Dominating debut: Gold Rush defeat Jones 4-0

METAIRIE, La. — Xavier University of Louisiana played varsity men’s soccer for the first time Sunday and defeated Jones College 4-0 in an exhibition before nearly 300 fans at Lafreniere Park.

The victory came 42 weeks after XULA announced it would sponsor men’s and women’s teams in this sport.
“We had some ups and downs, but mostly this was a good start for the boys,” XULA head coach Gonzalo Carranza said. “We’ll keep working to improve.”

XULA scored twice in the first 11 minutes and twice in the final eight minutes to defeat the Bobcats, who were 16-1 last season and qualified for NJCAA Division I nationals. Victor Ferraz and Jackson Kuykendall each had a goal and an assist.

Ferraz assisted on the first goal, which Leonardo Menzen scored 4 1/2 minutes into the game. Ferraz’s goal, assisted by Juan Braz, made it 2-0 six minutes later.

John Orgah and Kuykendall recorded the second-half goals. Orgah made it 3-0 on an assist from Kuykendall with 7 1/2 minutes remaining, then Kuykendall scored two minutes later from Anthony Williams and Caleb Evans.

Teaming up for the shutout in goal were Breno Zanolla and Francisco Pinochet. Zanolla played all of the first half, and Pinochet played all of the second.

The second and final Gold Rush exhibition will start at 4 p.m. Wednesday at another two-year opponent, LSU-Eunice. The XULA women will make their debut that day in their only exhibition: 6:30 p.m. at LSUE.

NOTES: In the crowd of 272 was XULA President Reynold Verret, a soccer player and devotee in his native Haiti . . . The weather was scorching at kickoff (4:56 p.m.): fair skies, temperature 96 degrees, heat index 108, wind from the west at 6 mph, humidity 50 percent . . . Joining Zanolla, Braz, Menzen and Ferraz in XULA’s starting lineup were Caio Tascheto, Julio Gruba, Sebastian Pinto, Eduardo dos Santos, Gustavo Oliveira, Fabricio Reis and Marcello Ferraz, Victor’s brother . . . The Gold Rush regular-season opener will be Aug. 29 at William Carey, and the first regular-season home game will be Sept. 1 against Tougaloo . . . There’s free admission to all XULA home soccer games this season.