September 3, 2010
Box Score

(KIRKSVILLE, MO.) – It took just one minute and 16 seconds for the Truman men's soccer team to secure Friday's game-winner, as senior Bobby Larkin's early goal set the table for a 3-0 Bulldog rout of visiting St. Edward's (Texas) University in both teams' season-opener on Friday afternoon at Bulldog Park.
 
Larkin (St. Louis, Mo., Parkway) took a cross from fellow senior Matt Kimball (Kirkwood, Mo., Kirkwood) to score the first of Truman's three first-half goals, before senior Ben Friesen (Raymore, Mo., Raymore-Peculiar) (31') and Kimball (43') added insurance off rebounds later in the frame.
 
The Bulldogs (1-0) outshot the Hilltoppers (0-1), 27-8, on the day, and the Bulldog defense allowed just two of those SEU attempts to reach the arms of sophomore goalkeeper Tyler Knierim (Hartsburg, Mo., Southern Boone), who notched his eighth career shutout. Kimball's six shots (three on goal) and senior Dan Meagher's (Chesterfield, Mo., SLU High) four (three on goal) paced the squad.
 
Truman also earned eight corner kicks, three in the first half against a 20 mph west wind and five in the second, to just two for SEU.
 
The Bulldog men's program is now 12-1-1 in its last 14 season openers dating back to 1997 and will head to William Jewell (Mo.) College on Sunday afternoon for a 2 pm match with the Cardinals.