nine minutes into the contest, capitalizing on a loose ball inside the penalty area and finishing from 12 yards out. The early strike gave Rockhurst a 1-0 advantage that would hold for the remainder of the match.
William Jewell responded with several scoring opportunities throughout the first half, outshooting Rockhurst 9-4, but the Hawks' defense held firm to preserve the lead heading into halftime. Rockhurst goalkeeper Luke Strueby recorded one first-half save to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard.
Strueby continued his strong play in the second half, turning away three shots to finish with four saves and secure the shutout. William Jewell applied pressure early in the period, with Daniel Pirillo forcing saves in the 50th, 55th and 60th minutes, but the Hawks maintained their one-goal advantage.
Rockhurst created several opportunities to extend its lead late in the match, with Troy Lor and Cameron Ayoade putting shots on target in the 83rd and 86th minutes. Despite being outshot 16-10, the Hawks held a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks and finished with five shots on goal compared to William Jewell's four.
The victory marked Giorgio Antongirolami's 300th career win as associate head coach of the Rockhurst Hawks, adding another milestone to his coaching tenure. The result also marked Rockhurst's fourth shutout in its last six matches, continuing a strong defensive stretch that included a 1-0 victory over Maryville and a scoreless draw against nationally ranked Drury. The Hawks closed out their regular-season home schedule with a rivalry win, while William Jewell fell to 2-12-2 overall and 1-10-2 in GLVC play.
Rockhurst will travel to Springfield, Illinois, to face Illinois Springfield on Saturday (Oct. 24), before closing the regular season at Southwest Baptist on Tuesday (Oct. 27).
