From staff reports
A flurry of goals in the final 22 minutes gave Mountain State University a 4-1 win over Berea College Saturday at Paul Cline Stadium.
Ali Katrib scored in the 68th minute and assisted on a goal by Alex Cottle in the 77th minute to keep the Cougars in contention for the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship.
MSU, 9-4, will host Asbury College at 7 p.m. Friday with the KIAC title on the line.
“That will be the biggest game in our program’s history,” coach John Birkelbach said. “We can reach our goal of 10 wins, we can win the conference (regular season) and we can have home-field advantage throughout the tournament.”
To earn a shot at the championship, the Cougars had to come from behind for the third consecutive game.
Berea’s Gonzalo Garcia scored in the 10th minute and MSU struggled to find an equalizer.
But in the 68th minute, Garcia made a hard tackle on the Cougars’ Mauricio Pena. Garcia received a red card and Katrib blasted the ensuing free kick past the Berea keeper.
Nine minutes later, Katrib served a corner kick to Alex Cottle, who headed the ball in for what proved the game winner.
“That was our captain stepping up,” Birkelbach said. “Ali led the way a captain should lead.”
Gary Taylor beat a defender one-on-one in the 79th minute for a goal, and freshman J.R. Brewer scored in the 83rd minute off a Taylor cross to round out the scoring.
“We dominated the game, but it came down to that red card,” Birkelbach said. “It changed the whole game. (Garcia) got sent off and the floodgates opened.”
Cottle played in the goal the first half before moving into the field for the second 45 minutes. Roberto Clerveaux was the second-half goalkeeper.
The MSU defense held Berea (3-6, 0-3 KIAC) to one shot on goal. The Cougars took 14.
“We knew Roberto could do the job, and our back line (Adam Thompson, Daniel Smith, Fredson Jean and reserve Drew Eastwood) was fantastic.”
Asbury is 4-6-1 overall, but, like MSU, is 3-0 in the KIAC.
“They have a losing record, but they’re a very good team,” Birkelbach said. “They play a lot of good competition.
“It will be a fantastic game Friday night.”
