Hardeeville, Sc. – SCAD men's soccer continued its strong run of form on Saturday afternoon, earning a convincing 2-0 victory over Warner University at the SCAD Athletics Complex. The Bees dictated the flow of the match from start to finish, dominating possession and creating a steady rhythm of scoring chances, but it took two moments of brilliance — one in each half — to secure the win and another clean sheet in conference play.
SCAD wasted no time striking first. Less than a minute into the match, senior defender Tim Rothe launched an unstoppable shot from distance, curling the ball into the top right corner from outside the penalty area. The early strike electrified the Bees and instantly put Warner on the back foot. It was Rothe's first goal of the season — and one worthy of a highlight reel — as his powerful right-footed effort left the goalkeeper with no chance.
With the early lead in hand, SCAD settled into a dominant possession game, circulating the ball across the back line and through midfield with composure. The Bees controlled tempo through short, purposeful passes, forcing Warner to defend deep for long stretches. Midfielders Nils Vallotto and Michael O'Brien anchored the center of the pitch, connecting play and distributing wide to fullbacks Ben Stephenson and Daire Russell, who provided width and overlapping support on the flanks.
SCAD's attacking movement kept the Royals under constant pressure. Sebastian Gomez and German Moreno each came close to doubling the lead before halftime, with Gomez striking the crossbar in the 37th minute. Despite a flurry of first-half chances, Warner goalkeeper Wesley Lacy stood tall, making several quality saves to keep the Royals within one.
After the break, the Bees continued to dominate possession, but Warner began to press higher in search of an equalizer. The Royals' best chance of the match came in the 85th minute, when a long through ball slipped behind the defense. Goalkeeper Noa Sonntag reacted instantly, racing off his line to make a crucial one-on-one save, smothering the attempt and preserving SCAD's narrow lead. The stop was a defining moment — Warner's only shot on goal all afternoon — and maintained Sonntag's second consecutive shutout.
SCAD sealed the match in the 89th minute with a moment of sheer determination from Kimi Husler. Chasing down a loose ball near the sideline, Husler refused to let it go out of play, battling through two Warner defenders and cutting toward the end line. His persistence paid off, as he slipped a perfectly placed pass across the face of goal for Sebastian Gomez, who buried the chance with confidence to make it 2-0. The finish was Gomez's second goal of the season and a fitting reward for SCAD's relentless attacking pressure.
Defensively, the Bees were rock solid. The back line — anchored by Tim Rothe, Paul Brophy, Daire Russell, and Ben Stephenson — kept Warner's attack quiet throughout the match. Their organization and discipline limited the Royals to just three total shots, none of which seriously threatened goal outside of Sonntag's late save. SCAD's shape and communication at the back allowed the midfield to push forward, knowing the defense would handle any counterattack with confidence.
Statistically, SCAD's dominance was clear. The Bees held a 17-3 advantage in total shots and an 8-1 edge in shots on goal, while also earning six corner kicks to Warner's two. Sonntag finished with one save in 90 minutes, earning another clean sheet for the Bees.
With the victory, SCAD improves to 3-4-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play, maintaining an unbeaten record in league competition. The result also marks back-to-back shutouts for the Bees, who have continued to find balance between defensive stability and attacking creativity.
SCAD will look to carry this momentum forward as the Bees hit the road next week.
