NEWBERRY - The goals came early, but not easy, for the Indians Friday afternoon, as the Newberry men's soccer team (2-0) remained unbeaten on the young season, registering a 2-1 victory of the visiting Brevard College Tornados (0-3-1).  Sam Okpudu improved to 2-0 as the Newberry head coach, with a little help from his team captains Miles Childers and Brandon Cockrell.

"We did very well today," reflected Okpodu. "We fought very hard against a determined Brevard team. It wasn't pretty at times, but we will keep taking the W's."

For a moment during the afternoon however, the W may have been a little in doubt.

Brevard scored only 17 seconds into the match, when Trevor Redpath found Chase Cosgrove in the box for an easy goal past Newberry goal keeper Bryan Linn.

Never one to be upstaged, the Indians went on the offensive, notching the equalizer just 55 seconds later.  Team co-captain Brandon Cockrell floated a terrific ball to another Indian co-captain Miles Childers, who rocketed a shot past the Tornado defense and, more importantly, Brevard goalkeeper Tommy Daughtry.

Unfortunately for the Tornados, Childers wasn't done.

Right before the second half, sophomore Jeffrey Taylor took a corner for the Indians.  He sent the ball into the box, where Childers fought through a line of Tornado defenders to send the ball in the back of the net on a beautiful header.  The goal turned out to be the game winner for the Indians.

While the game was a victory, Okpodu displayed caution in his evaluation of how his team is playing.

"verall I am very excited how these boys have played, but we have got to cut down on the individual play," warned Okpodu. "That being said, I love watching these boys play, and I am excited about continuing to build this team into a winner."

The Indians start South Atlantic Conference play on Sept. 11, at Wingate University.  Newberry comes back home on Sept. 18, to face the Mars Hill Lions.

Founded in 1856, Newberry College is affiliated with the South Carolina, Southeastern, Florida-Bahamas, and Caribbean Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  Newberry is a proud member institution of the NCAA Division II and the South Atlantic Conference, a league comprised of eight colleges and universities in North and South Carolina and Tennessee.