FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Playing with a renewed sense of energy, the men's soccer Monarchs took the field Wednesday and wasted no time in scoring their first goals of the season. Methodist held its opponent scoreless for the second match in a row on the way to earning a 2-0 victory over Ferrum College for win No. 1 on the season.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist beats Ferrum, 2-0
Records: Methodist 1-1-1; Ferrum 1-2-0
Location: Duggins Soccer Stadium; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Freshman Steven Floyd got the Monarchs on the board first, directing a left-to-right pass from Kaleb Thomas off his head and sending the ball bounding into the lower right corner of the net 13 minutes into the contest.
• Ferrum's next two shots were on goal, but Methodist goalkeeper Matthew Walker cleanly fielded both. The Monarchs took four shots over the next four minutes, with two saves by the Panthers' keeper and two blocks by Ferrum defenders.
• Methodist's persistence paid off. Driving past a defender with a quick side step, Floyd connected with fellow freshman Charles Drew, who lightly lofted a shot over the charging Ferrum goalkeeper for the second and final score of the match.

NUMBERS

• The Monarch defense didn't bow once again, conceding no scores to Ferrum and seven shots on goal.
• Those seven shots were saved by Matthew Walker, giving the sophomore a career high for saves in a match. It's also the seventh clean sheet of his career.
• Of Methodist's six shot takers, all six placed at least one of their shots on goal.

NEXT UP
Methodist hits the road for its first contest away from Fayetteville this season, taking on Birmingham-Southern College in Mount Berry, Ga. on Saturday. Match time is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.